ancier.

It will be recalled that to William Nevins was assigned the task of
ending the career of James Golding. He has worked secretly, as have all
the other members of the Committee of Forty. Now his role as shadow of
the financier leads him to New York, while some banking scheme is being
consummated; now he is rushing across the continent to be near the
Magnate in San Francisco; the last trip takes him to Europe.

At the time he began to study the movements of Golding, the Magnate was
in London and thither Nevins went; he was detained there, on that
occasion, but three days. On the voyage back to the United States he was
afforded an excellent opportunity to observe Golding. Nevins became
acquainted with the man whose life he was to take, through a business
proposition in regard to an investment. He professed to represent a
syndicate of French investors which was negotiating to purchase and work
a gold mine in Lower California. According to his story, he had secured
the necessary privileges from the Mexican government. Golding was
invited to be a participant in the enterprise, which was destined to
prove a bonanza.

Plausible, suave, intelligent, Nevins has impressed the Magnate most
favorably. So when Nevins proposes that he accompany Golding to Europe
to introduce him to the French capitalists, the financier readily
agrees.

As traveling companions on the millionaire's yacht, the two men leave
New York on September twentieth. Golding is bent on the successful
launching of the big bond issue, with the gold mining scheme as a
secondary consideration; Nevins has only the awful work before him to
consider. London becomes the permanent abode of the two, their trips to
France being short and frequent.

The newly constructed Channel tunnel connecting England with the
continent is a transportation improvement which makes it possible for
one to leave London, at ten o'clock in the morning and be in Paris at
one in the afternoon. The Air line to Paris enters the sub-marine tunnel
at a point twelve miles north of Dover and emerges on the plains eight
miles south of Calais. As an engineering feat the construction of the
tunnel has been heralded as unparalleled.

It is by this speedy route that Golding and Nevins make three trips to
Paris. The Committeeman contrives to interest several French bankers in
his supposititious mine, and by artful manipulation he brings these
bankers and the American Money King together in preli