Judge Elbridge

ches rang their bells where now there is a jungle of trade, when the legs of the Giant of the West were in the ache of "growing pains;" at a time when none but the most visionary dreamed that a mud

he orator, not a bad combination in the law at that time, for what one did not know the other was prepared to assert. They prospered in a way, but never had the forethought to invest in the magic mud-hole; took wives unto themselves, and, in the opinion of the "orator," settled down to dull and uneventful honesty. The years, like racing horses, flew round and round the track, and a palace of trade grew out of the mud

ve the people. "Because," said he, "I am beginning to be afraid of my judgment; I am becoming

g of sunlit hope," penned in the late afternoon of life. But verses, be they ever so bad, are the marks of refinement, and there was no vulgar streak in the mind of the Judge. His weakness, and he possessed more than one, was the doggedness with which he held to a conviction. His mind was not at all times clear; a neighbor said that he often found himself in a cloud of dust that arose from ancient law books; and it is a fact that an able judge is sometimes a man of strong prejudices. At the time of this narration he was still hale, good humored, a little given to the pedantry of advancing years, devoted to his family, impressive in manner, with his high forehead and thin gray hair; firm of step, heavy in the shoulders, not much above medium height, cleanly shaven, with full lips slightly pouting. Following his own idea of comfort, he had planned his house, a large brick building in Indiana Avenue, at first far out, but now within easy reach of the area where the city's pile-driving heart beats with increasing violence. It was a happy household. The son, Howard, was a manly fellow, studious but wide awake, and upon him

had lived in different parts of the far West, had been dissatisfied with all places because a failure in all, and had come to spend the remainder of his days with his brother in Chicago. Here, he declared, a man could not find disappointment, for no man of se

ue, but they could study and wait. Howard was ambitious, and his mind was grasping. It was said that he "gulped" a book. He did not stop at the stern texts which were to serve as a part of his necessary equipment, but gave himself ex

go on, generation after generation, a pardonable vanity, but a vanity nevertheless. He wanted the boy to be practical, for a speculative

p against differen

ed by brushing again

n something fr

" said the old man, "is to keep out of his wa

dness of his father and his benefactor for not having invested in the mud-hole. Nervousness may inspire force of character, but it more often induces weakness. In many respects Bodney was weak. But the Judge, who should ha

rs of the law, the Judge fitted up an office at his home, wit

reacher, a good fellow. The young man's brow was dark. Of late he had formed an association with a man named Goyle, clearly an adventurer, but a man to inflame the fancy of

nto a passageway communicating directly with the street. Through the door opening

le," said he

le," said he

ng down the valise near the door and advancin

n," said

m going to do,"

e both were silent. "Where

udge and the contralto of

odney, nodding towa

t you

nd then after a short silence h

es

do you

're scared,"

a quick look. "W

ould

ay to it: The old man has missed money from the safe.

combination of the safe. He doesn't know that you fo

on't be long before he b

ly, fastens it on

it look

aid Goyle. "That

euce can I help it? You don't suppose he'd suspect his son

"Didn't trust him with the com

laughs and jokes all right enough, and says that this is a fine old wo

This soft air makes me lazy. It's not natural, you know,

ot given to starts. He was born a rascal, and had cultivated his legacy. Coolness may be a virtue; it is also the stronges

t the old gentleman's suspicions. And we've got to take care of them. If I understand it, Howard is to marry your sister.

e know all about that. Yes, and he ha

e out our inheritance, but we can't get away from it. And it's only the weak that struggle a

t in it," said Bodney,

ther. But, to business. The Judge must

t, do you think I am

. "No, you m

ow

e his son Howard

o you take me for one? Must see Howard take the money! What do you mea

I number several failures-one as an actor. But we learn more from a failure than from a success. All right. I heard Howard say that tonight he is going to a reception. In that grip is his semblance-make-up. At the proper time, after Howard is gone, you must lead

d Bodney, jumping up

hink so?

. "Yes, I do th

he crime

body could see through it

a trick-art, literature, music-all tricks. And what sort of art is the most successful? Bold art

ts and its rules," Bo

town is against us. Put an advertisement in tomorrow morning's newspaper-'Graduates of Harvard and Yale wanted, fifteen dollars a week,' and see how many answers you'll get. A cartload-and from men who were turned out prepared to fight the battle of life. Think of it. The man who has had his mind trained to failure, whose teaching has made him a refined weakling, with a mind full of quotations and mystic theories-that man has a cause to be avenged upon life, upon society for misleading him. Hear them laughing in there? You don't hear me laughing. I've got nothing to laugh

eak loose from something that held him in its grasp. Goyle gazed into his

the com

be gripping him, and started on a run toward the d

ing. Give me tha

e valise. "Come on," he said, and Bodney followed