made himself in
the public mind an embodiment of the "mighty and menacing plutocracy"
of which the campaign orators talked so much. And the various phases
of the scandal gave the press a multitude of texts for satirical, or
pessimistic, or fiery discourses upon the public and private rottenness
of "plutocrats."

But Dumont's name was never directly mentioned. Every one knew who was
meant; no newspaper dared to couple him in plain language with the
scandal. The nearest approach to it was where one New York newspaper
published, without comment, in the center of a long news article on the
case, two photographs of Dumont side by side--one taken when he first
came to New York, clear-cut, handsome, courageous, apparently a type of
progressive young manhood; the other, taken within the year, gross,
lowering, tyrannical, obviously a type of indulged, self-indulgent
despot.

Herron had forced Fanshaw to abandon the idea of suing Dumont for a
money consolation. He had been deeply impressed by his wife's warnings
against Fanshaw--"a lump of soot, and sure to smutch you if you go near
him." He was reluctant to have Fanshaw give up the part of the plan
which insured the public damnation of Dumont, but there was no other
prudent course. He assured himself that he knew Fanshaw to be an
upright man; but he did not go to so perilous a length in
self-deception as to fancy he could convince cynical and incredulous
New York. It was too eager to find excuses for successful and admired
men like Dumont, too ready to laugh at and despise underdogs like
Fanshaw. Herron never admitted it to himself, but in fact it was he
who put it into Fanshaw's resourceless mind to compass the revenge of
publicity in another way.

Fanshaw was denouncing the judge for sealing the divorce testimony, and
the newspapers for being so timid about libel laws and contempt of
court.

"If a newspaper should publish the testimony," said Herron, "Judge
Glassford would never dare bring the editor before him for contempt.
His record's too bad. I happen to know he was in the News-Record
office no longer ago than last month, begging for the suppression of an
article that might have caused his impeachment, if published. So
there's one paper that wouldn't be afraid of him."

"Then why does it shield the scoundrel?"

"Perhaps," replied Herron, his hand on the door of his office
law-library, "it hasn't been able to get hold of a copy of the
testimony." And hav