tested vigorously, and a fight ensued in which he was
compelled to thrash the ring-leader and rescue the victim by force of
arms. From that day Stuart was Bivens's beau-ideal of a gentleman. He
had tolerated rather than enjoyed this friendship, but it was so
genuine he couldn't ignore the little dark-eyed taciturn fellow who was
destined to play so tremendous a role in his future life.

Bivens sat patiently waiting for the young lawyer, his black eyes
gazing dreamily over the roofs of the houses. He was smoking a huge
black cigar. He was always smoking. The brighter his eyes gleamed the
harder he smoked until the fire-tipped tobacco seemed a spark from
smouldering volcanoes somewhere below. The one overwhelming impression
which Bivens's personality first gave was that he was made out of
tobacco. His fingers were stained with nicotine, and his teeth yellow
from it. He had smoked so fast and furiously the room was soon
fog-bound. The boy looked up from his paper with a gasp and hastened
inside to see if he could get rid of his obnoxious presence. In a
moment he ushered out the client and showed Bivens into the office.

He shook hands quietly and took a seat beside Stuart's desk.

"Well?" said the lawyer at length.

"I've come to make you an important proposition, Jim," Bivens began
slowly, while his restless eyes looked up at the ceiling, and he pulled
at the point of his beard. "We need another attorney. The business of
the company is increasing so rapidly our force can't handle it. I need
a big man close to me. If you'll take the place I'll give you a salary
that will ultimately be as big as the President gets in the White
House. Twenty thousand to start with."

Stuart looked at his visitor curiously.

"Why do you want me, Cal? There are thousands of lawyers here who would
jump at the chance. Many of them are better equipped for such work than
I am."

"Because I know that you won't lie to me, you won't swindle or take
advantage of me----"

"Why not?" Stuart asked with a smile. "Isn't that the game? Why
shouldn't I learn the tricks?"

"Because it's not in you."

"I see. You want to capitalize my character and use me to ambush the
other fellow?"

"That's one way to look at it--yes."

"But that's not the real reason you come to me to-day with this
proposition--is it?"

"Not the only one. You know my friendship for you is genuine. You know
there's not a man in New York for whom I'd do as much as I will for