ainers and reporters.

The doctor had been recognized by one of the butlers whom he had
befriended on his arrival from the Old World. The grateful fellow had
gone out of the way to make him at home, and in his enthusiasm had put
an alcove which opened off the ball room at his and Harriet's disposal.
The doctor was elated at this evidence of Bivens's good feeling and
again congratulated himself on his common sense in coming.

Bivens led Stuart to a position near the grand stairway, from which he
could greet his guests as they returned from their formal presentation
to the hostess.

He kept up a running fire of biographical comment which amused Stuart
beyond measure.

"That fellow, Jim," he whispered, as a tall finely groomed man passed
and touched his hand, "that fellow is as slick a political grafter as
ever stole the ear-rings from the sleeping form of a fallen angel. He
levies blackmail on almost every crime named in the code. But you can't
prove it in court and he's worth millions. His influence on legislation
is enormous and he can't be ignored. He's one of the kind who like this
sort of thing, and he goes everywhere. Money is power. No matter how
you get it. Once gotten, it's divine. Call the man a thief and grafter
if you will, but the laws of centuries protect him. There are no rights
now except property rights. I'd like to kick him out of the house. I'd
as lief a toad or a lizard touched my wife's hand, but he's here
to-night, well, because I'm afraid of him."

Stuart nodded.

"Yes. I tried to send the gentleman to the penitentiary last year."

"But you didn't even get in speaking distance of him, did you?"

"No, and----"

"You bet you didn't; he's a lawyer himself."

"I thought he smiled when he shook hands."

"You remember that old Latin proverb we used to get off at college? I
was punk in Latin, but I never forgot that--'_Harus pex ad harus
picem_' when one priest meets another it's to smile! The lawyers are
the high priests of the modern world. Only the women support the
church."

"At least we can thank God there are only a few such men who force
their way into decent society."

"I guess you are right," Bivens answered, "and he couldn't do it by the
brute power of his money only. He has brains and culture combined with
the daring of the devil. Still, Jim, most of the big bugs who come here
to-night live in glass houses and have long ago learned that it don't
pay to throw stones."

A titled