nough to fight the world on
their own account, but still little children to the mother's heart, and
had another cry over them. She went downstairs later to the Governor's
study, and interrupting him in the work to which he had settled down,
put her arms about his neck, and kissed him. "You must help him,
William," she said. "Do everything you can to have those scoundrels
punished, and let him do it."

The Governor only laughed; but he pushed back his work, and his wife sat
down, and told of her admiration and sympathy for Peter's fight. There
was a bad time ahead for the criminal and his backers. They might have
political influence of the strongest character, fighting their battle,
but there was a bigger and more secret one at work. Say what we please,
the strongest and most subtle "pull" this world as yet contains is the
under-current of a woman's influence.

Peter went back to New York that night, feeling hopeful, yet doubtful.
It almost seemed impossible that he had succeeded, yet at twenty-three,
failure is hard to believe in. So he waited, hoping to see some move on
the part of the State, and dreaming of nothing better. But better came,
for only five days after his return his mail brought him a large
envelope, and inside that envelope was a special commission, which made
Peter a deputy of the Attorney-General, to prosecute in the Court of
Sessions, the case of "The People of the State of New York _versus_
James Goldman." If any one could have seen Peter's face, as he read the
purely formal instrument, he would not have called it dull or heavy. For
Peter knew that he had won; that in place of justice blocking and
hindering him, every barrier was crushed down; that this prosecution
rested with no officials, but was for him to push; that that little
piece of parchment bound every court to support him; that if necessary
fifty thousand troops would enforce the power which granted it. Within
three hours, the first formal steps to place the case in the courts had
been taken, and Peter was working at the evidence and law in the matter.

These steps produced a prompt call from Dummer, who showed considerably
less assurance than hitherto, even though he tried to take Peter's
success jauntily. He wanted Peter to drop the whole thing, and hinted at
large sums of money, but Peter at first did not notice his hints, and
finally told him that the case should be tried. Then Dummer pleaded for
delay. Peter was equally obdurate. La