n the old man's
voice as he opened the library door for his famous offspring and
announced "Misther James Riley," dwelling noticeably upon the prefix.

"I am glad to see you, James," Gorham greeted him cordially. "Your
father has kept me posted from time to time of your successes, and I
congratulate you both."

Praise from the president of the Consolidated Companies was nectar to
James Riley, and with an effort to appear indifferent he suffered
himself to sit down.

"Your father tells me you have personal business with me," Gorham
continued, noting the difficulty James experienced in getting under way.

The caller would not have admitted it, even to himself, but the effect
of being actually in the presence of this man of world-wide fame, and in
the midst of such palatial surroundings, was to deprive him of his usual
easy flow of words. Gorham's remark, however, as was intended, served to
relieve him, but the oratorical prelude which he had carefully rehearsed
coming up on the electric 'bus had vanished from his mind, and he
plunged, as had still another "gentleman" before him, _in medias res_.

"There's a feller in town what means to make trouble for you," he
announced, bluntly, looking up from his study of the pattern in the rug
to note the effect of his announcement upon his host.

Gorham laughed. "I have an idea that there is more than one 'feller' in
town who would be glad to do that if he found the chance."

"That may be, sir," James assented, "but this feller has come a long bit
out of his way to do it, and I don't think it's on the level, sir."

"It is very good of you to come and tell me this, James," Gorham said,
lightly; "but I presume our secret service force already have the
gentleman on their list."

"Oh, he ain't no gentleman," James corrected him, "and it ain't got
nothin' to do with business, sir, so I thought I'd call on you as a
friend and tell you what I know."

"What else can it have to do with?" queried Gorham, incredulously, yet
humoring James for his father's sake.

"With Mrs. Gorham, sir--leastwise, that's what he says."

Gorham's apathy disappeared, but his visitor observed no change in the
calmness of his expression or in the quiet tone in which he spoke.

"You surprise me, James. What sort of man is he?"

"He's a blackguard, sir, and a liar. I'd have told him so, only he was
drunk, and I thought he might leak something what would be of interest
to you. He says he used to be Mrs