ntatives from interfering."

"Provided nothing occurs to raise a doubt as to the integrity of the
Companies' motives," added the Attorney-General, suggestively.

"How could such a doubt be raised?" Gorham was incredulous.

"By having some official in your corporation act in defiance of the
principles which you have upheld."

"We have a five-years' record to fall back upon."

"Yes; but as the Companies grows larger the risk increases."

"And the careful surveillance increases in like ratio."

"There are human limitations, Mr. Gorham," laughed the Attorney-General.

XIX

Allen Sanford, during the next few weeks, found much to think about
besides himself. His advance had been more rapid than Gorham had
expected. His position with the Companies was still the same, but his
value in his position had steadily increased. The impetuosity and
intensity which, previously uncontrolled, had made him heedless, were
now directed through a smaller vent, and gained in power. Gorham's early
belief that the boy possessed in no small degree, though undeveloped,
the business genius which had accomplished his father's great success,
was being definitely confirmed, and he rejoiced in it.

Allen had studied the business problem with which he came daily in
contact as closely as he could with the little experience which had as
yet come to him. What man of affairs does not recall how intangible was
that turning-point, in his own early business career, before which he
felt hopelessly submerged in that sea of infinite detail, vainly
struggling to gauge its currents and to escape its undertow; after which
he found himself advancing with steady strides, short at first, but
gaining in power as the lesser responsibilities merged into greater
ones!

Gorham's business training, previous to the inception of the
Consolidated Companies, had been in accord with the universal business
code, quite at variance with the idealistic basis which he himself had
now established. Allen's training had all been along Gorham's idealistic
thread. It was perhaps natural, therefore, that Allen, under these
circumstances, should look upon the transactions of the Consolidated
Companies from a different viewpoint from that which Mr. Gorham took. At
all events, some of these business acts did not seem to the boy to be in
full accord with the altruism which he had learned from his preceptor.
Allen had come to know most of the directors and some of the
stockh