worthy gentleman, springing up and
clasping the financier's hand. "Mr. Ames! So magnanimous! Ah--the
amount?"

"Well, will half a million do?" suggested Ames.

The minister reflected a moment. One should not be too precipitate in
accepting tentative benefactions. "Ah--we really should have--ah--a
trifle more, Mr. Ames. There's the settlement home, and the commons,
you know, and--"

"Humph! Well, we'll start with half a million," replied Ames dryly.
"By the way, you know Jurges, eh? Reverend William Jurges? Er--have
you any particular influence with him, if I may ask?" His sharp eyes
bored straight through the wondering divine.

"Why--yes--yes, I know the gentleman. And, as for influence--well, I
may--"

"Yes, just so," put in Ames. "Now there is a trial coming up this
week, and Jurges will be called to the stand. I want you to give him
the true facts in regard to it. I'll call Hood, and we'll go over them
in detail now. Then you see Jurges this afternoon, and--say, he's
raising a building fund too, isn't he?"

The magnate summoned Hood again; and for an hour the trio discussed
the forthcoming trial of the unfortunate Philip O. Ketchim. Then Ames
dismissed the clergyman, and bade his office boy admit the young
lawyer, Cass, who had come in response to Hood's request.

For some moments after Cass entered the office Ames stood regarding
him, studying what manner of man he was, and how best to approach him.
Then he opened the conversation by a casual reference to the
unsatisfactory business situation which obtained throughout the
country, and expressed wonder that young men just starting in their
professions managed to make ends meet.

"But," he concluded with deep significance, "better go hungry than
take on any class of business which, though promising good money
returns, nevertheless might eventually prove suicidal." He looked hard
at the young lawyer when he paused.

"I quite agree with you, Mr. Ames," returned Cass. "But as I am
particularly busy this morning, may I ask why you have sent for me?
Have you anything that I can--"

"I have," abruptly interrupted the financier. "We need additions to
our legal staff. I thought perhaps you might like to talk over the
matter with me, with a view to entering our employ."

"Why, Mr. Ames, I--I have never thought of--" The young man's eyes
glistened.

"Well, suppose you think of it now," said Ames, smiling graciously. "I
have heard considerable about you of late,