not until they had gathered in the library, whither Gorham had
especially invited them after the dinner was over, that the atmosphere
changed. Allen saw the expression on Gorham's face deepen into that
serious aspect which always signified matters of important moment.

"I find myself face to face with certain duties and responsibilities,"
Gorham began, "which appall me with their far-reaching significance, and
I have asked you, who are the nearest and dearest to me, to be witnesses
of my faithful performance of them, to the extent of my understanding."

Gorham paused, and seemed to deliberate before making his next
statement, unconscious of the tenseness of the silence which his words
had produced.

"First of all, it is my immediate intention to take such steps as are
necessary to bring about the disintegration of the Consolidated
Companies."

"But you can't do it," Sanford declared. "The corporation is solvent,
the directors and the stockholders will of course be against it, and you
will be powerless." "I have considered all that," Gorham replied,
quietly.

"What you say might be true six months from now, if the Executive
Committee succeed in wrenching my control from me; but to-day I have the
strength. The stockholders have invested because of their faith in me;
because of this same faith they will accept my statement that the
Companies' future is imperilled,--and the Government itself will help
me to accomplish my purpose."

"You are convinced, then, that the principles you built on are wrong?"
asked Sanford, unable to keep from showing some satisfaction in his
voice.

"No," Gorham replied, firmly. "The principles are right,--the wrong lies
in that human instinct which finds itself incapable of living up to its
best standard. I believed that my success had been due to a recognition
of my principle, when in reality it came from the simplest possible
expression of self-interest. If we go on, the Companies' continued
success means a growth beyond my control,--recent events show that it
has almost reached that point already,--and when once in the hands of
others, it can be nothing but a menace to the people.

"And now for the most humiliating confession of all: I myself have been
guilty of an exercise of my own self-interest as flagrant as any of my
associates, though in a different way. Their lust has been for gold,
while mine has been for a justification of an idea. My self-interest has
been less malignant in