The Lion and The Mouse

f the genius and virility of the American people-New York, with its congested polyglot population and teeming

the millionaires' district, the boundaries of which are marked by Carnegie hill on the north, Fiftieth Street on the south, and by Fifth and Madison Avenues respectively on the west and east. There is nothing more mournful than the outward aspect of these princely residences which, abandoned and empty for three-quarters of the year, stand in stately loneliness, as if ashamed of their isolation and utter uselessness. Their blinds drawn, affording no hint of life within, enveloped the greater part of the time in the stillness and silence

Senate the outcome could hardly be in doubt. He had learned also of the other misfortunes which had befallen Judge Rossmore and he understood now the reason for Shirley's grave face on the dock and her little fib about summering on Long Island. The news had been a shock to him, for, apart from the fact that the judge was Shirley's father, he admired him immensely as a man. Of his perfect innocence there could, of course, be no question: these charges of bribery had simply been trumped up by his enemies to get him off the bench. That was very evident. The "interests" feared him and so had sacrificed him without pity, and as Jefferson walked along Central Park, past the rows of superb palaces which face its eastern wall, he wondered in which particular mansion had been hatched this wicked, iniquitous plot agains

t the millionaires who, forming a class by themselves of unscrupulous capitalists, had created an arrogant oligarchy which sought to rule the country by corrupting the legislature and the judiciary. The plutocrats-these were the leeches, the sores in the body politic. An organized band of robbers, they had succeeded in dominating legislation and in securing control of every branch of the nation's industry, crushing mercilessly and illegally all competition. They were the Money Power, and such a menace were they to the welfare of the people that, it had been estimated, twenty men in America had it in their power, by reason of the vast wealth which they controlled, to come together, and within twenty-four hours arrive at an understanding by which every wheel of trade and commerce would be stopped

far in their insolence as to mock and jibe at the President of the United States. Feeling secure in long immunity and actually protected in their wrong doing by the courts-the legal machinery by its very elaborateness defeating the ends of justic

me for their present thralldom. Forty years before Abraham Lincoln had warned the country when at the close of

t live. It has been indeed a trying hour for the Republic, but I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and a

d so had fallen an easy victim to the band of capitalistic adventurers who now virtually ruled the land. With the thieves in power, the courts were powerless, the demoralization was general and the world was afforded the edifying spectacle of an entire country given up to an orgy of graft-treason in the Senate-corruption in the Legislature, fraudulent elections, leaks in government reports, trickery in Wall Street, il

courage who had already shown his capacity to deal with the critical situation. America was lucky with her presidents. Picked out by the great political parties as mere figureheads, sometimes they deceived their sponsors, and showed themselves men and patriots. Such a president was Theodore Roosevelt. After beginning vigorous warfare on the Trusts, attacking fearlessly the most rascally of the band, the chief of the nation had sounded the slogan of alarm in regard to the multi-millionaires. The amassing of colossal fortunes, he had declared, must be stopped-a man might accumulate more than suffici

eighbouring houses, this magnificent home of the plutocrat, with its furnishings and art treasures, had cost John Burkett Ryder nearly ten millions of dollars. It was one of the show places of the town, and when the "rubber neck" wagons approached the Ryder

questions in court under oath. The explicit instructions to the servants, therefore, were to admit no one under any pretext whatever unless the visitor had been approved by the Hon. Fitzroy Bagley, Mr. Ryder's aristocratic private secretary, and to facilitate this preliminary inspection there ha

ornamental, and heavily barred windows, while on either side of the portico were great marble columns hung with chains and surmounted with bronze lions rampant. It was unusual to keep the town house open so late in the summer

or without being seen and his arrival and appearance signalled upstairs. But the great man's son headed the list of the p

in?" he demand

gone out driving, but Mr. Bagley is upstairs." Then a

vershadowed by the stronger personality of the master the latter's secretar

ictorial stained-glass window overhead, the subject representing Ajax and Ulysses contending for the armour of Achilles. To the left of this, at the top of another flight leading to the library, was hung a fine full-length portrait of John Burkett Ryder. The ceilings here as in the lo

his employer, of whom he stood in craven fear, his manner was condescendingly patronizing to all with whom he came in contact, as if he were anxious to impress on these American plebeians the signal honour which a Fitzroy, son of a British peer, did them in deigning to remain in their "blarsted" country. In Mr. Ryder's absence, therefore, he ran the house to suit himself, bullying the servants and not infrequently issuing orders that were contradictory to those already given by Mrs. Ryder. The latter offered no resista

's nose, and the particular proboscis he had selected was that of his employer's friend, Senator Roberts. The senator and Miss Roberts were frequently at the Ryder House and in course of time the aristocratic secretary and the daughter had become quite intimate. A flighty girl, with no other purpose in life beyond dress and amusement and having what she termed "a good time," Kate thought it excellent pastime to flirt with Mr. Bagley, and when she discovered that he was serious in his attentions she felt flattered rather than indignant. After all, she argued, he was of noble birth. If his two brothers died he would be peer of England, and she had

tler, "Mr. Ryder will occupy the library o

spectfully. The man turned to go

had the audacity to address Mr. Ryder as he was getting out of his carriage. Last week a reporter tried to s

stairs. The secretary looked up and saw Jefferso

? How jolly! Your mother will be de

rrassed manner that he wanted to get rid of him, Jefferson l

cks every day. You've got men all over the place.

iffly, as he always did when

e replied. "We cannot leave the life of the richest and most

inquired Jeff

ower class-the riff-raff

only half as respectable as the common rabble, as yo

red and shrugge

a lofty air, he added: "For four years I was third groom of the bedch

of the bedchamber her

agley haughtily, "I am answ

erson, "when do you expect fathe

e important people to see before dinner. There's the National Republican Committee and Sergeant

m," answered Jefferson quietly but firmly, and in a tone and manner which did not a

en the secretary, who was visibly

he said in an undertone. "Som

'll see who it is," with which he brushe

t. A woman was there

d known Shirley Rossmore that he realized how different one woman can be from another. Yet Kate had her good qualities. She was frivolous and silly as are most girls with no brains and nothing else to do in life but dress and spend money, but she might yet be happy with some other fellow, and that was why it made him angry to see th

Jeff? I thought y

father's desk where he sat down to scribble a few words, while Mr. Bagley

e here," said Je

e in some confusion. "I was waiting fo

ever," he

a good time?

ensely. I never h

he said significantly. Then she added:

as there," was his

rsonal, he picked up a book that was lying on his father's

g this?" he asked. "He

te. "The book has made a big sensa

th an air of the g

kett Ryder himself! Everybody says it's he-the pres

with well-simulated sur

to be so interested in a book before. He's trying his best to find out who the author

ody who knows Mr. Ryder exceedingly well. There are t

mself. He was treading dangerous ground

upstairs. I'll see you again," He gave Kate a friendly no

Kate went to the door and listened to his retreating footsteps. When she

me to. Jefferson thinks

replied the secretary unabashed. "

tter from her bosom, "I wante

rts-Kate-I"-stamme

this manner when you know

she said it partly out of vanity, partly out of a desire

my love for you. Your engagement to Mr. Jefferson Ryder is, to say the least, a most

ard show of indignation which inwardly she did not feel. "Jeff and I may hide a

ations with Jefferson appealed to her as so comical tha

h me when the Senator went out wi

listen to your nonsense any

ou cannot listen to me when you could easily have avoided listening

I want to listen t

tepping forward as if

she exclaime

led me Fitzroy. Once, in an outburst

oor she waved her hand at him playfully and said teasingly: "Good-bye, Mr. Bagley, I am going

she was too quick for him. The door

y carpeted corridors with panelled frescoed walls, and hung with grand old tap

lled out the

y at her escritoire looking ov

ways been devoted to his mother, and while he deplored her weakness in permitting herself to be so c

hen he released her. "My dea

studio last night. You're look

glad Jefferson had turned out as he had. Her boy certainly would never be a fi

'The American Octopus.' How dare they make him out such a monster? He's no worse than other successful business men. He's richer, tha

dryly. "She was with that cad, Bagley. Whe

man. His family connections alone should entitle him to respect. He is certainly the best secretary your fath

thing." Then changing the topic, he said suddenly: "Talking about Kate, mother, we have got to reach some defini

accustomed to having her wishes thwarted that she was never surprised at anything

Now, mother, be reasonable, listen. I purpose to live my own life. I have already shown my father that I will not be dictated to, and that I can earn my own

t over you. Only remember this: it would be foolish of you to do anything now to anger your father. His interests are your interests. Don't do anything to jeopardize them. Of course, you can't be forced to marry a girl you

nspiracy against one of the most honourable men that ever lived, and I mean to

her to help you?" echoed

e then that he is selfishness incarnate?

end. Surely you have sense enough to realize that there are two reasons why he would not raise a finger to help h

ies. How was help to be expected from the head of those "interests" which the judge had always attacked, and now he came to think of it, perha

p against a stone wall-the money interests. One never hears a glimmer of fellow-feeling, never a word of human sympathy, only cold calcula

her hand gently

to money making and he has made a greater fortune than any man living or dead. He is only what his life has mad

en suddenly a dozen electric be

Jefferson, alarmed, and s

must have just come in. Those bells announce the fact. It was done so that if there happened to b

p him? Certainly he would be a rich prize. I wouldn't car

errupted by a timi

n and they chatted pleasantly of his trip abroad. He was sincerely sorry for this girl whom they were trying to foist on him. Not that he thought she really cared for him, he was well aware that hers was a nature

d. "I was not blind just now in

terference. She knew he hated Mr. Bagley and she thought it mean of hi

ok after myself, Jeffers

nd left the room, escorted by Jefferson, who accompanied her downstairs and on to the street where Senator Roberts was waiting fo

me to dinner any evening. We are always al

now, father. His work and-his

ge drove off the young man noticed that Kate glanced at one of the upper windows where Mr. Bagley stood behind a curtain watchin