LIBRARY 
 
 UNTVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 DAVIS 
 

 
THE MECHANIC 
 
THE 
 MECHANIC 
 
 BY ALLAN McIVOR 
 
 Author of " The Overlord " 
 
 r| NEW YORK 
 
 WILLIAM RITCHIE 
 
 70 FIFTH AVENUE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
Copyright 1906, by WILLIAM RITCHIE 
 
 New York 
 All rights reserved 
 
 ENTERED AT STATIONERS HALL, LONDON 
 
 The Plimpton Press Norwood Mass. U.S.A. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. MR. DOOBEY LEAVES A TRAIL OF BLOOD .... 7 
 
 II. DAVID TRIES BUSINESS 23 
 
 III. KING, THE GREAT WALL STREET MANIPULATOR . . 29 
 
 IV. JOHN DISCOVERS THE LOST STEEL PROCESS ... 46 
 V. THE FIGHT WITH THE STEEL TRUST 59 
 
 VI. JOHN EXTENDS HIS INFLUENCE 69 
 
 VII. THE DEATH OF DAVID 78 
 
 VIII. IN MANY COURTS 86 
 
 IX. LURGAN'S DAUGHTER CATHERINE 100 
 
 X. JOHN WORTH GIVES AND TAKES Ill 
 
 XI. THE SURRENDER 122 
 
 XII. LURGAN LOSES 130 
 
 XIII. THE STEEL DECISION 142 
 
 XIV. WILLIE RADLEY ASSISTS 152 
 
 XV. THE RECONCILIATION 167 
 
 XVI. A POOL OF WATER 179 
 
 XVII. THE OIL WAR BEGINS 188 
 
 XVIII. THE WINNING OF MIDLAND *00 
 
 XIX. NEIL MANNERING TAKES A HAND 207 
 
 XX. OIL IN MANY MARKETS 215 
 
 XXI. FLAMES OF YELLOW GOLD 226 
 
 XXII. WHAT FOLLOWED THE FIRE 246 
 
 XXIII. FORMULA 1506 254 
 
 XXIV. TO-MORROW AT Six 265 
 
 XXV. ASHES TO ASHES 273 
 
 XXVI. CUPS OF GOLD 288 
 
 v 
 
THE MECHANIC 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 MR. DOOBEY LEAVES A TRAIL OF BLOOD 
 
 MRS. WORTH, looking up from her needlework 
 with a bright smile, exclaimed: 
 
 "He is fond of us both, and I verily believe he is the 
 kindliest person that breathes." 
 
 The smile on David's face deepened at this statement, 
 for he knew his twin brother knew that other side of 
 him which could be as hard as the iron he fashioned in 
 his shop. But David was certain that his brother would 
 never allow this frail little woman to see the side which 
 men feared. 
 
 Peter and David Worth were born in New York and, 
 at the age of sixteen, had begun to work in their father's 
 shop. As their father and grandfather had both been 
 mechanics, Peter and David were proud of the calling 
 that seemed so firmly associated with their family. Their 
 skill was well known. If a fine bit of model-making was 
 to be done, it was always taken to Worths'. 
 
 When their father died they continued the business 
 and, presently, securing a contract to build a slot-machine 
 in numbers, they built a factory near Newark, still re 
 taining the New York headquarters. But Peter and 
 David, though twins, were not alike in coloring, form, 
 
 7 
 
8 The Mechanic 
 
 or mental equipment. Peter was tall, very finely propor 
 tioned, with dark eyes and hair. David was blonde, not 
 quite six feet in height, but very broad and powerful. 
 
 One night, at a dance, they both met and fell in love 
 with Rennie Terrwhitt, the daughter of a minister whose 
 life was devoted to the uplifting of the floating wrecks of 
 the East side. Six months afterward she and Peter Worth 
 were married. 
 
 David had said to his brother, " Give me a year, Peter, 
 to get over it, and there's my hand. I am not so good a 
 mate for blue eyes as you, and I have an idea, based on 
 many nights of wakefulness, that she doesn't know of 
 my love. She sees no one but you, and well, luck to 
 you both. I told her to-night, when she asked me why 
 I was so sad, that the awful harbor wreck had carried off 
 a little girl I was fond of, and she cried for me. Peter, 
 you are a fortunate devil to get that girl." 
 
 "That is so, David, and I will help along the wreck 
 story, as, of course, we want to see you in Jersey." 
 
 But it was only after a child was born, which was called 
 John after his grandfather, that David paid the wedded 
 pair other than a flying visit to the Jersey home. Occa 
 sionally he would go over to the shop, but not often. 
 When John was able to prattle, David spent his week-ends 
 with his brother and sister, and he grew to love the little 
 boy as though he were his own. It was time, too, that 
 love should come to David, for his life on the East side 
 where he was a favorite, was neither temperate nor moral, 
 but his nature was curiously direct and he had never met 
 any one who could drive Rennie from his heart. 
 
 In the Jersey shop, Peter, also, made fine steel for 
 dynamos and other work that required the best grade of 
 metal. David sent to the larger shop all the big contracts 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 9 
 
 he was able to secure and, notwithstanding the fact that 
 Peter earned the more money, both shops belonged in 
 equal shares to the brothers, and the marriage did not 
 bring about a change in their relation as brothers and 
 bosom friends. During the long evenings before his 
 marriage Peter had read law, and it was to this that 
 David attributed his brother's grasp of affairs. 
 
 When Pittsburg Steel made a proposition to Peter to 
 join its ranks, he refused, and when its magnates threat 
 ened, he smiled. The Steel people did not wish to annex 
 his small shop, but they wanted the man who knew how 
 to make the kind of steel that had heretofore come only 
 from England and Germany. There was also another 
 reason for their desire to attach Peter Worth to their large 
 establishment; they had heard that he could make steel 
 in a simple way, direct from the iron stone. And as this 
 rumor reached them anew from time to time, they became 
 more eager to secure Worth, who would not move from 
 his small shop and would not sell it or any part thereof. 
 For a while they thought of taking strong measures to 
 close the shop, but something in Peter's iron face pre 
 vented them, and David, who had very little education, 
 felt that it was Peter's knowledge of the law that made 
 him so formidable. The fact that Peter was his twin 
 brother always kept him from thinking that Peter pos 
 sessed brains of a different quality. He was not in the 
 least envious as to his own status in the business. On 
 the contrary, he was proud of Peter and boasted of his 
 skill to friends in Center Street. 
 
 "Yes, he threw the Pittsburg Steel people down hard, 
 and when it comes to making a man take a large tumble, 
 my brother is very much on the spot. I tell you, fellows, 
 it's his education. He used to read law and science o' 
 
10 The Mechanic 
 
 nights whilst I read the lights in pretty eyes. I had my 
 fun and now he is having his. I can make models all 
 right, but I can't do the other contracting stunts. I say 
 again, it's education. If I had read law there would be 
 two of us. See!" 
 
 Nobody smiled when he said this, because David could 
 grow cross, and it was the opinion of the East side, to a 
 man, that his strength could not be matched in the city. 
 His acquaintances also knew that he was not quarrelsome 
 in the least, yet he delighted in a trial of strength man to 
 man. 
 
 On Saturdays David always carried some little gift for 
 John. Once he heard of a litter of thoroughbred bull 
 pups and he presented one of these to the boy, and 
 the dog became John's most valued possession. They 
 had terrible fights, but in the main, Mr. Doobey, the dog, 
 and John were friendly; at any rate they were hardly 
 ever separated. Mr. Doobey would walk with John to 
 school every morning. At noon he was always there to 
 accompany his master home. At first John's mother was 
 a bit afraid that the dog would bite her boy, but the dog 
 never even broke skin on John's legs or arms. This was 
 apparently odd, because when Mr. Doobey and John 
 fought, which was very often, they would attack each 
 other with great fierceness, but their rows were all a part 
 of a game they played every day. Sometimes John and 
 Mr. Doobey would have a dispute on the way to school, 
 and then perhaps they would not speak to each other foi 
 the rest of the day; but no matter how much friendly 
 relations were strained, Mr. Doobey was always on hand 
 when John left school. If the day were fine, they gener 
 ally walked home. 
 
 First there was a river to cross, and then they passed 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 11 
 
 through a small settlement of foreigners who worked 
 at all kinds of jobs. After this squalid piece they were 
 in open country with the factory in sight, though it dis 
 appeared when they came to the crossroads, from which 
 a short climb through a field brought them home. The 
 foreign settlement was an object of suspicion, on account 
 of a number of highway robberies which had been com 
 mitted in its vicinity. 
 
 When Uncle David he c ard of this lawlessness he patted 
 Mr. Doobey on the head and said, "If they ever molest 
 John, old chap, my money is on you." That very day 
 John's mother had said to David, " Peter and Mr. Doobey 
 are the two best natured people in the world." It will be 
 seen by this statement that Mrs. Worth considered Mr. 
 Doobey human, and so he was in point of intelligence. 
 
 In rainy weather, John was taken to school in a covered 
 runabout, accompanied by Mr. Doobey, of course. 
 Neither Mr. Doobey nor John liked driving to school, 
 even though Jolly Roger, their horse, was a fine one, for 
 they missed the little foreign children to whom John 
 always stopped to speak. He called the bewhiskered men 
 of the foreign settlement goblins, and they, too, amused 
 him. Some boys would have given this street of shabby 
 houses and rough characters a wide berth, but neither Mr. 
 Doobey nor John had learned the meaning of fear. 
 
 Every Saturday Peter Worth, on his way from the 
 bank, either walked or drove through this section, and 
 though several of the foreigners knew that he had in 
 his pockets a large amount of money to pay his work 
 men, they did not molest him, though they hungered to 
 do so. It was neither affection, nor the fact that he was 
 a neighbor, that kept their hands out of his pockets. It 
 was rather a force they could feel but not see. It was 
 
12 The Mechanic 
 
 the same indefinable something that had prevented the 
 Steel folks from declaring war on Peter when he finally 
 refused to have any connection with them. 
 
 The bandits sensed this unseen power, and though they 
 went four or five times to the crossroads to intercept 
 Peter, each time, after looking at their revolvers, they had 
 decided not to attempt to rob him that day; yet, after 
 Peter had passed along his road and was lost to view, 
 taking with him that unknown quality which makes 
 man fear man, they realized that they had been afraid. 
 Still they had not failed at other times; they had 
 raised their revolvers and their victim had responded 
 promptly and easily. But they all felt that with Peter 
 they would have to go a great deal farther than the 
 cocked gun, and when they thought of what might lie be 
 yond their command of "hands up," they shivered. 
 
 Returning from school one day, John was stopped by 
 one of the goblins, who said to him with a laugh, " I'll 
 fight you." Indeed the foreigner squared up as if to 
 fight and, moving his hand quickly, he tapped John on 
 the cheek. It was not the intention of the goblin to do 
 anything more than play, and he did not know that John 
 never fought outside of his home, and then only with very 
 particular friends such as Daddie, Uncle David, or Mr. 
 Doobey. For reasons of his own he wished to be ac 
 quainted with John and he took this way of accomplish 
 ing it. But the interview, if such we may call it, was ter 
 minated suddenly by Mr. Doobey, for, with a low, tense 
 growl, he sprang at the foreigner, who very quickly jumped 
 a low fence in front of his house. When he was safe 
 from the dog, he pulled from his clothes an ugly looking 
 knife, but Mr. Doobey could not follow through the 
 board fence, and was consequently safe from the knife. 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 13 
 
 John, in the meantime, was looking at Mr. Doobey 
 with a surprised stare on his face, as he had never seen 
 his friend vexed before. 
 
 Turning to the goblin, John said, " Gee ! he very near 
 eat you all up." 
 
 The foreigner, now over his fright, answered with an 
 ugly leer on his face, " He is wicked, but this " patting 
 his knife " will take care of him." 
 
 Thereupon John continued his way home, and when 
 he passed beyond the land of the goblins, he said to Mr. 
 Doobey, " You shockingly jealous person, but me forgive 
 you if you don't say anything to Daddums about that long 
 knife Gee whiz, Mr. Doobey, but Daddy sure would 
 get cross if he knew that!" And the dog looked up at 
 his master, whom he loved beyond all things, and said 
 with a look, " I won't tell." 
 
 Surely, he must have said something like that, because 
 John patted his head and exclaimed, "That's right; now 
 me tell you tory, Mr. Doobey, so that you'll understand 
 why me not want Daddie to know anythings. Listening ? " 
 John looked and saw Mr. Doobey wag his short tail, a 
 signal that he was all attention. So the boy went on in 
 his peculiar kind of baby talk to the gratification of Mr. 
 Doobey, who expressed his approval of the narrative by 
 sharp barks and joyful skips about his master. 
 
 By this time John and Mr. Doobey had arrived at the 
 field where they saw Jolly Roger who came running 
 toward them. They then formed a procession and, going 
 zig-zag, made for home, John singing "Clementine." 
 When John stopped and held his body rigid, the horse 
 would push him on. 
 
 David, who saw this game for the first time that day, 
 was amazed. Said he to his brother, "How on earth 
 
14 The Mechanic 
 
 does he do it ? " And Peter replied with a laugh, " I 
 can't tell you; but if you can define magnetism you'll 
 arrive at John's power. He is a wonderful little fellow 
 and as happy as the day is long. You see, David, we 
 belong to a very old family. We can trace it back to the 
 very earliest days of master builders on the Clyde, and, 
 as you know, our family has been in Manhattan for more 
 than two hundred years. On the other hand, Rennie 
 belongs to an ancient race of gentlefolk. Two great 
 extremes, then, meet in John ; perhaps that is what we see 
 and can't define. But coming to the boy's attainments, 
 he takes figures at a glance; it is not possible to stick him 
 on single fractions, though he is only eight. Here is a 
 match-safe he made for me. At any rate he inherits the 
 family calling wouldn't it bother you to do a better 
 job than this ? Now, this little thing is only one of many 
 of his inventions. As you know, he has his own anvil in 
 the shop and he amazes the men there. They call him 
 the little genius. The baby language you hear occasion 
 ally is a perennial delight to me, and is only used at home. 
 In school he speaks precise English. David, I am going 
 to see my boy educated for all the word education means ; 
 first in the public schools and then in law and science at 
 Columbia." 
 
 Later that night, when Peter and John were alone, 
 David said, "I think Rennie is getting stronger; she looks 
 much better and has more color." 
 
 " Do you think so ? " Peter replied with delight. 
 
 "I certainly do. How well she played and sang this 
 evening. I tell you, Peter, she's had an education if you 
 like. Say, Peter, how are you getting along with the 
 steel process ? " 
 
 " By next Saturday I may be able to tell you something 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 15 
 
 definite. You see I have a process now, but I want to 
 be sure that it is basic fundamental, else the other fellows 
 might get ahead of me." 
 
 And Peter knowing that David was not up on the subject, 
 added : " Every steel mill possesses its own way of making 
 steel, but all their ways take about three weeks from the 
 time the pig-iron is delivered. By means of my process 
 I can do the same work in one day and of course at very 
 much smaller cost. Now, this is important. I can make 
 steel without the use of coke as fuel. This means that 
 iron and steel eventually will be made at the iron stone 
 mines. You see what a saving this will be in transporta 
 tion alone. Hodges is very anxious for us to join his 
 father's company before the trust is formed. He is 
 clever and, I hear, unscrupulous. He would like to get 
 my process so that he could ask a big price for his com 
 pany if the trust were formed. It would be a great thing 
 for him to say, *I have a new process for making steel at 
 one melting,' and then in his inventory add a few millions 
 for this item. But I am also alive to the trust movement, 
 and I purpose getting in it, too. We haven't much of a 
 shop ; it is not worth taking in as such, but the trust people 
 will be glad to incorporate us if we have a good process. 
 Well, David, I see a few millions ahead for both of us, 
 especially if I can get a patent, as I think I can." 
 
 About that time two others in Newark were talking 
 about Peter Worth's process. These two were Thomas 
 Hodges and a mechanic who worked in Worth's shop. 
 
 Hodges said, "You haven't been able to get into his 
 foundry ? " 
 
 "I have tried, but failed. I make excuses to talk to 
 Worth in his office, but when I am admitted, the foundry 
 door is closed. As I have stated, it is only possible to get 
 
16 The Mechanic 
 
 into his foundry in the daytime or when the shop is open. 
 That part has no windows and its roof is covered by 
 steel beams too close together to permit of an entry. 
 I'm sorry that I have failed " and the spy looked at 
 Hodges, who was smoking, and added, 4< I hope you don't 
 blame me." 
 
 Hodges walked up and down the small room with a 
 baffled look on his face. He had tried to buy out Worth, 
 but was unsuccessful, and then he made one of his best 
 men apply for a job with the hope of stealing Worth's 
 scheme, and here again was failure. 
 
 Finally he said, "I must have that process, Bill, by 
 fair means or foul. It's the biggest thing I ever heard of, 
 and it would make me master of the whole situation so 
 far as steel goes. Can't you think of a plan to get me 
 into that damned foundry for three minutes ? That is all 
 I ask. Just one look at the crucible that turns iron into 
 steel." 
 
 Then, becoming excited, Tom Hodges exclaimed, " By 
 God I must have his scheme." 
 
 The spy answered, " Will you make my check twenty- 
 five thousand dollars if I succeed in getting you inside ? " 
 
 " I will," Hodges cried quickly. "What is your plan ? " 
 
 "Listen!" 
 
 Hodges sat down. 
 
 "Worth has a little boy called John of whom he is 
 very fond, with more than the usual affection of a father 
 for a son. Label that in your mind and remember it. 
 Between Worth's property and the bridge there lives a 
 gang of foreigners, and I happen to know that four of 
 them are engaged in highway robbery, and, moreover, 
 I am acquainted with the leader of this band. But let 
 us go back to the boy. He walks through the settlement 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 17 
 
 every day about half-past three, and from the other side 
 of the main road he stops and waves his handkerchief. 
 This is a signal to his father who, hi turn, waves from his 
 office window. Then the boy walks down a slight incline 
 to the road where he cannot be seen, passes up from the 
 road to the level of his father's property, and usually 
 comes to the shop. Now, here is my plan. Hire the 
 foreigners to grab the boy after he gets his father's signal, 
 and carry him to the road and hold him there for two 
 minutes. And if you will be close to the factory when 
 the foreigners seize little John, you will gam at least 
 fifteen minutes in the foundry, as, of course, when Peter 
 Worth sees his boy roughly handled, he will jump through 
 the window and start to his aid. That's as sure as we 
 both live, and may God have pity on the foreigners, for 
 Worth won't." 
 
 Hodges thought the scheme over for a moment and 
 said, " It looks simple. But will the foreigners do it ? " 
 
 "Yes; for a thousand plunks they would carry the boy 
 off for as long a time as you like." 
 
 "Why wouldn't that be a better plan?" cried Hodges. 
 " It would give me more time. But what about the other 
 mechanics in the shop ? " 
 
 "I don't see how they will know, because their light 
 comes from another direction, so they won't see anything, 
 even if Worth should walk through the door. And don't 
 forget that his office has a separate entrance from the 
 road." 
 
 "How soon could you see the leader of these for 
 eigners ? " 
 
 " As it's early, I could see them to-night and arrange the 
 scheme for to-morrow." 
 
 Capable Tom Hodges said, " Go ahead; here is a thou- 
 
18 The Mechanic 
 
 sand. Give them five hundred dollars if they agree, and 
 another five hundred dollars payable on success. I leave 
 it all to you." 
 
 These worthies then took a drink, Hodges saying, " I 
 hope it will work, but what sort of a fellow is David 
 Worth ? I met him once or twice, but never heard him 
 talk." 
 
 " Oh, he's a clever modeler, but not so good, I hear, 
 at figures. His brother makes all their estimates." 
 
 On his return from school, Monday, John met his 
 goblin and three others at the crossroads and was in 
 vited to go for a drive. He courteously declined, saying 
 that he saw his father waving to him from the factory. 
 As he made an effort to pass the men, one of them seized 
 him and slapped a sponge to his nostrils. When he was 
 quieted they lifted him into a closed wagon. Had John 
 been conscious he would have heard screams and curses, 
 for, when Mr. Doobey saw what was being done, he 
 gripped the leg of one of the bandits and sank his teeth 
 into the live bone. At last, in desperation, the dog's 
 throat was cut with a knife, and the frightened kid 
 nappers hurriedly departed with the boy. The bandits 
 merely wanted to get the thousand dollars, and in order 
 to secure this amount they purposed to take him well 
 into the country, but near enough to civilization so that 
 by telephone they could arrange for his return. It would 
 have been much better in every way if this scheme had been 
 carried out as planned, but unfortunately John's father 
 had received a telephone message from the Ampere 
 Electrical works asking him to come over that afternoon 
 on urgent business, and, as the distance was six miles, 
 Worth thought he would drive. Just as he was wait 
 ing for his son, he saw the foreigners seize him. Quickly 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 19 
 
 taking a rifle from the wall, he jumped into the run 
 about and drove at a run to the place where he had last 
 seen John. 
 
 Then it was that Hodges, full of suppressed excitement, 
 seeing Worth fall into his trap, hurried to the office, 
 but just as he was about to swing open the iron door 
 which led to the foundry, David Worth entered the room 
 and cried, "Hold there!" 
 
 Hodges turned guiltily, and with a few quick strides 
 David was beside him, saying, " What business have you 
 in there ? Going to steal what you can't buy, eh ? " 
 
 Hodges replied, " I am looking for your brother, and as 
 he isn't here, I suppose he is in there," pointing to the iron 
 door. " Now that I have explained, it gives me pleasure 
 to tell you to to go to hell." 
 
 To Hodges that was the approved way of handling 
 men of David's class, and, besides, he was very wrathful 
 at his detection and failure. He looked toward the office 
 door once or twice to see if any one were going to follow 
 David in, and then, as he was sure they were alone, he 
 thought he saw another chance of viewing the fittings 
 of the mysterious laboratory. But if Hodges had only 
 taken a walk on the East side of Manhattan in quest of 
 information about David, he would not, perhaps, have 
 spoken so roughly to him. Hodges, however, had not as 
 yet passed much time in New York. He had been brought 
 up in Pittsburg in his father's steel mill, and there he had 
 adopted his way of handling working men and others, 
 and this way was that of a bully. He was very large and 
 strong, and possessed neither pity nor morals; success 
 came to him so easily that perhaps it is not strange 
 that he was vain. At any rate he held himself in very 
 high esteem, and his happiest thought, when he was 
 
20 The Mechanic 
 
 thinking of himself, was of his great physical strength. 
 As he gave expression to this thought very often and his 
 friends repeated it, he was known as "Strong Tom" in 
 Pittsburg and the oil regions. 
 
 Hodges therefore prepared himself to thrash David, 
 not knowing that he was making physical war on the 
 strongest man on the East side, and one of the cleverest 
 boxers that ever wore gloves. But he discovered these 
 facts about David in a few moments, and then lost all 
 knowledge of things until he regained consciousness in a 
 wagon which was taking him to a hospital. If David 
 had only known then of what he afterwards felt to be 
 more than a coincidence, Hodges would never have left 
 the shop alive. After David had beaten Hodges, he locked 
 the iron door, wondering what had caused his brother to 
 drive away from the shop at so furious a rate. 
 
 He would have wondered more if he had seen his 
 brother's look of surprise when he reached the main 
 road, for Peter Worth fully expected to see his son and 
 the foreigners there. Peter did not know that they had 
 been supplied with a pair of fast horses and were at that 
 moment half a mile away. In his agony he called out, 
 ft John, John ! " but no answer came. Then he found 
 John's little glove on the road and, seeing a clot of earth 
 held together by some wet substance, he sprang out of 
 the buggy, put his finger in the clot and wiped it on his 
 sleeve. What he saw made him reel. 
 
 In a hoarse whisper, he gasped " Blood ! " 
 
 As he walked up the road a short distance, the clots 
 became more frequent and pronounced. 
 
 Peter sprang into his buggy and followed the drops on 
 the road. His horse, a roadster, was going at a pace 
 which he could hold for an hour. When Peter bought 
 
Mr. Doobey Leaves a Trail of Blood 21 
 
 Roger, as he was then called, the dealer had told him that 
 the horse could do twenty miles in an hour, and now the 
 animal was straining at his best. His driver, though 
 blinded with rage and growing fear, knew how important 
 it was to nurse him for a long race. He had covered 
 about twelve miles when, upon coming to a hilltop, he 
 noticed, about a mile ahead, a pair of horses that were 
 being urged on. Then Peter called on his own horse and 
 soon he was within hailing distance. Noting the way in 
 which the horses were being pressed, Worth felt sure that 
 his boy was before him, so he shouted for the party to 
 halt. As if in answer, something struck him in the chest. 
 At first he felt as if a brick had hit him, but he soon 
 realized that it was a bullet. He felt no pain, and only a 
 slight weakness followed. Raising his rule he shot one 
 of the horses as they rounded a bend of the road, and 
 then three men jumped out of the closed wagon and 
 began using their revolvers. 
 
 Jolly Roger, beloved of little John, fell to the ground, 
 shot through the heart. Peter fired three shots and then 
 ran to the wagon, where he found John white and still. 
 When he first looked at his son he thought he saw death. 
 The remaining robber fell upon his knees and begged 
 for his life. Peter turned at the sound of the fellow's 
 voice and beheld a cowering brute who was pointing at his 
 leg, where Mr. Doobey's head was still clinging to its 
 hold. The robbers had tried to loosen the dog's grip 
 but this was impossible; the teeth were too firmly planted 
 in the bone. 
 
 Peter leveled his rifle at the kneeling figure, begging 
 for life, and sent a bullet crashing through his head. He 
 then looked for the robber's companions, his rule ready, 
 but his aim had been true. One of them lay still, 
 
22 The Mechanic 
 
 and the others were running for life. Then lifting the 
 boy in his arms, he detected the odor of chloroform. Carry 
 ing John to a stream near by, he sprinkled water on his 
 face and soon saw a faint sign of returning life. With 
 this relief, the mighty hold that Peter had on his own life 
 began to fail. John presently became conscious, and 
 looking up at his father said, " Daddie, why you look so 
 white and why don't 'oo smile at me ? " But before the 
 sentence was finished, Peter's determined soul had gone 
 to its God. 
 
 Presently a farmer, coming along, found John in tears, 
 trying to make his father hear him. Later the wagon, 
 with its dead, reached Worth's house. The mother was 
 at the door and saw the stark figure of her husband. 
 Running to the body, she fell over it dead. 
 
 The next morning there were no foreigners by the 
 bridge. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 DAVID TRIES BUSINESS 
 
 DAVID tried to run the business of making fine steel 
 and for a year succeeded fairly well. One day he had a 
 call from a representative of the Pittsburg Steel people, 
 who renewed their offer of one hundred thousand dollars 
 for the plant; but David refused, firm in the belief that he 
 could continue to run the factory and foundry at a profit. 
 Hodges, through his spy Bill Sharp, discovered that the 
 pile of iron stone had not diminished any since the death 
 of Peter Worth. Of course he did not value at one hun 
 dred thousand dollars the small plant without the process 
 that could at one melting convert iron stone into steel. 
 
 For a time he was convinced that David must know the 
 process, but he finally heard through his man that the 
 papers relating to the process were either lost or so hidden 
 that they could not be found. His informant was speak 
 ing the truth when he told him that David Worth had 
 dug up every inch of ground in the factory and had 
 searched in every likely place, but had not found what he 
 sought. David had talked openly with one or two of the 
 mechanics of the shop as to the steel process, and it was 
 quite certain that he knew nothing whatever of his brother's 
 method of converting iron ore into steel. 
 
 When Tom Hodges heard this he called on his father, 
 the president of the company, and asked for authority to 
 close the Worth shop. 
 
 23 
 
24 The Mechanic 
 
 " Those papers must be there," he said, " and I want to 
 conduct a thorough and systematic search. I have found 
 out that Peter Worth was never seen going to his house 
 with papers of any kind. I have also learned that his 
 wife was so delicate that he made a point of never talking 
 business to her. I am positive that the drawings exist, 
 for of course he didn't find this process in a night and 
 he must have made innumerable chemical tests, and, 
 after the tests, he had to make drawings for machinery. 
 The Worth factory is divided into two parts within the 
 four outer walls; that is, inside there is a walled enclosure 
 of brick without windows. He used electric light to work 
 by and the only way to get into this second shop is through 
 the office of the factory. Our man, and he is a nailer, 
 has even succeeded in securing a look at this second shop. 
 It is well guarded by its one heavy iron door, and when 
 this is open the office door is closed and bolted. 
 
 "Of course, you see the importance of getting these 
 works. If we secure only a faint suggestion to work on 
 from the residue in the pots I can do the rest. It will 
 be the greatest find of this century. I need not tell you 
 what it means, other than my opinion that if we secure 
 this process it is worth more than our original stock." 
 
 After delivering this opinion, Tom Hodges, who, 
 though only twenty-four, was already a noted steel 
 chemist and one of the growing powers in steel, looked 
 at the president awaiting his reply. It was not long 
 in coming, as father and son had talked before about 
 Worth and his process. 
 
 The father answered, "I'll leave it all to you; get the 
 process. Have I said enough?" 
 
 The son with a smile exclaimed, " Yes ! " and walked out. 
 
 Young Hodges presently went to England and Germany 
 
David Tries Business 25 
 
 and returned with a number of workmen who could make 
 the kind of steel that David turned out. Then he cut 
 prices in two, and shortly David was without orders to 
 fill. His largest customer, the Ampere Electric Construc 
 tion Company, sent for David, and its manager, Gary, 
 said to him, " We have dealt with your brother ever since 
 he started and the directors request me to inform you that 
 they would continue to deal with you but for the pressure 
 that has been brought to bear upon them. In other words, 
 they think it is only fair to give you a hint that the Steel 
 people are after your scalp and they think it will be useless 
 to fight them any longer. Of course, this is in confidence. 
 At any rate they told us that if we placed another order 
 with you that there would be trouble. Personally I 
 should like a war, but unfortunately it's not my money 
 that's in jeopardy." 
 
 David, who clearly saw the trend of affairs, replied, 
 " Thanks for your advice, Mr. Gary. I have an idea that 
 you are right and I'll close up. Do you know of any 
 firm that would like to buy our plant? It is a beauty, 
 as perhaps you may know." 
 
 Gary smilingly said, "I see you don't know young 
 Hodges or the Steel people; they will take mighty good 
 care that their war on you will leave them masters of your 
 foundry and factory. To be plain, they will convey 
 a hint to intending purchasers to get busy with other 
 affairs." 
 
 "Again I thank you," said David, as he walked out. 
 When he arrived at the works he called his men into the 
 office and announced, "I close Saturday, boys. I am 
 down and out." 
 
 When this was done he went to the bank and notified 
 the officers that he could not meet his overdrafts as the 
 
26 The Mechanic 
 
 Steel people would not allow him to continue business. 
 He stated that the land and factory were worth ten times 
 what he owed them, so they need not worry about what 
 was due, but that it was his wish to get as much as he 
 could for the property on account of his brother's child. 
 
 The cashier answered, "We shall have to sell all at 
 public auction. I hope the property will realize enough 
 to give little John a nice balance; at any rate he has our 
 sympathy. How much do you owe now, Worth ? I am 
 not aiming at anything but a desire to help the boy." 
 
 "I owe you twelve thousand and another three 
 thousand more in small accounts. If I can get fif 
 teen thousand dollars for the shop I shall be clear of 
 the world." Then David added, " I hope you will hurry 
 the auction as I am anxious to get back to New York." 
 
 Hodges was pleased with his work and yet he would 
 have preferred a longer fight so as to tie David up with 
 a greater debt than fifteen thousand dollars. Hodges got 
 this amount from the bank, which already had sent out a 
 notice of sale. Many machinists went to see the Worth 
 shop with an idea of purchase, but all these were told that 
 the property was desired by the Steel people, and of course 
 they returned to their own shops wondering why the 
 Steel people hated Worth. 
 
 In the meantime David was altering his place, a three 
 story building in Center Street, for John. His shop 
 occupied all of the ground story ; the next floor was divided 
 into two rooms, one of which he used as an office and the 
 other he slept in. The top story had never been used 
 except as a storeroom. He had this large room renovated 
 and made into a sitting-room, bedroom, and bathroom. 
 He then hired a young woman as cook and housemaid 
 and turned his old room into a kitchen. All of these 
 
David Tries Business %7 
 
 changes were accomplished with hardly any outlay, as 
 David was very popular and had asked his brother 
 mechanics to do this work at night or when they were not 
 busy. 
 
 On the morning of the sale, David, not daring to look 
 at John because of the tears in his eyes, said, "We are 
 going to New York this afternoon, my boy, so take a last 
 look 'round for anything overlooked." 
 
 " Thanks, Uncle David, but I have everything packed." 
 
 The auctioneer soon called for bids, and the cashier of 
 the Passaic Banking and Trust Company bid eighteen 
 thousand dollars. This made Hodges' representative 
 angry and he spoke to the cashier, who answered, "If 
 you want this property, bid twenty thousand dollars and 
 it's yours, or else it belongs to us. You are not now 
 dealing with a poor mechanic." 
 
 The representatives, knowing that this man's bank was 
 backed by one of the largest insurance companies of 
 America, made no response, but, turning to the auctioneer, 
 said, " Twenty thousand, " and the property was imme 
 diately knocked down to the Steel Company. 
 
 David grasped the cashier's hand and in a hoarse voice 
 said, " Thanks." 
 
 "No thanks at all," replied the cashier; "the five thou 
 sand dollars is for John's education." 
 
 After the sale David said to John, " I think everything 
 is now over, and we will go to New York and start a 
 peaceful life." For the first time in nearly two years 
 David's walk was buoyant. He had essayed business 
 and had failed dismally; now he was on his way to the 
 shop where, as a model-maker, he was a success. 
 
 When Tom Hodges arrived in Newark the morning 
 after the sale, and saw a burnt foundry with only the 
 
28 The Mechanic 
 
 walls standing, his first impulse was to begin an action 
 against David Worth. But the president of the company 
 said, " We don't want his story told in court, supplemented 
 by the testimony of witnesses. That's not our way, and 
 anyway David Worth is now too small potatoes for us to 
 bother with." So Hodges had to suppress his rage and 
 this took considerable time, for his mirror showed that 
 the punishment he had received from David had converted 
 him into a coarse-looking brute with a flat face full of 
 seams and scars. The object that he saw in the glass 
 hurt him more than the loss of the process which he had 
 hoped to steal. 
 
 In Pittsburg and the oil regions he found that his name 
 of " Strong Tom " was a thing of the past, and he ground 
 his teeth in rage at the man who had marked him 
 for life. But he was clever and a person who reasoned, 
 so he dropped the personal brute force side and sought 
 money and power. He never once thought of the man 
 he had killed on the hill road by his hired bandits, nor 
 did he dwell on the death of Rennie, the murdered man's 
 wife. He completely forgot the little boy who was to be 
 nursed and reared listening to the refrain, " Hodges fixed 
 that deal by which your father lost his life." 
 
CHAPTER HI 
 
 KING, THE GREAT WALL STREET MANIPULATOR 
 
 JOHN was charmed with his new home in Center Street, 
 and when he said to his uncle, "I feel better here; not so 
 lonesome," David was delighted. The following day 
 David took his little charge to the public school and 
 introduced him to the principal. His school associations 
 promised to be both pleasant and beneficial. 
 
 Then David interviewed his housekeeper, Mary Rad- 
 ley, and directed that John should be given plenty 
 of milk, oatmeal, and eggs for breakfast, and a hearty 
 dinner of meat and vegetables at noon. At four o'clock 
 he was to have some milk, bread, butter, and jam; 
 then more milk and bread before being put to bed. He 
 laid special stress on the boy having a daily bath, and 
 warned her that he was likely to become disagreeable if 
 John were ever slighted. 
 
 Mary Radley protested that she would take the best of 
 care of the little fellow, and offered to aid him with his 
 lessons as well. She also expressed her gratitude at 
 having such work, as her family was in great need of 
 what she earned. 
 
 David descended to his shop and went to work, his 
 heart at rest for the first time in many months. David 
 Worth was not much of a man in Jersey, but here on his 
 own soil he was what he felt himself to be, a man who 
 asked no odds of any one. Many dropped in to see him 
 and invited him to drink. David's answer hardly ever 
 
 29 
 
30 The Mechanic 
 
 varied: "Can't now, am a family man, and the boy 
 needs my all. I'm going to educate him in law and 
 science." Upon seeing their disappointment, David, who 
 wanted to keep his hold over his late associates, would 
 add, " Come 'round about seven and see Peter's son 
 he's a great boy. I'll set 'em up then, but not for long, 
 as he goes to bed at eight, and, boys, just count me out 
 in the drinking end hereafter. I've quit." 
 
 At three o'clock on John's first day at school, David 
 left the shop so as to bring him home, for he well knew 
 that East side New York was not like Jersey, and that 
 until John accustomed himself to new conditions he would 
 have a rough time of it. David posted himself in a 
 corner bakery and waited until school was out. 
 
 The boys in John's class had noted the stranger with 
 rosy cheeks and a general suggestion of the country, so 
 they made up their minds to have some sport. Little 
 Willie Radley, a brother of David's housekeeper, who 
 was the leader of this class, took charge of the fun; he 
 had been told by his mother to help John all he could, 
 and Willie, with twinkling eyes, had promised. Then the 
 little imp began to devise ways of making it lively for the 
 "farmer," so when school was over David saw John 
 surrounded by curious and mischievous youngsters. At 
 first a quantity of East side English was discharged at 
 him, but John, who was an even-tempered little chap, 
 only smiled at the names he was called. What David 
 saw later made him laugh with huge glee. This was a 
 battle-royal between John and Willie, which ended in 
 the latter's signal discomfiture. What particularly tickled 
 David, however, was the ceremonious solemnity with 
 which the combatants, when all was over, shook hands 
 and helped each other on with their coats. 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 31 
 
 When he came home he found John upstairs getting 
 ready to study his lessons, and he was pleased that his 
 nephew made no mention of the trouble. The follow 
 ing morning John started for school without any appar 
 ent worry, and David said to himself, " Like his father 
 he is not afraid of anything." 
 
 When John passed out of his street, he was met by 
 Willie Radley, who, broadly smiling, said, " Come quick, 
 I want to show you to my father. When I told him that 
 you licked me he was mighty pleased; now he wants to 
 see you and so does mother." John hesitated at first for 
 fear this was a scheme to entrap him, but Willie's smiling 
 face dispelled the thought. Following Willie, he was soon 
 in the Radley house, and they were so pleasant and so 
 genuinely pleased that Willie had met his match that 
 John looked the surprise he felt. 
 
 It was Willie's father who explained, "You see, Willie 
 fights all the time; he has told us on many occasions that 
 he would stop as soon as some boy of his own age licked 
 him. You now know the reason why we are all glad." 
 And the father, turning to his son, said, "Don't forget 
 your promise, and bring Peter's son in for Sunday dinner 
 I'll ask David." 
 
 John and young Radley then went to school Willie 
 was a little boy with red hair, small twinkling eyes, and a 
 bulging forehead. His nature was that of the bulldog, 
 and he now gave to John a friendship which was to last 
 and hold clear and strong throughout his life. 
 
 On Sunday, John met the Presbyterian minister, Doctor 
 Sawyer, and his two daughters, and it was not long before 
 he was a teacher in Sunday school, for he apparently 
 could manage the little foreigners better than any one 
 else. It greatly surprised both David and the doctor to 
 
32 The Mechanic 
 
 find that John, after a three years' sojourn on the East side, 
 could speak French, Yiddish, Slav, and the Italian dialects. 
 These different tongues John had evidently assimilated, 
 for he had not studied any of them. This knowledge 
 came, of course, from playing with the children. 
 
 At eighteen, John had passed his examination for 
 Columbia and was, by reason of his faculties and his 
 unusual means of expression, a power with the foreign- 
 born element on the East side. 
 
 Willie Radley was graduated the year after John, and 
 as he was a good scholar, especially in mathematics, his 
 parents hoped to get him a situation in some mercantile 
 house. One day Mrs. Radley stopped John on the street 
 and asked him if he thought his uncle could do anything 
 for Willie with the new savings-bank which was to be 
 opened the following week. Noting the anxious look 
 in the mother's eyes, John said in his pleasant, halting 
 way, " I'll speak to my uncle as soon as I get home, 
 Mrs. Radley," and at dinner that night he spoke of 
 Willie, and it was decided that they would see the presi 
 dent of the bank the next morning. 
 
 This gentleman was reached by telephone and he made 
 an engagement for the afternoon, at which time Dr. Sawyer, 
 David, the secretary of Worth's union, Willie Radley, 
 and John called upon him. Dr. Sawyer as spokesman said, 
 "If you can make room for William Radley in your 
 bank you will be conferring a favor on the East side; at 
 any rate we are here to vouch for his honesty." The 
 president, knowing that the presence of William Radley 
 in the bank would materially help him with the vast army 
 of workmen and others who lived around Center Street, 
 looked at Willie with a smile and said, "It will give us 
 pleasure to let this young man have a try at banking." 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 33 
 
 Willie, who for six months had been trying earnestly 
 to get a job, almost cried with pleasure. Turning to 
 John, whose hand he had grasped, he whispered, "I'll 
 be cashier when I'm twenty-one." He did not know 
 that he was making a prophecy that was to come true; 
 he was merely telling his friend in other words that he 
 was going to work hard. 
 
 John was very much pleased with Willie's good fortune, 
 and when the bank was opened for business he advised 
 all his friends to deposit their money there. It was not 
 long before this new institution was doing a thriving 
 business, so much more than had been expected that the 
 directors, at their first meeting, complimented the presi 
 dent on the amount of the deposits. The president, who 
 was a good deal of a man, said, 
 
 " It was my good luck to give a situation to a native, 
 one William Radley, who is now working on one of the 
 ledgers. He is bright, accurate, and neat in his work, so 
 that he fills his present position with entire satisfaction. 
 This young Radley has for a friend a young man about 
 his own age by the name of John Worth, and it is to this 
 youth, strange as it may sound, that we owe our financial 
 success. He was not satisfied with seeing a few of the 
 leading foreigners and telling them about the merits of 
 saving money, but wrote letters to all the foreign papers 
 which circulate on the East side. I have had these letters 
 translated and here they are if you care to read them. 
 You will observe that the writer speaks commandingly, 
 that is, he doesn't say, * Please put your money in the 
 bank, ' nor does he attempt to reason. He merely states 
 decisively that they must do so, and yet well, he doesn't 
 say ' must ' anywhere, but somehow he has a powerful pen. 
 At any rate I know definitely what his influence is our 
 
34 The Mechanic 
 
 books show it. I asked young Radley to bring his 
 friend in to see me, and he called yesterday. I was also 
 anxious to meet eye to eye the most potential force in 
 man's form on the East side. When I thanked him he 
 replied, ' I have worked for Willie don't forget that, 
 please.' 
 
 " Gentlemen," and the president looked at each one of 
 the directors sitting about the large table, "those words 
 were said to me by the finest specimen of young man 
 that my eyes have ever looked upon. He spoke easily 
 and pleasantly, but I gathered that our large list of de 
 positors depends altogether on our treatment of William 
 Radley. I think, therefore, that we ought to advance 
 this boy in our affections. He is nineteen." 
 
 The directors evidently thought so too, for the next day 
 Willie was made receiving teller. But what was also 
 remarkable about young Radley, other than John's in 
 fluence, was that he was more than ordinarily bright; he 
 was, in fact, a genius at figures. His early promise of 
 great ugliness now seemed cheerfully fulfilled, as Willie's 
 face did not possess a regular feature. His bulging fore 
 head, red hair, and twinkling eyes were, if anything, 
 more pronounced at nineteen than they had been at ten, 
 but notwithstanding his ugliness Willie was extremely 
 pleasing to the eye. He was generally laughing and his 
 joy was good to see. Willie was only five feet eight 
 inches high, but no one ever thought of attempting to 
 take advantage of him on account of his size. It was 
 well known that Willie could stop laughing, and then he 
 would go as far as his stout little heart would take him, 
 for fear had been left out of his nature. 
 
 The game of finance now occupied all of Willie's time 
 as mechanics occupied that of John. Both boys in their 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 35 
 
 differing ways were getting their first feel of things. 
 John's course at Columbia kept him very busy, and 
 through a librarian of the East side he secured an intro 
 duction to the librarian of the law library. Here John, 
 after class, would go to study and read, always reaching 
 home for dinner, and at night he worked in the shop, 
 helping his uncle with different jobs. 
 
 The particular work now reaching completion was a 
 model of a typesetting-machine which was being paid for by 
 James King, the Wall Street manipulator. On Friday, 
 David told John that it was finished and that on the next 
 day they would go to Broad Street and report to King. 
 
 The following day, for the first time, John met one of 
 the great men of the country. He saw a thin man about 
 fifty, above medium height, with hazel eyes, gray hair 
 and beard. But what held him for more than passing 
 thought w r as King's voice; it was very low and velvety. 
 He was speaking to David about the machine while a 
 clerk was in an outer office filling in a check. When 
 David had receipted his bill and was about to leave, 
 King said, "My lawyer Riddell tells me that you have 
 built a very nice machine, but he also says that the ma 
 chine infringes the patents of the 'One Type' machine, 
 which belongs to the recently formed trust. Now, I 
 should like to say here that I inherited the machine on 
 which you have been working from a firm of stock 
 brokers who failed, owing me a lot of money. They 
 valued their patents and drawings at three hundred and 
 fifty thousand dollars, and as they owed me very much 
 more than this amount, for reasons of relationship to one 
 of the brokers I did not question their valuation. Then 
 you were recommended as a machinist who could properly 
 build this model. During all the time that you have 
 
36 The Mechanic 
 
 been at work, or up to last week, I supposed that I pos 
 sessed something that was at least original, and I now 
 learn from my patent attorney that my patents are not 
 worth two straws. What is your opinion ? " 
 
 Turning to his nephew, David said, "You answer 
 Mr. King." 
 
 " The machine which my uncle built from the drawings 
 supplied to him and the 'One Type' machine are almost 
 identical," answered John. "The man who invented 
 'One Type' and 'The King', as we call your machine in 
 the shop, are known as professional inventors. That is to 
 say, neither one, so far as my researches reveal, ever 
 invented anything basic or fundamental. They both 
 studied all the expired patents in printing, which is 
 called prior art, and from the inventions of others they 
 borrowed or appropriated enough to get a patent. One 
 of these professionals was a bit ahead of the other, that is, 
 the 'One Type' man got his machine out first; and from 
 that fact, if the two machines were up for trial, he would 
 possess the sympathy of the Court. But I feel certain 
 that they couldn't secure an injunction against your 
 typesetter." 
 
 As John spoke he noticed that King watched him so 
 closely as to amount to almost a continuous stare, but it 
 was not unfriendly, for King was thinking, "He talks as 
 Riddell talked." This struck him as odd, so he asked, 
 " You have studied this subject of prior art as it affects 
 printing ? " 
 
 John replied, " When your machine came to my uncle's 
 shop we made a careful study of all existing machines to 
 see where we could economize on weight and working 
 parts, and as I am studying law at Columbia I thought 
 I couldn't do better than study the art of printing. In 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 37 
 
 this way I gathered my ideas as to your machine and 
 others." 
 
 " I should like to see * The King ' as you call it, on the 
 market as an original machine," King said after a mo 
 ment's pause, " and moreover, I should not in the least 
 mind the fight that the trust would put up. But isn't 
 'The King' a lame sort of a duck?" 
 
 " It is, as you put it," laughed John, " a decidedly lame 
 duck so far as originality goes. As a matter of fact there 
 is not one part in it which has not been taken from the 
 prior art"; and then John, walking over to the ticker, 
 added, "I feel sure that this is the idea for a printing 
 machine; that is, something run by magnets. Compressed 
 air, that the * One Type ' uses is cumbersome and very 
 old." 
 
 " You think, then, that you could build a machine that 
 would in no way infringe 'One Type' ?" King exclaimed. 
 
 " I am positive we could," John replied. 
 
 "What will it cost me?" 
 
 John, who saw his chance, said : " If you are not in a 
 hurry, I'll do the work at night and it won't cost you 
 anything beyond the actual supplies." 
 
 The arrangement, an indefinite one, was agreed upon 
 these lines. 
 
 On the way to Center Street John said to his uncle, 
 " You will remember what I have said about telegraphing, 
 and how easy it is for an operator to pass words over a 
 wire by means of dots and dashes ? Now I am going to 
 build ' The King ' over again, but this time we follow our 
 own plans and we model our own ideas." 
 
 David looked at his nephew with eyes of love and said, 
 "As you spoke I thought for a moment it was brother 
 Peter. Somehow I think you are strangely like him, but 
 
38 The Mechanic 
 
 there are times when I can see only Rennie." David, 
 now an old man with bent form, shook his head and 
 added, " It's all in the education, John, so you must not 
 work hard until you are through college and have your 
 papers as a lawyer. My work will then be finished and 
 I can go to Peter and Rennie with a clean heart. Ah! 
 John, not a word about taking your place in the shop now; 
 I mean to carry out your father's last words to me. The 
 words are burnt into my heart : ' I am going to see that he 
 is educated for all that word means.' That's what he 
 said, my boy, so build your magnet machine. Being a 
 Worth and Peter's son, I know you can do it, but work 
 only at night or when you are tired of study. My, John, 
 but you talked well to Mr. King, and he is one of the 
 biggest men in the country; a great gambler they call 
 him, but I have found him a large-hearted man who 
 pays well and always sees me no matter how many are 
 in his office. Ay ! and I saw his eyes follow you when you 
 spoke; perhaps he has taken a fancy to you. I hope so, 
 lad, I hope so." 
 
 They made a picture walking when on the street, 
 David always dressed in blue shirt, belt, and dark 
 trousers, and this garb of the mechanic set off his great 
 shoulders to advantage. John was dressed much the 
 same, except that he wore a coat of dark material. 
 His height and good looks, and that radiant something 
 which we call force, made many turn to look at him. It 
 was that intangible power which made King, a great 
 reader of character, look at John attentively. At first 
 he saw merely a tall boy of twenty with a broad, white 
 forehead, dark blue eyes, a rather big, straight nose, fine 
 chin, and magnificent teeth set a bit transversely across 
 the gums, signifying, as King knew, an abundance of 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 39 
 
 will-power. His form was perfect and gave promise of 
 great strength. His hair, a light brown streaked with 
 gold, added the necessary touch in making John a very 
 distinguished looking youth. After a moment, however, 
 King forgot John's appearance, but began to wonder why 
 he was so much interested in the lad. The impression 
 then made never left King's memory, and a year later, 
 when John called upon him, he was admitted at once. 
 
 King felt a quaint tingle of pleasure when he pressed 
 John's hand and said, " How is your uncle and ' The 
 King'?" 
 
 " One is better than the other; that is, my uncle is not 
 very well, but the magnet machine lives, breathes, and 
 gives forth promise. I called to-day to ask you to come 
 to see it work, and also to say that the papers, drawings, 
 and so forth, for the patent office, are ready for Mr. 
 Riddell." 
 
 " Tell me about the machine." 
 
 John began talking about the type-caster and setter and 
 concluded his description by saying, "I have only a 
 model now, but it works smoothly and perfectly." 
 
 "Very interesting," exclaimed King. "What will it 
 cost to build this machine in quantities ? " 
 
 "Less than one hundred and fifty dollars." And at 
 this statement King looked at John for a moment and 
 then said, "The other machines are sold for thirty-one 
 hundred dollars. What will you sell yours for ? " 
 
 "I suggest five hundred dollars. You see the other 
 two machines are loaded with intricate devices; in fact 
 they are a tangle of parts. Mine is simplicity itself. I 
 place the * One Type ' at five thousand parts, including 
 everything. 'The King' has less than a thousand parts; 
 my machine, boxed and ready for shipment, will weigh 
 
40 The Mechanic 
 
 three hundred and fifty pounds. This will give you an 
 idea as to its simplicity." 
 
 "Have you thought out a business arrangement as 
 between ourselves ?" asked King. 
 
 " I have a condition which I should like to make with 
 you as between men," answered John, "and because of 
 this condition I won't ask any money down for my labors 
 or for my patents. I'm sure that the machine will sell in 
 thousands, because it is something the printers want, 
 a cheap, efficient contrivance for translating manuscript 
 into type; and this being the case, the trust will want to 
 embody it in their list. Now, for personal reasons, I 
 won't permit a child of my brain to go to any company 
 in which Mr. Hodges has an interest. I hope what I 
 have said will not influence you against me or the machine. 
 I have worked hard to build something new to take the 
 place of the old, and with each and every device that I 
 hammered into life I saw this talk with you and I was 
 fearful. Yet I went on with the hope that if you took 
 the machine up you would perhaps give me this promise 
 as to Hodges." 
 
 " And if I refuse," demanded King, who looked at John 
 with piercing eyes. 
 
 " In that case I shall not give you the patents. I am 
 not bound to, you know, as I have not called on you 
 for a cent." 
 
 Then the two men looked at each other, and something 
 in John's eyes stopped the quick retort that was in 
 King's mind, for though he possessed a velvety voice and 
 a quiet manner, he could become very violent. At 
 all times he winced under dictation, and this was perhaps 
 the real reason that up to this time he had never had a 
 business associate. Consequently, though he tried not 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 41 
 
 to show it, he was rather vexed with the condition, not 
 on account of Hodges, for he disliked the man, but he 
 wished at all times to be free to do as he pleased. But 
 with the angry impulse he saw that the man talking to 
 him had some strong impelling reason, so he stifled the 
 hot words and said instead, " May I ask why you dislike 
 Hodges?" 
 
 John looked out of the window a moment before re 
 plying. He was thinking of his father and his untimely 
 end and of the tragic death of his mother. He wondered 
 if it would be well to speak of his strong suspicions as to 
 Hodges' guilt ; he had made up his mind not to, but in 
 the meantime King's anger vanished and he said, " I'll 
 make the condition that you ask in the way you ask, 
 that is, man to man." 
 
 And John, seeing something generous in the words, 
 voiced his thanks and then said, "My father was shot 
 when I was a boy of eight. It is my uncle's opinion, as 
 it is mine, that Hodges was responsible for his death. 
 I hope one day to even things up with him." 
 
 King, reading the tragedy in John's eyes and wishing 
 to change the subject, said, " The trust will jump on our 
 patents and do everything possible to stop us. But 
 speaking of patents, you likened the movement of your 
 matrix to this ticker. Are you quite certain that you 
 can't be stopped by the courts, always keeping in mind 
 that Playfellow and Lurgan have influence, to use a mild 
 word?" 
 
 " I know these men are the most potential beings in the 
 universe, but I'm not afraid of them because my patents 
 will be granted. Telegraphing, which is my method, is 
 old, and so is electricity; both are free to everybody. I 
 don't see how they can stop us." 
 
42 The Mechanic 
 
 The old man of Wall Street, as he was sometimes called, 
 again looked searchingly at the tall, steel-like figure, 
 standing so sure and strong, and he thought, how little 
 the boy knew of the world; but his next words showed 
 that he felt more than kindly, for he said, " If the Court 
 decides that we have good patents, I will give you all the 
 money you want to fight the trust, as of course I'll want 
 you to manage our company. But I do this only on the 
 condition that you don't ask for money in advance, and 
 that you and Riddell look after the patent question until 
 it is finally decided." And before John could answer 
 he asked, " Is your disc or matrix made of copper ? " 
 
 "It is." 
 
 " Isn't that metal soft and won't it wear easily ? " 
 
 Speaking very quietly and enunciating each word care 
 fully, John replied, " I have discovered a method of harden 
 ing copper; of making it as hard as nickel." 
 
 Then John stopped and looked at King, who inquired, 
 " Isn't that a great discovery ? " 
 
 "I believe it is." 
 
 " Can you patent your process ? " 
 
 " I hope to one day. I stumbled across the scheme to 
 harden copper in my work on steel. You see my father 
 had a way of converting iron stone into steel pigs at one 
 process, and this has been my study at the laboratory in 
 Columbia." Seeing that his listener was slightly incred 
 ulous, John went on with a laugh, "I'm afraid I have 
 talked too much good day," and John started toward 
 the door. But King stopped him to say, "What about 
 your interest? Shall we say a fourth to the inventor?" 
 And John again voiced his thanks and went home very 
 much pleased with his day's work, for he knew that King 
 was practically the only force in the country that George 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 43 
 
 Playfellow, Joseph Lurgan, and Thomas Hodges had not 
 put harness upon. 
 
 They would have bought any machine, valuable or 
 worthless, that King brought them, and at whatever price 
 asked, with the hope of winning his favor. For these three 
 men, notwithstanding the fact that they controlled banks, 
 oil, steel, copper, and railroads, were afraid, desperately 
 afraid of King's terrible attacks on the watered stocks of 
 their institutions. They realized they had no way or 
 scheme to control him; he was a solitary individual of 
 great wealth who loved to bear down like an avalanche 
 on these big folk who fattened on the gullibility of the 
 people. King had no love nor hate for Playfellow or 
 Lurgan; they were his spice of life. Every once in a 
 while they would try to break him in the market, but 
 these attacks only left King a little wealthier than he was 
 before. 
 
 King never tried to hold a stock that they were 
 hammering or to break it against their powerful sup 
 port. He was too wise for that. He would in his turn 
 attack another of their big industries and in that way collect 
 principal and compound interest, so that he was feared 
 and rightly named the King of the Street. He was a 
 breeder of fine horses as well as a manipulator of stocks, 
 and at this time in his career he had never produced 
 anything that could be rightly claimed as a benefit to 
 mankind, but he had indomitable courage and he also 
 knew what the word " truth " meant. Not for the gift of 
 the state would he play to the gallery of public opinion 
 as did Lurgan and Playfellow when they wished to cover 
 up some gigantic steal. After a big coup from the public, 
 Lurgan would invariably found an art gallery or library. 
 He was a pirate of the old sort but perhaps possessed a 
 
44 The Mechanic 
 
 principle or two that was not inundated with the passion 
 of money-getting. 
 
 But his partner in all great enterprises, Playfellow, was 
 much more thorough he possessed a faculty for amass 
 ing wealth that amounted to a disease. He, too, gave 
 money to universities, but in small lots, as he seemingly 
 hated to part with a cent, and yet it was rumored that he 
 was worth a billion. Such accumulation spells genius, 
 and he undoubtedly possessed a great intellect and won 
 derful courage. When he became the wealthiest man on 
 earth, he appealed like Lurgan to the commonwealth; 
 but not in the same way, as every day and waking hour 
 he chanted to the people through his God and theirs. 
 He appealed to the goodness of the Almighty while 
 he sickened and deprived hundreds of thousands of His 
 followers of their rightful dues. 
 
 Playfellow's history, as written, showed that he had 
 suppressed, burnt, and pillaged, as all great conquerors 
 have done. He especially loved bribery and all kinds of 
 underhand dealings, as is shown by the way he handled the 
 large railroads by making these great corporations give 
 his oil a rebate so he could stifle the earning power of 
 the small producers. Occasionally his schemes resulted in 
 wholesale murder, as in the case of a copper mine that he 
 and Hodges floated. It was an old shaft, and when the 
 ore gave out they sold the property to the public for 
 millions. This was such a fine deal that Playfellow 
 prayed especially hard and long to the Almighty for 
 guidance on behalf of his fellow-men. But in the midst 
 of this prayer it was on Sunday, and he was at home 
 after addressing a Sunday-school class upon the merits of 
 a godly life he received a cypher dispatch from the 
 superintendent of the mine, which read: "Struck very 
 
King, the Great Wall Street Manipulator 45 
 
 rich lead of copper at a depth of five hundred feet. 
 Wire instructions as the miners would make find public. 
 I won't let them out until I hear from you." 
 
 Playfellow immediately sent for Hodges and before 
 afternoon service they arrived at a decision. Hodges had 
 said, "We have sold out all our stock; what shall we do? 
 We can't let a bonanza of this sort go." And Playfellow 
 replied, "As the superintendent is one of our trusties, 
 have Bill Sharp 'code* him and then on Monday give 
 out that the mine is barren. This will permit us to 
 buy all that stock back for almost nothing." And Hodges, 
 laughing with pleasure, followed these instructions. 
 
 On Monday the public read of a shocking disaster in 
 the Williamite mine. It was reported that the air pump 
 went wrong and forty miners were suffocated. The little 
 word "suppress" which Bill Sharp sent had done the 
 business neatly and expeditiously, and Playfellow's finan 
 cial turn on the street made his flabby white face wear a 
 benign look for many a day. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 JOHN DISCOVERS THE LOST STEEL PROCESS 
 
 WHEN John reached home he found his uncle very 
 anxious to hear about the interview with Mr. King. 
 
 "I tell you that it was wise not to ask for money," 
 John began, "as I firmly believe that he would have 
 chucked the whole thing had we done so. As it is, he 
 gets the patents and we get one fourth, which is generous 
 enough, but he insists that I make good on patent rights 
 to the Court of Appeals if necessary. And when I have 
 done this, he will come out into the open with the machine. 
 In order to test the patents I am to build and sell three 
 machines, the cost of which he will pay. If the trust 
 fights, it will be a long wait, but the terms are his. What 
 do you think?" 
 
 " All right, my boy, it's all right. It's a great start for 
 a boy of your age. I should like to see you beat that 
 man Hodges into the grave. And you'll do it one day, 
 or you are not Peter's son." 
 
 "I don't think I shall ever forget to hurt him," John 
 said in a quiet voice full of suppressed force. " But you 
 left your mark on him, uncle ? " 
 
 " Age age," snarled the old man, holding out his 
 right arm and bending it to show the working muscles. 
 " It was a power once and I didn't give him all it possessed. 
 The pity of it is that I did not kill him when I had the 
 chance; but I'm old now, boy, and getting weak. When 
 
 46 
 
John Discovers the Lost Steel Process 47 
 
 I go downstairs, I like to lean on your shoulder. My! 
 but you have grown big and strong"; and getting up 
 David went to a desk and, taking a number of papers 
 from it, continued, " These are now my pleasure. When 
 I die put them in my coffin, John. I want to take them 
 to Peter and Rennie, so that they may know that you are 
 educated." And spreading one of the papers out on his 
 knee, the great wreck of a man read again, as he had 
 read many hundred times before, the announcement that 
 John was a lawyer of New York, and a graduate of the 
 school of mines of Columbia. Then he read that John 
 had passed first in his class; going on he came to John's 
 nickname of " The Mechanic " in college, and this pleased 
 him too. With a smile on his lined face, he said, " Don't 
 you ever feel that you would prefer law to mechanics ? " 
 
 "No, uncle mine; law produces nothing. I am going 
 to stick to the family calling. Shall I continue on Mr. 
 Pickwick or would you prefer something else ? " 
 
 " No, John, I like Dickens, but sure you don't want to 
 do something else?" 
 
 " I like reading, uncle, and you know that it is a new 
 world to me. Before I graduated I never had the time 
 to read a novel, so they are pure joy to my mind and 
 heart, especially Dickens. I was really sorry to part 
 with Micawber. Suppose we go back to him to-night 
 and see if anything turns up." 
 
 David laughingly said, " He was a daisy and I like him 
 hugely. But say, John, Hodges has got Uriah Heap 
 beat to death," and then, looking at his nephew with 
 anxious eyes, he cried in a weak voice, "Look out for 
 that crowd; they maim and kill to obtain their end. I 
 know. I know and I hear a lot through the union of 
 their cold-bloodedness." 
 
48 The Mechanic 
 
 " Don't bother about them to-night. Here is your pipe, 
 so let us be at ease with Micawber." 
 
 All John's evenings were now spent with his uncle, 
 who continued weak and ailing. It seemed as if he had 
 held together by pure will-power until John had grad 
 uated. David's giant strength seemed to fall from him 
 then and he was compelled to spend most of his time in 
 the sitting-room upstairs, only going to the shop occa 
 sionally to see how John was getting on. 
 
 There was nothing especially wrong with him; it was 
 merely a case of premature old age brought on by extremely 
 hard manual labor. He had given to Rennie's child all 
 his loving attention, and he was now receiving the same 
 care that he had bestowed for so many years, and yet 
 neither ever spoke of love. 
 
 In John's youthful days on Center Street, David had 
 tried many times to get him to speak the baby language 
 that he had found so delightful in Jersey, but after the 
 death of his parents John never again said, " Me will 
 or me won't." That home tongue was buried in his 
 father's grave. It was a long time before John forgot 
 his parents, or lost the gnawing sense of bereavement, 
 and he was only brought to realize the great love that his 
 uncle had for him by the slow incidence of time. He 
 was deeply grateful now at manhood that, though raised 
 in the midst of terrible and awful squalor, he was clean 
 physically as well as mentally. He also realized at this 
 time what his education meant to him, and what he owed 
 to that uncle who was now loosening one by one the 
 sinews and tissues that had hitherto held his life together 
 in one compact and well-knit whole. So he gave to 
 him that which David already possessed, his heart; and 
 the lamed man, weeping, sometimes said, "This is my 
 
John Discovers the Lost Steel Process 49 
 
 heaven." But even in weakness David never forgot to 
 urge John to discover the steel process; more than once 
 he said, " You can do it, I know," and " Your father hid 
 those papers," and again, " But where did he hide them 
 before that man Hodges killed him?" 
 
 In the laboratory at Columbia John had tried hard to 
 find some scheme for simplifying the process of making 
 steel, but had not up to the present succeeded. He had 
 studied the subject practically as well as theoretically, 
 and while working on iron stone he had found a way to 
 harden copper. As yet he had not gone far enough with 
 his tests to determine if his was the only way, and though 
 a scheme for giving copper a higher industrial position 
 among the metals pleased him, it was not altogether what 
 he sought, and his nature, endowed with a patience akin 
 to that of the Oriental, would not allow him to give up. 
 He knew how the Pittsburg blast furnaces worked so as 
 to manufacture steel; he stopped working on chemical 
 action and started merely to study and ponder on the 
 question. That a fine grade of steel was wanted for the 
 higher class of electrical work he was well aware, and he 
 knew that the electric people paid large prices in addition 
 to the duty for the European steel, especially the kind 
 that came from England. He was also aware that the 
 Krupp armor and guns were superior to similar articles 
 made in America. 
 
 The countries that produced these superior grades of 
 steel did not possess the ore field of America, and yet 
 there were many large concerns in America that bought 
 steel abroad. Consequently there must be something 
 wrong with the product of the blast furnaces of this 
 country. 
 
 John was too young to think of failure, so he pondered 
 
50 The Mechanic 
 
 on the steel process constantly, reducing each and every 
 theory that came to him to its fundamental basis, but up 
 to this time without success. Again, it was his father's 
 process, that which his parent approved of, and though 
 John was only eight years old when his father was killed, 
 the boy never forgot the manner of his death nor for 
 whom he died. So the dark, swarthy author of his being 
 meant much to John Worth, more even than the saint-like 
 picture which he carried in his heart his mother. But 
 he never spoke of either, though he liked to hear his 
 uncle talk about his brother Peter, and from the pictures 
 woven by a brother's love John built an image in his soul. 
 
 David said once, "He wouldn't scrap as I scrapped. 
 I was always through after my adversary was on the 
 floor. But Peter was different; he never was through. 
 I must say, though, that he scrapped my way very seldom 
 and the rough characters of my day would much rather 
 face me than my brother. Peter would not fight unless 
 he had reasons and I never met a man that had a better 
 hold on his temper. In business he always smiled when 
 he was done, but that smile often made me laugh. I 
 shiver when I think of it now; it was so cold and 
 merciless. And by God he made those that cheated 
 pay, and pay hard." 
 
 John had very little spirit for the gaieties of life; he 
 knew many girls casually, but was not intimately ac 
 quainted with one. He was not in the least shy or re 
 served, but his relation to women was purely impersonal. 
 As a truth he was too busy to give thought to the side of 
 life usually so seductive to hot-blooded youth. The only 
 pleasure he took outside his work was as a member of the 
 committee of his union, and as an officer of the East 
 side political club, which he had joined to look after the 
 
John Discovers the Lost Steel Process 51 
 
 interests of the foreign born. He saw the power in these 
 organizations, and the sense of power always seemed to 
 make his lungs expand. From early boyhood, or from 
 the time that he had assimilated the languages of the East 
 side, he had been called upon to settle disputes. Perhaps 
 it was this early training that secured for him, when 
 he reached manhood, positions of trust in these large 
 organizations. 
 
 At twenty-two, though there were no lines on John's 
 face, and his brow was not seamed, he was called old by 
 the community. By this they meant wise, for his judg 
 ment was never swayed by passion. He was in fact a 
 very cool, accurate reasoner. Add to this his fine appear 
 ance and it was not surprising that he grew largely into 
 the heart of the East side. 
 
 When John had, as arranged with Mr. King, completed 
 three machines, he called on three printing establishments 
 on the East side and to each one he sold a machine for 
 five hundred dollars. When these had been working a 
 few days, he saw a prosperous contracting machinist, 
 who, after examining the machines, and seeing them work 
 perfectly, told John to go ahead with his advertisements 
 as he would build all that were wanted for two hundred 
 and fifty dollars each as soon as the jigs and fixtures were 
 ready; he agreed to turn them out, from start to finish, in 
 three months. 
 
 Then John inserted an advertisement in the Inland 
 Printer setting forth the merits of his machine, and this 
 advertisement carried the strongest kind of testimonials 
 from the three printers to whom John had sold machines. 
 This was the first intimation that Harold Coutts, manag 
 ing director of the Printing Machinery Trust, had that 
 "The King" had appeared in its new form. He took 
 
52 The Mechanic 
 
 quick action by starting at once for the Oil Building to 
 see Thomas Hodges, who was one of the owners and 
 directors of the Machinery Trust. 
 
 When Hodges heard the name of the inventor, he 
 interrupted Coutts to say, " Worth, you say ? What's his 
 first name ? " 
 
 "John," replied Coutts; and Hodges knew that it was 
 the son of Peter Worth. Recollections of that name did 
 not add anything to his complacency, and when he had 
 heard Coutts to the end and had read the advertisement, 
 he cried angrily, "Smash this man Worth." 
 
 Coutts departed happy and smiling, firm in the belief 
 that he was making headway in the affections of the men 
 who controlled the greatest money citadel ever built. 
 He was endowed with a good appearance and plenty of 
 push, and as Lurgan, Playfellow, and Hodges were the 
 directors and principal owners of his concern, he promised 
 himself that he would, as Hodges suggested, smash Worth 
 soundly. Coutts had some reason to feel elated that 
 morning, because he was not forced to wait in an outer 
 office for an hour or two, but was at once ushered in to 
 Hodges in his private office and not into one of the many 
 little booths with numbers, to which he had formerly been 
 taken. 
 
 After his visit to the Oil Building, he went to the 
 patent attorneys Whitehead, Harlan, and Doyle, and in 
 a few moments was closeted with Mr. Whitehead, the 
 head of the firm, who finally said, " If you are sure that 
 the matrices are the same in principle, I'll ask for an 
 injunction," and this was decided upon. 
 
 Legal machinery was speedily set in motion and the 
 case was tried. After the trial, Riddell called on Mr. 
 King at his hotel, and his first words, " Injunction denied," 
 
John Discovers the Lost Steel Process 53 
 
 filled the old man's heart with pleasure and he asked for 
 a fuller account. 
 
 " In the morning I shall have a complete transcript of 
 the evidence which I'll send to you. Whitehead is as clever 
 as sin and is one of our most celebrated lawyers. It is 
 his scheme to dig traps for opposing counsel and witnesses 
 to fall into, and then, in a perfectly good-natured way, 
 give them a hand out of the hole he has placed them in. 
 He does this jugglery to show the judge the strength of 
 his case. I well know his methods for he has used them 
 on me. It is easy for him because he studied science as 
 well as law and is a mechanical expert. 
 
 "Knowing Whitehead, when court opened, I felt sorry 
 for Worth and, figuratively speaking, I looked to see the 
 gaps in the floor. But soon, very soon, my sympathy 
 had switched to Whitehead, for I never saw a man more 
 completely prostrated than he was. Worth turned him 
 and the managing director Coutts endwise, then he 
 would flap them over sidewise. In other words, he has 
 forgotten more about printing-machines than they will 
 ever know, and as to mechanics, he is their master. The 
 manner in which Worth demonstrated the feebleness of 
 their efforts to harass him makes me laugh when I think 
 of it. 
 
 "It all came to a head when Worth started on 'prior 
 art' and began his demonstration that 'One Type' was 
 completely appropriated from former inventions, and that 
 started a discussion on special mechanisms. So White- 
 head, a bit red in the face and not yet quite down and 
 out, began from insufficient knowledge to question state 
 ments that the defendant made. Then Worth, who had 
 with him records of all prior inventions that affected his 
 assertions, began reading from issued patents the points 
 
54 The Mechanic 
 
 he was making, and from the drawings of both prior art 
 and ' One Type ' he drew his convincing parallels. 
 
 "When the defendant had clearly proven that 'One 
 Type* did not possess a single mechanism that was new, 
 he began photographing in words his own machine and 
 showing at the same time that it bore no relationship 
 whatever to 'One Type.' His last words to the court, 
 as near as I can remember, were, ' I got the idea for " The 
 King" from the stockbrokers' ticker; to that instrument 
 and to electricity I owe my invention. Not one part of 
 my machine in any way infringes the " One Type " patents. 
 I have here an offer from a manufacturing machinist to 
 build my machine for two hundred and fifty dollars. We 
 shall eventually build the machines for one hundred and 
 fifty dollars. We can then sell the machine at a big 
 profit at five hundred dollars. "One Type" and "One 
 Line," known as the trust, realizes what our price to the 
 trade means to them; our machine can do newspaper 
 work quicker and better than " One Line." Our machine 
 can do book work better than "One Type." " The King " 
 can also set a line of type better than the best hand work 
 that was ever done, because its justification is perfect, 
 because it is automatic. 
 
 "'These three printed pages which I now hand you 
 were set by " One Line," " One Type," and " The King." 
 Look at them and I venture to say that you'll be able to 
 pick out the one set by "The King." Note the spaces 
 between the words of the one set by my machine; how 
 regular they are, and how perfect is the face of the type.' " 
 
 Then Riddell walked to the window and looked from 
 his altitude over busy New York; he heard the eternal 
 rumble from the street, and without thinking about them, 
 he saw the twinkling lights. Turning to King he added 
 
John Discovers the Lost Steel Process 55 
 
 in a subdued voice, "Many times to-day, when Worth 
 was discoursing on prior art, he had need of the books 
 on prior inventions to illustrate a point, and he never let 
 his eyes drop to the table where they were. His hand 
 would find what he wanted and it would also turn the 
 pages to one wanted, and then he would read a specifica 
 tion that he had been citing. I hope," and Riddell looked 
 searchingly at King, "that you followed closely what I 
 said; his hand, without the aid of his eyes, would find, not 
 only the book he wanted, but the page containing the 
 very words of illustration that he sought." Riddell stopped 
 for a moment and then continued, " I have heard of 
 mechanics and others being handwise, but I never saw 
 such a thing before. It made me feel creepy, for the 
 hand moved as if with separate life" 
 
 Again Riddell walked to a window, but though his 
 eyes were opened, he did not see the lights nor did he 
 hear the unending roar; he was thinking of that wonderful 
 hand. 
 
 King interrupted his thoughts by asking, "Did you 
 notice anything else?" 
 
 "Nothing else," answered Riddell, "only that moving 
 hand. He is clever as a lawyer and a genius in mechanics, 
 but I have no way of telling you how cold he is. He was 
 never flurried, he did not even show a glistening eye; he 
 was I have it," and Riddell smiled " automatic; and 
 yet as we lunched together he laughed and talked as a 
 boy. Then he is fascinating to a degree which I have 
 never seen before in a man, but in court he was another 
 person. 
 
 "I gathered to-day that he is a man it won't pay 
 to cross. Perhaps Whitehead annoyed him, though he 
 didn't show annoyance. And to-morrow, or whenever 
 
56 The Mechanic 
 
 the proceedings have been read by lawyers generally, 
 Whitehead will not be the first patent attorney in New 
 York, as he was this morning. For this day Worth killed 
 his reputation as a leader. But I must be going." 
 
 At the door he turned to say good night, and King 
 asked, "What will the trust do now?" 
 
 "They will appeal and then the fight begins. But 
 don't forget what I said about a hand that can do its 
 functions independent of its eyes; that means unusual 
 government of mind over body. The trust men are 
 going to get acquainted with John Worth " and then 
 Riddell was gone, leaving King in some doubt as to his 
 precise meaning. 
 
 Meanwhile John was telling his uncle all about it and 
 enjoying his first victory. To David he said, "When I 
 get the printing-machine going, I'll finish my work on 
 steel, for then I'll have an income." But John did not 
 know the trust people nor did King, as the next morning 
 they both read an advertisement warning printers, under 
 penalty of suit for damages, against ordering " The King. " 
 
 The advertisement stated that the machine was a clear 
 infringement on their patents and they meant to protect 
 themselves. They started suits against the three printers 
 who had installed these machines. This was a great 
 surprise to John, but he more clearly grasped its meaning 
 when outstanding orders for his machine were cancelled. 
 He then looked for a speedy trial, but the trust did not 
 desire speed now, as John soon found out. King waited 
 the final decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals on the 
 patents. 
 
 Only a faint echo of this fight reached Lurgan and 
 Playfellow, as the Printing Machinery Company was a 
 small matter to them. Hodges, for personal reasons, was 
 
John Discovers the Lost Steel Process 57 
 
 interested, and he it was who telephoned Coutts regarding 
 the advertisement warning printers. " Put this in all the 
 large papers throughout the country and then delay the 
 final argument before the Circuit Court of Appeals all you 
 can, and in the direction of delay I expect Whitehead to 
 do a great deal." 
 
 Early one Sunday morning John started for Jersey to 
 see if the flowers on his parents' grave were thriving, and 
 afterward, as it was only a short walk to his old home, he 
 went to the house, though he knew it was in ruins. Only 
 the wreck of the factory was standing, as the steel com 
 pany that owned it had never improved the land or used 
 the old foundations. He soon noticed something new 
 nailed to one of the walls of the factory: "This property 
 for sale." John, who would have liked to own the prop 
 erty, sorrowed because it was beyond his reach. Presently 
 a few drops of rain warned him to seek shelter, so he 
 walked into the roofless ruin, and going through the old 
 office he stood under the opening which led into his 
 father's private foundry. The iron door was still on its 
 hinges and was held open by a stake driven into the earth. 
 
 As the rain increased and John had no umbrella, he 
 stayed where he was, which was a fair shelter from the 
 summer shower. In front of his eyes was the top hinge 
 that held the door, and as John looked at it he wondered 
 why it was made with so large a surface. Lowering his 
 eyes he perceived that the bottom hinge, though as strong, 
 did not cover so much space, and he marveled at this 
 discrepancy. Stooping, he saw that the lower hinge was 
 a stock size, and then examining the other more carefully, 
 he noticed that it had been constructed with care. He 
 gazed searchingly at the flat surface of the hinge and 
 pondered over the waste of metal. Then quickly taking 
 
58 The Mechanic 
 
 one step forward, he peered at it closely, but age and 
 rust had obliterated all signs. 
 
 Mystified at its size, he picked up a rock and struck 
 the large face of the hinge, and his heart beat rapidly at 
 the hollow sound it gave forth. Then he began tapping 
 the rim of the plate and at length a secret door in the 
 flat surface of the hinge flew open, and John, now excited, 
 looked into a receptacle about the size of a cigar box, 
 filled with papers. Pulling these out he took a first quick 
 look at them, and then he put his hand in again and 
 found a short bit of tubing. Having now possessed him 
 self of all the contents of his father's private safe, he 
 closed the door in the hinge. The rough drawings would 
 not have been intelligible to an ordinary person, but they 
 made John's heart thump with pleasure. Then he saw 
 a formula which made his eyes glisten, but what fascinated 
 most was the tube. Swinging his hat he cried, "Ah, 
 father, we both arrived at the same conclusion; a contin 
 uous converter!" 
 
 John started for home in order to examine with care 
 the papers, which did not contain a word in writing 
 outside of the formula. But he knew that he had in his 
 possession the product of eighteen years of labor and 
 thought; he also knew that he now possessed the secret 
 of making iron stone into steel at one continuous melting. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 THE FIGHT WITH THE STEEL TRUST 
 
 BEFORE his application for a patent was completed, in 
 order to gain practical knowledge of smelting iron stone 
 to pig-iron, and melting iron to steel, through his union 
 John secured work in a large smelter. Here he labored 
 for six weeks, and then for three months he worked in a 
 Pittsburg steel mill. Consequently it was winter before 
 he was back in Center Street, telling his uncle, more fully 
 than he had given in letters, the story of his absence. 
 
 John first gave the shop his immediate attention, as his 
 college expenses, patents, and scientific books had eaten 
 up his five thousand dollars, and his bank account was 
 low. In the course of a month he had plenty of work 
 on hand, and then he devoted all his evenings to drawing 
 plans and specifications. John was a rapid writer and 
 draftsman and in six months had his patent on steel ready 
 for filing. 
 
 He then called on Riddell and asked him if he would 
 see to the foreign patents, and when the lawyer had 
 looked over John's papers, he exclaimed, "This is larger 
 than type-casting, eh?" 
 
 "A bit, yes." 
 
 It was more than two months before John saw his 
 patent in the official gazette, and then he called on Riddell 
 again to say, "I see that my patent has been allowed, 
 but I dropped in to find out where the type machine is." 
 
60 The Mechanic 
 
 " I am delayed at all points and I can't say now when 
 we shall secure a hearing," answered the patent lawyer. 
 "But can't you do something to stir the powers up? I 
 ask because I read that a certain John Worth has influence 
 over many votes, and noses count in our broad land of 
 freedom." 
 
 John laughed and was going to say that he would help, 
 but he thought of his steel process and the probability 
 that he would need all his influence for that which was 
 life to him. He had built "The King" with a great deal 
 of pleasure, for it was his first real invention, but at no 
 time did he look on it as distinctly his own as he always 
 thought of it as belonging to King. It had served a 
 purpose other than its ultimate duty, for it had brought 
 him into contact with a man of great power on Wall 
 Street, and in order to get King's ear in a friendly way, 
 John would have been satisfied with very much less than 
 one fourth. Now in talking to Riddell he felt that the 
 final argument was only a matter of time. He would have 
 liked to see the case through the courts as that would 
 mean employment in a large way, but he did not care to 
 sacrifice any great part of his influence for the type 
 machine, as the steel process was the true product not 
 only of his own but his father's brain. Though the 
 type-caster was a big thing in its way, it was as nothing 
 compared to his steel process, so he said diplomatically 
 to Riddell that he thought he could help a bit and would 
 do all he could, and asked how this delay affected Mr. 
 King. 
 
 " Oh, he never says a great deal, so it's hard to visualize 
 him. You see he is not like the other great ones, Play 
 fellow, Lurgan, and Hodges. They go after the industrial 
 wealth of the country, but so far King has been satisfied 
 
The Fight with the Steel Trust 61 
 
 to view their game as a spectator. Now he has taken 
 your machine up, and if that goes he will become as 
 insatiable in this field as he is in his special domain. If 
 I may say so, he is timid of this venture; at any rate he 
 wants to know definitely as to the patents and he is hard 
 to advise. I say that, because I told him not long ago 
 that he was perfectly safe in building the machines, and 
 I think he was a bit annoyed with my suggestion. I did 
 a good stroke for you both to-day by bringing the matter 
 a little more into the light. Whitehead called me over 
 the telephone to ask if our name for the machine was 
 purely a grandiloquent one, and I said that it was named 
 after its owner, James King," and with a laugh Riddell 
 added, " I heard a whistle over the insensate wires, so I'm 
 convinced that my information was definite news to him. 
 You see your East side is not so well known as the 
 Sahara, and as King did not want his name connected 
 with the trial, they have thought, I'm sure, that they were 
 fighting merely the inventor. I have taken, as you see, 
 a leap in the dark, as I don't know how King will like 
 what I have said. I hope, however, that some one will 
 go to him with a bluff, and then we shall see King with 
 his coat off." 
 
 But Whitehead was not concerned about the type-caster 
 when he spoke to Riddell; he was securing information 
 for Hodges, who had also read the official gazette and 
 had noticed that a steel process patent had been issued 
 to John Worth. He then called up Whitehead and told 
 him not to wire to Washington for a copy of the patents, 
 but to go there at once and investigate. Hodges said 
 further: " I have heard from Coutts that Jim King is inter 
 ested in the new type machine; let me know if this is 
 true." 
 
62 The Mechanic 
 
 Hodges waited impatiently until Whitehead returned 
 with a copy of the patent, and then took it into his office 
 and read it carefully. With Whitehead he went over it 
 specification by specification. "Worth has nailed up 
 every door," was the comment of the lawyer, and Hodges 
 answered nothing but went to see Playfellow, to whom 
 he said, "Here is the Steel Trust's coffin." 
 . Playfellow, who had talked with Hodges before about 
 the Worth patent, replied, "I think you had better tele 
 phone Lurgan, as the Steel Trust is his creation." In a 
 short time Lurgan was listening with wide-open, receptive 
 ears to the communication of Hodges and Whitehead. 
 When they had finished he exclaimed, "Then we must 
 buy this man Worth ; but who knows him ? " 
 
 " Jim King does Whitehead was told that he is 
 backing Worth's type-caster, and I suppose you know 
 that we have a suit on for infringement." 
 
 "How do we stand in that case?" Lurgan spoke 
 peremptorily to Whitehead. 
 
 "We don't stand at all we are fighting for delay." 
 
 "Can't we get around this steel patent? I don't care 
 a damn about the other," exclaimed Lurgan. 
 
 "I have studied this steel patent for three days," ex 
 claimed Whitehead, "and I can't see a weak point in it. 
 My advice is to buy it." 
 
 "I suppose he is some low-down brute who wants a 
 lot of money," cried Lurgan, "but we won't give up." 
 And then turning to Hodges he said, " You see him I 
 don't care to go to King except as a last resort." 
 
 When he had gone, the prayerful Playfellow said to 
 Hodges, "You had better fix the matter up with the 
 inventor as Lurgan suggests. Give him stock we have, 
 as you know, a lot of it in the treasury. Of course, tell 
 
The Fight with the Steel Trust 63 
 
 the president of the company what you are doing so that 
 everything may be in order, and send him a copy of the 
 patent as well." 
 
 Then Hodges went back to his office and, strangely 
 enough, he began thinking of his young manhood and his 
 then great ambition to make steel at one melting. This 
 train of thought brought him to Peter Worth and his 
 death, and for the first time in many years Hodges shivered^ 
 He wondered vaguely what the son was like, and with this 
 thought he moved in his chair restlessly. Through Bill 
 Sharp he had heard what David Worth had said about 
 his brother's death, and now he walked up and down 
 the room, not with remorse, but with growing anger, 
 and muttered, " I'll " But just then the figure of Peter 
 Worth was flashed on the film of his brain and he didn't 
 finish his threat to kill, because he felt a tightening of 
 heart and for the first time in his life he realized what 
 acute fear meant. At that moment he would not have 
 faced John Worth to save his steel stock; and his all, ex 
 cept a million in oil, was in steel. 
 
 Coutts went immediately to see John and returned 
 promptly with the announcement that Worth would not 
 sell. Whitehead and others called, only to come back 
 with the same answer. Then Lurgan interviewed Hodges, 
 and at first the great financier spoke savagely against 
 John, for, as became a buccaneer, he had a violent temper. 
 But all the time he was well aware that the situation was 
 serious, so he called on King. 
 
 "Look here, Jim," he said, "we will stop fighting that 
 type-thing of yours, if you will arrange with that fellow 
 Worth to let us have his steel invention at reasonable 
 figures." 
 
 Lurgan did not realize that he was still vexed and had 
 
64 The Mechanic 
 
 spoken in a way that annoyed King, who answered, "I 
 can take care of the 'type-thing,' as you call it, and I 
 don't like your manner this morning." 
 
 This information was given in King's usual velvety 
 voice, and with his strong hazel eyes looking into Lurgan's 
 red ones. The banker and promoter saw that King was 
 likely to be unpleasant and, as that was the very last 
 thing he wished, he apologized by saying, " I'm sorry, I'll 
 begin again. Will you arrange for me, Playfellow, ant! 
 Hodges to meet Worth here any time to-morrow?" 
 
 King, somewhat mollified, replied, "What is all the bother 
 about ? " 
 
 "Worth has invented a way to make steel by a con 
 tinuous converter or heated tube. Perhaps you have 
 noticed that dentists use a little furnace electrically heated. 
 That is quickly Worth's main scheme as in one place 
 in his patent he calls his tube an endless oven; and in 
 this oven, which is controlled by automatic devices, he 
 puts in his air and his formula. Hodges, who is the best 
 steel chemist in this country, says that the Worth scheme 
 will work, and he also says that there is no way to get 
 around his patents. Now you see why I want to meet 
 Worth." 
 
 "I'll send a message to him and will let you know if 
 he can come and at what hour. I may add that I have 
 no interest whatever in this patent of Worth's. I say 
 this so that you may understand that I have no control 
 over him." 
 
 "Say, Jim, now that I have cooled off, won't you 
 handle this matter for me?" 
 
 King, remembering what John had said to him about 
 Hodges, smiled as he replied, "I'm afraid I can't. I 
 don't mind bringing you together, for I like Mr. Worth." 
 
The Fight with the Steel Trust 65 
 
 King made this statement slowly so as to give the words 
 point. "But that is as far as I will go." 
 
 An appointment was made for the following day at two 
 o'clock and, as the hour drew near, King was curious 
 to see if Hodges would appear. Only Playfellow and 
 Lurgan came, and shortly afterwards King, with a feel 
 ing of keen delight, introduced John. Then he said, 
 "Mr Worth, these gentlemen want to buy something 
 from you, and you may consider this office as if it were 
 your own." 
 
 John thanked Mr. King with his eyes as Lurgan began, 
 "We would like to buy your steel patent"; and because 
 he had noted King's deferential manner in speaking to 
 Worth he said, " We will give you five hundred thousand 
 dollars in common stock for your invention, and will pay 
 you a yearly salary of twelve thousand dollars if you will 
 put yourself on our pay-rolls." 
 
 The prayerful Playfellow exclaimed, "That is a mag 
 nificent offer for a young man of your age, and you ought 
 to give thanks to God for his goodness." 
 
 After these words King walked over to the ticker and 
 John wondered if he were laughing, for there was a sig 
 nificant movement of his shoulders. 
 
 In a perfectly even voice John replied, " I came here to 
 meet you gentlemen with the hope that you will accept 
 as final my answer to your propositions and those others 
 that come continuously to my shop. I won't sell my 
 patent to the Steel Trust at any figure. I say this rather 
 than argue on the value of your offer." 
 
 "Are you casting a doubt on our offer?" It was 
 Lurgan, annoyed at this sure-tongued mechanic, who 
 spoke. 
 
 " I am merely stating that I will not accept your price 
 
66 The Mechanic 
 
 or any price, but if you wish I can, of course, throw a lot 
 of doubt on your common stock." 
 
 "What about the salary?" asked Playfellow, in an 
 unctious voice. 
 
 "I don't care to work that way." 
 
 With ill-suppressed rage, for he was vexed with this 
 common mechanic who slurred the stock of his steel 
 company, Lurgan said in a tone of warning, "We can 
 
 fight." 
 
 "You certainly know how to do that," John remarked 
 in a pleasant voice. 
 
 The smile that went with the words put Lurgan in a 
 rage. He did not dare to vent his temper before King, 
 who stood beside the ticker looking like Fate, so he modified 
 his voice. " But what are you going to do with the process? 
 We will take good care that you don't start a mill in this 
 country, so why not sell it to us ? " 
 
 " I think I can arrange for a mill all right, and I won't 
 sell; that's flat. So with your permission, Mr. King, I'll 
 withdraw." 
 
 King walked into the corridor with John and said, 
 " I can get you that half million in cash, if you will wait 
 a moment." 
 
 John faced King with a determined look on his face 
 and answered, "You are very kind, but I won't take 
 money from the man who destroyed my father. As you 
 of course know that through his mill, and through his 
 initial work as promoter with Lurgan, he is to-day the 
 largest owner of steel in this country. I say all this to 
 show that the five hundred thousand would come 
 largely from him. He and I have an account to settle 
 and one day I am going to balance it. I should like to 
 use his own method of business destruction first, then 
 
The Fight with the Steel Trust 67 
 
 later on his kind of violence. Of course all that looks like 
 a big job, and perhaps I shall have to forego the business 
 end of my programme, as that may be too big for me, 
 but the man to man part is on a much more equal footing. 
 I am frank with you because I appreciate your kindness 
 in speaking to me the way you did before them." 
 
 King returned to his office and found Lurgan and Play 
 fellow with their heads together so that they could speak 
 without being heard, Playfellow had asked, " Is King back 
 of this too?" and Lurgan answered, "It looks like it." 
 Then Playfellow added, " Let us break him on the ' Street ' ; 
 at any rate we can keep him so busy holding his bank ac 
 count together that he will give up ideas of erecting steel 
 mills and printing-machines." When King entered they 
 shook hands with him affably in parting and said, " We are 
 sorry we couldn't fix that little matter, but adieu." 
 
 When they had gone, King busied himself arranging his 
 stock deals, for he did not like Lurgan's smile; and 
 King's way to circumvent them was to give an extensive 
 order to his brokers to buy Steel Common. 
 
 Playfellow and Lurgan went to the Oil Building where 
 they were joined by Hodges, and it was decided to test 
 the practicability of Worth's scheme. After three months 
 Hodges called another meeting and said, "This bit of 
 steel has been made by the Worth process, and it is the 
 very best bit of metal that I have ever tested. No matter 
 what test it is put to, it won't crack or break and conse 
 quently its resisting power is very great. To illustrate: 
 a steel plate of his metal, eight inches thick, will stop any 
 known projectile. See " and Hodges took a silk hand 
 kerchief and held it up by the corners " if you throw a 
 stone at this, you will see the silk bend to wrap the stone. 
 Take the same resisting power of the handkerchief in 
 
68 The Mechanic 
 
 something else that is not fibrous, and if the stone doesn't 
 go through it breaks the object at which it is thrown. 
 Or take the rubber tire on a vehicle, which is perhaps a 
 better illustration; it never breaks, and so it is with this 
 fibrous steel. A shot may dent or bend the eight inches, 
 but it will never go through it. I have now told you 
 about the quality of the steel, but that's not the important 
 part to us, as our steel is good enough. 
 
 "The Worth method would cheapen our cost of pro 
 duction by more than thirty per cent." Hodges ceased 
 talking in order to let this fact sink into the calculat 
 ing brains of Lurgan and Playfellow. Then he added 
 slowly, " If we started all our mills with this Worth scheme, 
 our common stock, which is not to-day worth the paper 
 upon which it is printed, would pay sixteen or seventeen 
 per cent, and in three years it would be selling at one 
 hundred and ninety or two hundred." 
 
 The three men looked at one another, for they owned 
 many, many millions of this common stock and more 
 could be purchased in the market for nine dollars per 
 share. They saw the stupendous game that could be 
 played, but they also saw the "if" in their path in the 
 shape of John Worth. With a sigh Lurgan said, "It's 
 too bad that fellow won't sell. What are we going to do ? " 
 
 And Playfellow, looking at Hodges, remarked, " Can't 
 we force him ? He has no business holding up the boun 
 ties that God gave him, and I think he needs a lesson." 
 Hodges, who understood, smiled and said, " I understand," 
 but Lurgan, the robber, did not understand. He knew, 
 however, that both these men used means to gain their 
 ends that were beyond him, so he got up and quietly 
 walked to his office, sure that the Worth process 
 already belonged to the American Steel Trust Company. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 JOHN EXTENDS HIS INFLUENCE 
 
 THE following day an insurance company which owned 
 a great deal of property on Center Street wrote to John 
 Worth, stating that he must vacate their premises by the 
 end of the month. The letter was short, peremptory, and 
 to the point. Without showing the letter to his uncle, 
 John called on the men at the insurance office, with 
 whom he had always dealt, and was told that they knew 
 no reason for the order which they had received. A 
 glance at their list of directors gave John the reason, for 
 there he saw the names of the steel magnates. So he 
 went home and told David, who could not at first realize 
 the truth. 
 
 "Why," he cried, "I was born here, and many times 
 we could have bought the place, but the insurance people 
 were always so pleasant, and their rent so reasonable, 
 that we looked on them as friends. And friends they 
 were, too, as more than once, in hard times, they let us 
 take our own time to pay the rent. There must be some 
 mistake." David called on his landlord of many years, 
 only to find that he had to move on. 
 
 It was the Steel men's first underhand blow and it had 
 a bad effect on David, who now seemed to cling to the 
 old place as a child holds to its mother. He would get 
 up at night and wander about, and once John found him 
 crying. John at once sought new quarters with the hope 
 
70 The Mechanic 
 
 that a quick severance would help his uncle, but any 
 place which he agreed to take was refused him the next 
 day. At last he noticed that he was shadowed. But 
 landlords that Playfellow and Hodges could control did 
 not own the entire East side, and finally John secured 
 a small place. When moving day came and all the 
 tools had been taken away, John turned to his uncle and 
 with a laugh cried, " Come, uncle, it's all in their way 
 of fighting; so don't bother." 
 
 Then John saw a curious look of happiness come into 
 the eyes of his uncle, who answered, " Gee, Uncle David, 
 me div 'oo normus whipping." As he listened John's 
 heart stood still, and when his uncle laughed happily and 
 boyishly, the awful truth dawned upon him the old 
 man had lost his reason and fancied that he was the 
 John that he had known and loved in the long ago. 
 John lived ages in the few seconds that he looked at his 
 uncle, who was taking off his coat and saying, " 'Oo velly 
 old man, Uncle Davie, but tourse we must do fings to 'oo." 
 
 And then John, entering fully into the spirit of his own 
 youth, humored his uncle by calling him John, and cried, 
 " Come, let's go to our new home," and David now went 
 joyfully, talking about the city as though he had never 
 seen it before. 
 
 It was not long before the East side knew that the trust 
 was after John Worth, and now, calculating as to the 
 future, he wrote the account of the Worth troubles for 
 the foreign papers that circulated on the East side, 
 and worked hard to advance his influence with his 
 union and in his political club. That last scene with his 
 uncle at their old home killed, perhaps, the last spark of 
 gentleness that John possessed outside of his love for his 
 demented uncle, and he now struggled for power. As he 
 
John Extends His Influence 71 
 
 possessed a most attractive personality, and also for the 
 reason that the mighty rich were against him, the East 
 side folks gave him their warmest esteem and sympathy. 
 
 After John had been six months in his new quarters, 
 through the union he heard that the trust people were 
 making steel his way at one of their mills in Pittsburg. 
 At once he began an action and, six months later, before 
 Judge Williams of Brooklyn, who had heard his other 
 case, he was given a favorable decision. Then the Steel 
 people appealed and began to delay matters, but they 
 knew perfectly well that one day the case would come up 
 before the Court of Appeals and it was this that they 
 feared. By means of delays they could carry it on in 
 definitely, but as all cases must eventually be tried, they 
 worked hard to push Worth into the ground. Their 
 purpose was to crowd him so hard that he would cry 
 for mercy, as all the others had cried, but the man they 
 were fighting had no such cry in his soul. His shadows 
 were now busy keeping work from entering his door, and 
 consequently he was compelled to move on and on until 
 at last he and his uncle were quartered in the Salvation 
 Army Hotel of the East side. 
 
 Mary Radley, weeping hysterically, had long since been 
 sent home. John himself looked after his uncle, always 
 keeping him off the street as much as possible, so that 
 the authorities would not seek to commit him to an asylum. 
 The fact that David now thought that he was a little boy 
 helped John in keeping him in his room, for he, when 
 admonished, would say, "All right, I'll play wif me 
 carwars and look out the windel at the peoples." 
 
 Hodges, who had John under his particular care through 
 Bill Sharp, who was still his trusty, tried to get the Salva 
 tion Army people to throw John out. The manager of 
 
72 The Mechanic 
 
 the hotel spoke to the head of the organization, "Little 
 Mother," as she was called, who told him to show Mr. 
 Worth and his uncle every attention and to allow them 
 to stay as long as they liked. When this message was 
 given to Sharp, he grinned, feeling sure that Hodges could 
 find a way to move the Salvation Army. 
 
 But no way was discovered to move a people who not 
 only preached good- will to all men, but practised it as 
 well, so John and his uncle were not compelled to leave 
 this haven of rest. Moreover, the manager did not send 
 them a bill, for "Little Mother" came in one day later 
 and stated that from absolutely reliable sources she had 
 learned that the Worths were being persecuted and he 
 was not even to ask them for money. If John Worth 
 should ask for a bill it was to be given to him, of course, 
 but not otherwise. The devotion of John to his imbecile 
 uncle pleased the " Little Mother " and she desired to aid 
 him hi any way possible. 
 
 It was in this hotel that John found a good clean home 
 for his uncle and at a price proportionate to his earnings 
 by manual labor, for his enemies had finally driven him 
 to a bare living wage at odd jobs wherever he could get 
 work. All the big factories supplied him with work for 
 a time, but they, too, eventually shut him off, and John 
 knew that he was mercilessly hounded and watched. He 
 was made to realize the power of Lurgan, Playfellow, and 
 Hodges, but he never complained to any one nor did he 
 live on his friends, for he well knew that his hold on the 
 East side depended upon his qualities as a man. He 
 secured enough by hard work to pay the small amount 
 that the Salvation Army charged for food for his uncle, 
 and a bed for both of them. In face of this he was, if 
 anything, more grimly determined than ever to make his 
 
John Extends His Influence 73 
 
 process good in the eyes of the law, and then to make 
 the trust pay for stealing it. 
 
 In the evenings when he was not engaged to speak at 
 one of the many East side political or social clubs, he 
 played the games that his uncle enjoyed, and after the 
 aged man was in bed, John would read. 
 
 He heard the first faint roar of the general election with 
 profound pleasure, for now the chance to advance his 
 case was coming. He knew well how pregnant in possi 
 bilities the East side was in election time, and it was not 
 long before he was asked to speak in Woking Hall before 
 a gathering of East side voters. One sentiment in his 
 speech caught the eye of Mr. Wood, the president of the 
 West End Club. It was : " In this campaign we will pick 
 out men who will best serve the interests of the country, 
 and we shall also try to make the East side an independent 
 section of New York." These words were marked and 
 sent to the President in Washington, a New Yorker by 
 birth who was out for a second term. 
 
 In four days John found a note signed by Henry Wood, 
 dated from his club, asking for a talk on the political 
 situation, and John replied that he would be pleased to 
 grant the interview any evening after seven. 
 
 Wood replied in person the following night. After 
 talking with John for a few minutes and finding that 
 Worth had very little to say, he made up his mind to trust 
 this strong, sterling-looking man, and exclaimed, "Mr. 
 Worth, the President and I are friends from boyhood and 
 I sent him the speech you made at Woking Hall, and here 
 is w r hat he says, in reference to it." Wood read, " If you 
 can't secure us his support, get him to come to Washington 
 and I will talk to him; I'll keep any appointment you 
 make." 
 
74 The Mechanic 
 
 John heard these words with keen delight and answered, 
 " I'll go, of course. Arrange for next Saturday at three o'clock 
 or any time in the morning. It's merely a question of trains. " 
 
 On Friday John received a wire from Wood reading, 
 "Three o'clock to-morrow." He left his uncle in charge 
 of the manager of the hotel, satisfied that he would receive 
 every attention. 
 
 Punctually at three John was at the White House and 
 was received at once by the President, who greeted him 
 in the hearty, straightforward way that had won him so 
 many friends. " I want to carry my native city this fall," 
 he cried. " Can you help me ? " 
 
 John replied by telling him first about his steel process 
 patent, and concluded by saying, " I simply want justice 
 and that is all I solicit from the head of our nation. I 
 am fighting big people and they do not fight fair; they 
 steal I am using the right word for they have put 
 my process in five of their mills, and they must feel sure 
 of holding my case back forever or they wouldn't take 
 such liberties. Now you alone can arrange to have my 
 appeal argued at the fall term, because you have appointed 
 all these federal judges to office, and at a request from 
 you they will clear up the calendar and bring my case 
 forward where it belongs." Here John paused to give 
 the President time to think over what he said, knowing 
 well that he had asked a great deal. 
 
 But presently he began speaking about the East side 
 and soon they were laughing together. When he felt 
 his visit over, John said, "I'll try and make your native 
 city appreciate concretely its native son." 
 
 When John was talking about his steel patent, the Presi 
 dent was thinking of the campaign fund, but mercenary 
 impulses did not thrive in his mind, so he said, offering his 
 
John Extends His Influence 75 
 
 hand to John, " And I now promise that your appeal will 
 be argued in October. I say this openly, for I feel that 
 I can trust you." 
 
 John was, of course, shadowed to Washington, and a 
 wire was sent to Bill Sharp, which read, "Patent with 
 number one " which translated was that " John Worth 
 was closeted with the President." Very soon after the 
 receipt of the wire by Sharp, it was in the hands of Hodges, 
 who at once interviewed Playfellow. Here was a move 
 entirely unexpected, and it made both Hodges and the 
 prayerful Playfellow think very hard. 
 
 These two men were now very well acquainted with the 
 kind of man they were fighting, and for a moment they 
 were in doubt as to their next move. It was decided to 
 get Lurgan, who knew the President and was also a 
 native of New York, to call upon the head of the nation. 
 On Monday, Lurgan, somewhat averse to appearing in 
 such a matter, finally consented, and having made an 
 engagement over the telephone, called on the President. 
 They shook hands pleasantly; both were strong, energetic, 
 capable, and they possessed many traits in common. 
 Lurgan had followed his father's footsteps of banking 
 and had developed a bank of some standing into a financial 
 institution which was known over the whole world, not 
 as a bank, but as Lurgan. 
 
 The President had followed politics and he had more 
 than made good. Both had been reared in New York, which 
 is an education in itself, and they were infinitely brave 
 and daring and they were both liked by the people. The 
 way Lurgan held up the industrial stage-coach was an 
 amusing picture that gave the public great pleasure, and 
 the manner of the President's wooing of the nation as a 
 bride made all love him. But the two now looking into 
 
76 The Mechanic 
 
 each other's eyes differed on the money question, as the 
 President, even by the poor, was not regarded as rich, 
 and the nation loved him because it knew that his hands 
 were not dirty. Men from the North, South, East, and 
 West said, " Faults, yes, loaded with them; but he is clean 
 right through to the bone." 
 
 Though the public admired Lurgan's magnificent knack 
 of amassing money, they could not say that he was clean, 
 and this was where the two men differed. The President, 
 brought up in politics, soon learned to fear dishonest 
 money, and he had no use for underhand dealing. After 
 Worth had departed, the President found out through his 
 attorney-general, and by a talk over the telephone with 
 his friend Wood and Dr. Sawyer, another friend on the 
 East side, that John Worth had not told of his own 
 personal troubles, as brought about by Lurgan, Play 
 fellow, and Hodges. Consequently the President was in 
 entire sympathy with the noble man who had asked him, 
 as the head of the nation, for justice. He knew quite 
 well what Lurgan wanted to talk about, and he was not 
 disappointed, for the banker launched his subject at once 
 and, getting warm as was his habit, more than hinted 
 that help to Worth meant no campaign fund from Wall 
 Street. 
 
 The President, being a politician, asked how he had 
 heard of Worth's visit. Lurgan, who did not wish the 
 President to know about the sleuths and spies of his 
 confreres, told a lie. "Oh, he is a common mechanic 
 and, of course, brags about his interview with you." 
 
 Then the President changed the subject by saying, 
 "You of course know Dr. Sawyer and his church." 
 
 " Everybody knows him a good pious man." 
 
 " I am glad to hear you say that, because he is a friend 
 
John Extends His Influence 77 
 
 of mine, and his daughters are intimate with my wife. 
 I called him up by telephone after Worth was here, and 
 what he told me about that man enlisted my sympathies 
 wholly. But it is not his career of good that I want to 
 speak about, but another matter which Dr. Sawyer 
 narrated with indignation. He stated in most precise 
 English that the Steel Trust has men constantly shadowing 
 Worth to see that he doesn't get work, that they had 
 driven and were now driving him from pillar to post 
 with the most malign hatred." The President, with a 
 hard smile, went on: " What have you to say about that?" 
 
 Lurgan, taken by surprise, cried out, "That is their 
 affair." 
 
 "Quite so; but you have also told me how you got 
 your news of Worth's presence in Washington." 
 
 Lurgan, now fairly caught, became angry and said, 
 " You mean to help him then ? " 
 
 "Yes, and also for the purpose of showing you, Play 
 fellow, and Hodges, et al., that you are not yet running 
 this country." 
 
 In a short time it was known all over the country that 
 the President and Lurgan had quarreled. John read 
 this item wonderingly, and then he started the work of 
 turning the East side vote, firm in the belief that he was 
 nearing the end of his troubles. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE DEATH OF DAVID 
 
 As soon as Lurgan arrived in New York he sought 
 Playfellow, and in strong language told him the result of 
 his interview. "We must work quickly now, as the 
 President won't help us." When Lurgan had gone, 
 Hodges was sent for, and after they had discussed Lurgan's 
 failure, Playfellow uttered just one little word and that 
 was " Pike." With a look of relief on his face, Hodges said, 
 "I'll have Sharp telegraph at once to Oil City." And 
 that evening Pike read, " Oil strong New York," which 
 meant that he was to take the first train for New York. 
 
 When Pike arrived, he went directly to the Oil Building 
 and sent in his card to William Sharp. After a short time 
 he was shown into booth thirteen, and there he was re 
 ceived by Hodges' right-hand man who at one time had 
 been a mechanic in Worth's New Jersey factory. Bill 
 had improved considerably since the day he received 
 twenty-five thousand dollars from Hodges, though that 
 scheme had failed to give his master the steel process which 
 he sought. Yet it demonstrated definitely Sharp's ability, 
 and with this snug sum he was soon able, through his 
 employer, to make big money. Hodges, with the greatest 
 power and wealth, continually found that there were many 
 little Worths in the world, and Bill had a knack of dealing 
 with creatures who dared to build fences in his master's 
 path. 
 
 78 
 
The Death of David 79 
 
 Sharp was a short, thick-set man, with a large nose, 
 crafty gray eyes, and a laugh that labeled him of New 
 England, for it had as much twang to it as a mouth organ. 
 He was facile and unscrupulous to the nicety of ripe 
 judgment. His office was next to that of Tom Hodges, 
 and on the door one read, "William Sharp, Oil Dealer." 
 To carry on this fiction of complete entity in himself he 
 owned and operated a number of pumps in the oil region. 
 The stranger, on going into this room, saw only one door 
 and that led into the corridor, but in the corner of the 
 room, next to the hall, there was what appeared to be a 
 large clothes-press, and through this Sharp had access to 
 his master's room. But this cabinet, if we may call it 
 such, also possessed a window high up on the wall side, 
 and through this window Sharp, by electric means, could 
 see, without being seen, the occupant of booth thirteen. 
 For this little darkened room, lying along the corridor 
 as it did, took its space from Sharp's room. There was 
 a door leading into it from the hall, and also a small door 
 opening into it from the cabinet. 
 
 By previous arrangement Pike was shown into this 
 dark room, and when Sharp had satisfied himself that 
 Pike was there, he walked in and said, " John Worth at 
 Salvation Army Hotel, East side. If you understand 
 and have memorized, repeat." And Pike said, " John 
 Worth, who is stopping at Salvation Army Hotel, East 
 side." Then Sharp handed a package to Pike, saying, 
 " Other half when you repeat that line in this place." 
 Sharp then went back to his room, and Pike, a thin, wiry 
 little chap with wintry eyes, left the Oil Building, and in 
 half an hour he had engaged a room for the night at the 
 hotel designated. He was rather pleased that his work 
 was of so simple a character, as on many occasions he had 
 
80 The Mechanic 
 
 to remain in room thirteen for an hour or two, to memorize 
 his duties. 
 
 He knew by the message given him that one John 
 Worth stood in the path of Oil, and that he was to dispose 
 of him as he had disposed of others. In Pike and creatures 
 like him that Oil controlled, we find the explanation for 
 Playfellow's immense wealth, for he possessed the very 
 great essential of being able to look on men like Worth as 
 hindrances to his growth and progress, so he had them 
 removed much as the ordinary person would insist on a 
 mad dog's being shot, and with no more compunction. 
 To his regret he was compelled to observe a certain 
 caution when he undertook the work of suppression, so he 
 surrounded himself first with the necessary help. Then 
 he arranged so well under the laws of America for his own 
 security that his " help " became adepts in taking care of 
 themselves. For instance, Pike felt quite certain that he 
 had received his orders from Sharp, but the voice was 
 muffled and he could not swear to that fact, and as the 
 room was dark he could not see. He knew, of course, 
 that everything was all right, as the two thousand dollars 
 which he received was the best kind of an editorial on 
 faith and trust. 
 
 If he were caught and confessed, as some did, Oil was 
 no way implicated as they always dealt through an 
 independent like Sharp. Publicity meant nothing to 
 Playfellow, as his history, very carefully written, laid bare 
 to the world his career and his methods. He cared not 
 for the carpings of the little ants of life, because his soul 
 preached to his mind that he was an emissary of progress, 
 therefore of God. 
 
 So the Pikes of business glorified his being with 
 pure joy, and he loved to hear all the last details 
 
The Death of David 81 
 
 of a life that had wrought him worry. With some 
 degree of eagerness he awaited the following morning 
 when he, too, would go into the darkened room, and if 
 Pike repeated his line, he would then be asked for the 
 whole story. This particular case was not to have the 
 usual finale in the booth thirteen, because Hodges' instruc 
 tions had been too cryptic. 
 
 It was necessary for Pike to find John Worth, so he 
 waited until dinner time, when he asked a waitress if 
 Worth, the great inventor, were in the room. The girl 
 pointed to a table some distance away where two men sat, 
 and Pike now knew his work was easy. So, when the 
 men indicated were leaving the room, Pike followed, and 
 he heard one say before the elevator door closed, " Uncle 
 David," and again, " Uncle David, me." But Pike heard 
 no more, nor did he wish to. He learned what he 
 wanted to know, and he watched the car's progress up 
 wards by means of the indicator and when it stopped at 
 the fourth floor, he sat down in the office with no plan 
 as yet formulated. 
 
 Half an hour afterward he saw the taller of the two 
 men who had been pointed out to him leave the hotel, 
 and then he took the elevator and got off at the fourth 
 floor, intending to ask a maid for Mr. Worth. Not 
 seeing any one, he walked down the hall until he 
 came to an open door and, looking in, he saw his man 
 leaning over a table writing, a smile upon his face. 
 Pike walked boldly in and said, " Good evening," and 
 David, for it was he, answered, and went on drawing 
 pictures. 
 
 Pike saw his opportunity and rammed home the 
 knife that was made for him by the razor people, 
 expecting to see the head drop forward, as he had struck 
 
82 The Mechanic 
 
 on the left side and over the heart. But the knife was 
 deflected by a bone, and as he jumped from his chair 
 David stretched forth his left arm and caught Pike by the 
 throat, and in death David's mighty hand held tighter 
 and tighter. Pike struggled, but that grip closed like the 
 gates of a lock. Half an hour afterward the manager 
 said to a call boy, " Go and play with Uncle David," and 
 the youngster ran with glee, for all loved the man who 
 thought he was little John. 
 
 A wild shriek brought many to the room of death, and 
 there they saw a sight that was fascinatingly terrible. 
 David was sitting in a chair, his head lying on the table. 
 In his right hand was a pencil and in his left the thing that 
 had stabbed him. Pike's body from the hips down was on 
 the floor, and the rest was held up by the arm that had 
 squeezed out its life. The assassin's eyes were protruding 
 from their sockets and his tongue was hanging out like 
 that of a tired dog. There was no blood, as David had 
 bled internally, and the scene told its own dramatic story. 
 There was the knife in David's side, and there was the 
 partially hanging body of the assassin held by the arm of 
 the giant. 
 
 The manager raised the limp head of David and read 
 in a large, scrawling hand, " John, don't forget the papers 
 for Peter and Rennie," and that was all. The manager 
 put the paper in his pocket and then sent for the police. 
 The assassin was carefully searched by men from the 
 station, but not a paper or mark could they find upon him. 
 In the early watches of the morning John detected a 
 faint odor of oil, and then he suspected that this was a 
 way to hurt him, and that night he did not say his prayers. 
 
 Old friends of David and John, who came in to pay 
 their respects, shook their heads and said, "That was 
 
The Death of David 83 
 
 intended for John; no one would kill a crazy man." 
 And this was the solution of William Radley, who was 
 now cashier of the savings bank. He had not seen much 
 of his friend lately, for John persistently kept out of his 
 way, owing to Willie's position in the bank which he did 
 not wish to jeopardize by friendly intercourse. Willie 
 understood, for the president of the bank, who was friendly 
 to him, had told him that it had been necessary for him 
 to report that Radley no longer knew John Worth, as 
 otherwise they both would soon belong to the ranks of 
 the unemployed. But to-night Willie's heart was sore 
 for his friend, and, coming to a quick resolve, he left the 
 hotel and walked down the Bowery until he reached 
 Mark Lane. Following this street for a block, he came 
 to a saloon called " The Frenchman." Soon after going 
 in, he was saluted by Rochon, the proprietor, who said 
 in a sad voice, " Bon soir, Willie, we have heard the news. 
 Tres mauvaise, n'est-ce pas ? " 
 
 " Is Tony in ? " asked Willie, and the Frenchman, with 
 a note of gladness in his voice, cried, " Do you give the 
 order ? " 
 
 " I have asked John many times to do so, but he always 
 shakes his head." 
 
 And then Rochon, in a voice full of suppressed rage, 
 exclaimed, "Those thugs from the country are an insult 
 to the East side, and now one of their tribe has killed a 
 God's man. Come, I'll take you to Tony; he is in the 
 back room alone." 
 
 When Willie entered the small room he saw a swarthy- 
 faced, heavily built man, with a disconsolate air, sitting 
 hunched up in a chair by the deal table, leaning his 
 head on one hand. This was Tony, and with a snarl 
 in his voice he cried, " What is it ? " 
 
84 The Mechanic 
 
 "I think those sleuths ought to go." 
 
 " I have heard that many times," replied Tony, relapsing 
 into his dejected attitude. 
 
 "Why don't you chase them out?" 
 
 "I can't. I promised John to leave them alone, and, 
 well, a promise is a promise especially to him." 
 
 Then Willie sat down and started to urge Tony, but 
 the ex-prize-fighter, turning upon him, cried, " You know 
 that he looked after my mother when she was sick and 
 buried her when she died. If he should walk in now 
 and say 'Chase!' I would cry for happiness. Bah!" 
 exclaimed Tony, " they came to me those dogs and 
 I have wanted to kill ever since." 
 
 Just then the door opened and there stood John, who 
 looked at Tony and, putting his hand to his forehead, 
 said in a voice that clicked like the turning of a lock, 
 "I'm tired of them now, Tony." 
 
 And then noticing Radley, still in the same hard voice 
 he said, "Willie, see if Rochon has anything good to 
 drink; my throat cracks." 
 
 Neither Willie nor Tony said a word of greeting, for 
 John's face was very white and there was an intense look 
 of pain upon it. But what made him terrible to see were 
 his eyes, the whites of which were as red as though enam 
 eled in scarlet. Both Tony and Willie were so startled 
 with his appearance that the words that sprang to their 
 lips on seeing him were hushed. Before the drink was 
 brought in, Tony had disappeared, fearful lest John's 
 words of permission should be recalled. At the door of 
 the saloon he turned and whispered to Rochon, " At last ! " 
 and then vanished into the street, only to return stealthily 
 a moment later. He noticed a man watching the saloon, 
 and he chuckled with grim humor. Soon he saw John 
 
The Death of David 85 
 
 and Willie come out of Rochon's and walk toward the 
 hotel. 
 
 John was saying, " Odd that Tony cleared out so quickly, 
 as I wanted to impress on him not to harm the watchers 
 merely to chase them out." 
 
 " Oh, he understood all right, as we were talking about 
 these thugs before you came in," Willie replied, " and he 
 had agreed to take them to Broadway and tell them not 
 to come back." 
 
 "Sure, Willie?" 
 
 "Quite sure, John," and Willie, looking sideways, 
 smiled at the street. 
 
 The next morning Hodges read in the morning paper 
 of the tragic death of David Worth and an unknown, 
 and he knew, and so did Playfellow, that their scheme 
 had miscarried. That evening other mysterious deaths 
 on the East side were reported, and the following morning 
 a dead man was found at the door of the Oil Build 
 ing. Investigation showed Hodges and Playfellow that 
 all these men were their trusties, or Pikes, which seems 
 a better word, and Playfellow, for the first time in his 
 life, felt afraid. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 IN MANY COURTS 
 
 AFTER the funeral John took a small room in Center 
 Street and eked out a living by doing odd jobs such as 
 shoeing horses and plumbing. Never again did he see 
 a shadow, for he walked secure in the loving eyes of the 
 East side. And Playfellow knew this, and he prayed 
 nightly against this devil that balked his car of progress. 
 
 It was the middle of summer, and Steel Common, owing 
 to big dividends, was soaring higher and higher. Though 
 he, Lurgan, and Hodges owned millions upon millions 
 of the stock, an amount equal to their holdings had been 
 foisted upon the public, and when they were in readiness 
 to buy more, shortly after they had appropriated Worth's 
 scheme, they found that King had been in the market 
 and had quietly purchased an immense holding of the 
 stock. They understood this move to mean that King 
 was trying for control and they immediately forced the 
 stock up to one hundred and fifty by making heavy 
 purchases. But a great question confronted them, for 
 they well knew that if Worth won in the Court of Appeals, 
 his bill of damages would be immense, for their balance 
 sheets showed to a penny almost what the Worth process 
 had done for steel. 
 
 There was only one thing to do and that was to buy 
 the judiciary, even if it cost them a few millions. But 
 such an undertaking required courage and nice work. 
 
In Many Courts 87 
 
 Legislatures were fairly easy for them, and so was man 
 generally, but the judges they wanted to get at were men 
 of honor and prominence and all three were federal 
 appointments. The history of each one was read with 
 great care, but the deeper the research the more unim 
 peachable the characters of the judiciary shone out. 
 
 It was Playfellow, in a thin, cracked voice, and without 
 calling upon the Almighty, who suggested seeing John 
 and making a compromise. But neither Hodges nor 
 Lurgan said anything in reply, nor did Playfellow again 
 mention compromise, for they well knew that the man 
 whom they were hounding would hold no intercourse 
 with them. This was the terrible situation that con 
 fronted them when they heard that one of the circuit 
 judges was killed in an automobile accident. Then they 
 saw a ray of hope ahead, especially if they could get some 
 one appointed who could swing the other two into line. 
 
 " What about Judge Bachmann ? " Hodges asked. 
 
 " He is too big a gun for that position," Lurgan replied; 
 but Hodges had an idea that was growing into working 
 shape, for he had just remembered a remark of his wife's. 
 She had said one day: "The president of the West side 
 trust who dined with us last night told me that the Bach- 
 manns are in debt." And with this idea in his brain 
 Hodges went down to their bank, which was on 
 the first floor, and said to the cashier, "Find out what 
 paper Adolph Bachmann has out, and report to me at 
 once." An hour afterward the cashier gave Hodges 
 this information: "His house on Seventy-sixth Street is 
 mortgaged for thirty-seven thousand dollars, and he is 
 overdrawn at his bank for two thousand dollars. He has 
 a note out secured by collateral for seven thousand 
 dollars." 
 
88 The Mechanic 
 
 " Buy note and mortgage to-day and telephone cashier 
 to press for payment of overdraft. Again I say rush, 
 and when you secure Judge Bachmann's paper, write 
 for immediate settlement. That will, I think, make a 
 call on you imperative, and when he comes let me know 
 so I can be in the assistant cashier's room next to yours. 
 Say pleasantly, but firmly, that if you don't get the money 
 you will foreclose. When you get him sufficiently 
 worried, touch the call bell and I will come in accidentally, 
 as it were." 
 
 Hodges found the judge, whom he knew quite well 
 socially, very much perturbed over the cashier's threat 
 to foreclose. After Hodges was appealed to, he said, 
 " Come to my office and we'll talk the matter over," and 
 the judge, seeing hope ahead, followed. 
 
 When in the office, Hodges exclaimed, " I'll see if Mr. 
 Playfellow is disengaged, as I should like you to know 
 him." In a few moments Playfellow, the red prince of 
 bribery, was talking pleasantly to the judge. 
 
 "We have a very interesting case coming up in the 
 fall term, Worth vs. American Steel, and as we are very 
 much involved, I should like your opinion. For the sake 
 of peace we offered the inventor a million in cash, but he 
 is one of those creatures that nothing can satisfy, and at 
 the time of our offer we showed him clearly enough that 
 his one melting scheme was already in operation and as 
 old as the hills, and that he had found nothing wonderful 
 or new. Now, as you are a great writer on law, I should 
 like you to read our brief. Of course, I'll ask the cashier 
 of the Unit Banking Company to go slow as to the mort 
 gage and note, until you have looked over what our 
 patent lawyer Whitehead has written. The law, and es 
 pecially its last word, the * judge/ for some reason thinks 
 
In Many Courts 89 
 
 that it must always take the side of labor, and that is our 
 difficulty. Consequently we feel that some one ought to 
 be appointed to fill Judge Alton's place who really knows 
 not only law but the great country we live in as well; 
 and this is the steel age, you know, and we have made it 
 that. If, then, the Court of Appeals should decide against 
 us, you can readily see what a turmoil the country will be 
 thrown into by the closing of all our mills, for we shall 
 be compelled to do that if we lose. As I said before, we 
 would give a million to avert this disaster, but I can't, 
 unfortunately, deal with this fellow Worth because he is 
 so unrighteous." And then, smiling at the judge, Play 
 fellow added, " You are just the man to fill Alton's place, 
 as from your great position in law you could make the 
 other judges see the light." 
 
 " I'll look over Whitehead's brief," the judge answered, 
 with eyes on the floor. On his way out Hodges said with 
 a smile, " This seems to be your lucky hour as Playfellow 
 has taken a great fancy to you." The judge went home 
 and, with a new feeling that somehow made him sad, read 
 what Whitehead had written. 
 
 The following day Playfellow made things a little 
 clearer to the judge, and he staggered home like a drunken 
 man. Going to his own den, he thought the whole scheme 
 over, staring in front of him with hunted-looking eyes. 
 It was either the street or wealth, and he was now waiting 
 to see what Hodges would write him, for Bachmann's last 
 words were, "I want to think it over; in the meantime I 
 must have your proposition in black and white, every 
 detail, so that you are as deep in the mud as I am." 
 
 Playfellow had said, "Of course, Judge, as it is for 
 humanity's sake, I'll have Hodges write you under his 
 signature"; and this satisfied Bachmann. 
 
90 The Mechanic 
 
 Late in the afternoon Hodges called on the judge in 
 person and, handing him a paper, asked if that would be 
 sufficient. The judge replied, " Yes, that will do. Now 
 go and leave me to fight this out alone. If I decide to 
 take the appointment, I'll write, as agreed, a letter of 
 acceptance." 
 
 When Hodges had departed, the judge, telling his wife 
 that he was very busy, sat buried in his papers late into 
 the night. Bachmann was a German by birth and had 
 studied law in Minnesota, where he achieved success. 
 At the age of thirty-eight he married and came to the 
 larger field of New York. Here even greater success 
 crowned his efforts, and he was now known as the greatest 
 living authority on patent laws and his books had a 
 wide circulation. He was at the moment working on a 
 many-volumed history of inventions and of the laws by 
 which they had been safeguarded. Having started this 
 monumental undertaking five years previously, he would 
 have it finished in another year. During these years of 
 research and writing he had earned very little, so there 
 was a continual outlay, and his wife, a favorite socially, 
 spent a great deal of money. To meet the demand, 
 Bachmann was obliged to mortgage his home, and had 
 done so unknown to his wife. He was still in love with 
 her and was now selling his soul so that she might sing 
 all day. In a week the President's attention was called 
 to Bachmann by a senator, and he was appointed to fill the 
 vacancy caused by Alton's death. 
 
 John was, of course, very much interested as to who 
 would get Alton's place, and he was delighted when he 
 read of Bachmann's appointment. Though he knew him 
 only through his books, he admired him greatly and 
 thought this was his good day. 
 
In Many Courts 91 
 
 The first case on the court calendar was the type- 
 caster case, and John, with keen pleasure, turned to 
 Riddell after the judges had rendered their decision. 
 "No more fences now, so King can go ahead." But he 
 was thrown into the abyss of despair by their decision 
 upon the steel process, as only one judge was for John 
 and two against him. He had lost his appeal, and when 
 he heard this he was dazed for a time, and then he 
 smiled grimly and said to himself, " I see now why King 
 wouldn't go ahead. They have bought two judges and 
 this is what he feared." 
 
 The favorable decision to Steel made its common stock 
 go to one hundred and ninety, and Lurgan, Playfellow, 
 and Hodges almost wept for pure joy. Now every mill 
 was ordered to put in the new process, and every smelter 
 was instructed to fit the new apparatus for removing the 
 dirt from the ore. 
 
 John, true to his promise, took up with energy the 
 President's fight for the East side. One day he called on 
 King by request and the old man said to him, "I'm 
 ready to begin manufacturing now." 
 
 But John said," I'm going out of town after the elec 
 tion, for I don't know how long. Riddell is familiar 
 with the machine and I should think he could effect an 
 organization that would work smoothly and well. As 
 I cannot attend to the initial part of manufacturing and 
 selling, I will, of course, reduce my fourth to any figure 
 you think right. In this connection I may point out 
 to you that we have not as yet signed any papers, so 
 that we can arrange a new plan here and now. I may 
 also state that Riddell has an order for the jigs and 
 fixtures." 
 
 King listened to John with apparent interest, and then, 
 
92 The Mechanic 
 
 as was his habit, he went and looked at the ticker. After 
 he had viewed the latest development of the market, he 
 said, "There is no hurry; I'll wait until you return and 
 then we will make our own machines. If you will give 
 me a hint as to the kind of property we need, I'll buy it 
 now." 
 
 John told King of his father's old place in Jersey and 
 gave him a few points as to the buildings required. When 
 he had finished, King said, " May I ask why your return 
 is so indefinite?" 
 
 Knowing that he could trust the man, John exclaimed 
 in a voice of suppressed power, "I lost my steel patent 
 here for reasons other than a defective invention. If type 
 was good, steel was much better, as it was more funda 
 mental. So I am going to Minnesota to open the case 
 again. As you may know, for patent suits this country 
 is divided up into circuits. I am going to another circuit, 
 and if I win there the trust will have to appeal, which 
 means that the Supreme Court of the United States will 
 then have to try the case. As it stands now, if I appeal 
 I will have to pay all of the expenses of the appeal. As 
 these are very large I cannot afford to do so, and besides, 
 I have picked out a circuit where there are relatively few 
 manufacturing concerns, and also one that stands high 
 in political honesty. I may be absent for a long time, 
 for, of course, they will fight every inch of the ground. 
 If I fail there, then Hodges will be compelled to look 
 into my eyes, man to man, and answer a question which 
 I will put to him about my father and uncle." 
 
 "You are hard to down," King said. "At any rate 
 you have my best wishes." 
 
 Then they separated, King feeling a decided yearning 
 toward this grim, determined man who would not admit 
 
In Many Courts 93 
 
 failure. Then his mind turned to John's errand West 
 and he saw what that meant to the market, for now 
 John Worth's name was fairly well known all over 
 America; and King looked over his holdings of Steel 
 Common and began quietly to unload. When Riddell 
 called in answer to a telephone message, King said, " Buy 
 the Jersey property that this memo describes and make 
 another contract for me to sign, giving Worth one half 
 instead of one fourth, and put the Jersey property in his 
 name as well. When you have attended to these matters 
 I will give you directions as to buildings, jigs, and fixtures, 
 and other matters." 
 
 Riddell was greatly pleased that John had penetrated 
 a heart that had always seemed to him impenetrable, and 
 counted this feat not the least of what John Worth had 
 accomplished. When the lawyer had finished making his 
 notes, he said, " I should like to know how to help Worth, 
 but he is hard to get at." 
 
 King answered, "You can't help that kind of man in 
 the way you mean. I, too, see the signs of an empty 
 pocket, but I value his good opinion too high to sacrifice 
 it by an offer to help." 
 
 "You are right; but do you see the change in him? 
 It's too bad that he lost that suit; I suppose he will pitch 
 in now and build type machines." 
 
 " I suppose so," King murmured. 
 
 "Are you going to the Steel Company's big dinner 
 to-night? They're celebrating, I hear." 
 
 " I am not going," said King, in his slow, halting way, 
 "I'll watch for the election returns in the cafe of the 
 Frontenac, and I hear that the East side is going for the 
 President. I tell you Worth is going to grow one of these 
 days." 
 
94 The Mechanic 
 
 When it was known beyond a doubt that New York 
 had voted solidly for its native son, there was great 
 rejoicing, but the man who, more than any other, was 
 responsible for the noise, the clamor, and the shouts, 
 was just starting to work his way to the West. He was 
 sad and lonely as he bade good -by to the streets of his 
 New York, but he strode on into the unknown, sure of 
 himself and sure that he would yet make his country, 
 through its laws, admit the justice of his claim. 
 
 It was nearly midnight when John Worth melted into 
 the darkness of a graveyard in New Jersey, which held 
 what was mortal of his mother, his father, and his uncle. 
 Going down upon his knees he bade them good-by. 
 In his heart there was intense grief, and there in 
 the cold wind of the coming winter, he wondered 
 if it were all worth while. But the thought was only 
 transitory, for he well knew that in a few moments his 
 face would be turned to the West, and that the morrow 
 would find his soul urging him on, and ever on. He 
 turned and took a last look at the twinkling lights of 
 New York, and said aloud to his soul, "You have been 
 stirred to-night by the initial impulse of all things love 
 but I wonder if in a search of the world you could 
 find another soul so depressed. All those I loved are 
 here destroyed in order that greed might live. I put 
 you aside knowing that love will not now come to me, 
 that love of others is not for me. I am but an atom in 
 the great scheme of the universe and yet I am an heir of 
 the ages. Soul, you have asked for justice, because that 
 is sought and won now, as it has been for all time. Yet 
 in the calendar of the strong man's life there is room only 
 for success. You and I are going in search of that now, 
 and when we get it we shall have our accounts made out, 
 
In Many Courts 95 
 
 and when I see the final payment in sight, I don't want 
 you to obscure my vision, as you have done to-night, 
 with the mantle of truth and honor." 
 
 Putting his hand on his uncle's headstone, he con 
 tinued, "God has you now, uncle, and you are reading 
 the papers to your brother and sister," and, sobbing, he 
 added, " And God was good to take you to them clothed 
 in your right mind. I have your last words, which will 
 rest, when my turn comes, with my body." And the wind 
 sobbed on, as he faced the West and began his journey. 
 
 There was another soul in agony that night, and it was 
 not a clean trouble like John's. Judge Bachmann was 
 suffering the tortures of the damned. He had sold him 
 self, thinking he had a hold on his tempters in Hodges' 
 letter to him detailing the compact they had entered into 
 to defraud Worth. And though the fact of having been 
 bought galled him and was ever before his eyes, so that 
 he grew nervous and wakeful, he thought his burden was 
 one he could bear to the day of his death. 
 
 When he thought of his favorable decision as to Worth's 
 type patent, it pleased him as a toy pleases a child. With 
 that as an excuse he tried to quiet his soul as to the steel 
 patent, but these lapses into joy and content were but 
 momentary. Worth's shocked eyes were ever looking 
 at him, and at times he had to bury his head in his hands 
 to lose the impression. But always, always his thought 
 ran, "I have Hodges as a partner in crime, so I'm sure 
 that my loss of honor won't be known." He would then 
 read the letter again to be sure that it was all there, every 
 detail of the deal that made him a criminal. But alas, 
 poor soul, he did not know Hodges' or Oil's way of hand 
 ling a matter of this kind, but his awakening came election- 
 day morning in the shape of a letter asking him to come 
 
96 The Mechanic 
 
 to the big dinner at the Chateau Frontenac, and this 
 invitation was signed by Thomas Hodges. The judge, 
 with knitted brow, looked at this letter as if fascinated, 
 for it was not the same writing as the other; he compared 
 them and they were not in the least alike. This second 
 letter had been sent to the judge for the purpose of putting 
 him right; to show him that Oil never tied a noose around 
 its own neck. 
 
 It was a pretty scheme, Machiavellian even, and worthy 
 of Hodges and Playfellow. It was one of their little ways 
 to block investigation into their methods and forestall 
 possible unpleasant disclosures. They had smiled when 
 the unsuspecting judge fell into their trap, and they 
 smiled again as Hodges wrote the invitation. 
 
 There was now just one word in Adolph Bachmann's 
 mind, and that was "tricked," "tricked." He wrote a 
 long and careful account of this whole transaction to his 
 wife, and when this was finished and signed he attached 
 to his confession both of the letters signed by Thomas 
 Hodges. Then he put on his coat and called on Mrs. 
 Hodges, of whom he asked pleasantly, "I should like to 
 ask you which one of these letters is in your husband's 
 handwriting; both are signed in full." Mrs. Hodges 
 immediately exclaimed, " Why, that one," pointing to the 
 invitation. The judge, thanking her courteously for her 
 kindness, went home and, going directly to his room, 
 shot himself through the head. 
 
 Two days afterward Harold Tyndale arrived in New 
 York to find his sister prostrated in grief and shame. 
 She moaned, " Oh, Harold, love me love me, or I shall 
 go insane." Harold Tyndale was himself one of the 
 leaders of the Minnesota bar, and though, when Adolph 
 Bachmann had fallen in love with his sister Florence, he 
 
In Many Courts 97 
 
 had at first interposed every obstacle in his power to the 
 marriage, he finally gave way when he found how deeply 
 his sister's affections were engaged. But he had never 
 been on really friendly terms with the judge. 
 
 However, he allowed no trace of this to appear as he 
 comforted the weeping child-widow, but after reading the 
 dead man's confession, which she placed in his hand, he 
 said, with a tone of protecting tenderness, "After every 
 thing is done, I'll take you West, and there, dear, we will 
 begin all over again. You will be housekeeper as afore 
 time and I'll be your brother as of old. Now, child," as 
 she looked up with streaming eyes, " I have, as you know, 
 always considered Adolph weak, so I was in a measure 
 prepared for the disclosures. But I was not prepared 
 for his death; that shows at any rate he was a man." 
 
 And the sister put her arms about her brother at these 
 words and sobbed, "Oh, Harold, it's good to hear you 
 say that much. But why why did he leave me, as I 
 should have loved and comforted him no matter what 
 he did." Changing her mood, she cried, "We won't 
 take that dirty money, brother, and you must make 
 things right for Mr. Worth." 
 
 " Trust me, sister, in all things." And as if in a reve 
 lation, she saw the difference between her brother and her 
 husband, for the words, though simple, carried with them 
 something that brought a little sunshine to a darkened 
 soul. Her anger against Hodges ran hand in hand with 
 her sorrow, and as she looked at her brother's face with 
 the overhanging brow, and the dark eyes that now looked 
 like live coals, she realized more definitely the great 
 difference between the only two men whom she knew well. 
 She saw something in her brother's strong, swarthy face 
 that made her feel that Hodges' fate was included in 
 
98 The Mechanic 
 
 those words. "Trust me, sister, in all things." And 
 she was not wrong, for Harold Tyndale was in a seething 
 rage at the scoundrels at the Oil Building, whose record 
 of evil he did not ignore. 
 
 He did not go near them, but he swore to have satis 
 faction, and in the few days that he was in New York he 
 tried to find John Worth, but he could not trace him. 
 "I'll take my sister home, and come back," was his 
 thought, and soon they were in Minneapolis. 
 
 Going to Court House the morning after his arrival, 
 he met a friend who cried out to him, "I have a bit of 
 news that will make this a hot center for many moons. 
 Worth is going to bring action against Steel in this circuit. 
 I have just seen him; he's a fine-looking fellow. So long. 
 Glad you're back." 
 
 Harold Tyndale smiled at his friend and said, "That 
 is news surely." Then at once he began to make Worth's 
 path easy, delighted that fate, or luck, had brought the 
 inventor to that part of the world where he, as a citizen, 
 had considerable influence. Tyndale was a prominent 
 lawyer and had secured his high position by hard work 
 and dogged perseverance. 
 
 He was a silent man and many said he was cold and 
 harsh, a few thought he was cruel, but the public at the 
 polls had reposed faith in him and this faith was never 
 broken. Honest and clean himself, he demanded those 
 qualities in others, and his career showed him a relentless 
 enemy of the public boodler. The great crime against 
 Worth, which had involved his sister, filled him with a 
 burning desire to hurt these big folk who had wrecked 
 a life he held dear and who had insulted the law as well. 
 
 As the days went by, something told him that his little 
 sister was fading away to her beloved Adolph, and this 
 
In Many Courts 99 
 
 knowledge only augmented his desire for a terrible revenge 
 a revenge that would leave a gaping wound to fester. 
 
 He called upon the judge who would first hear the 
 Worth case, and put into his hand Bachmann's confession 
 and the two Hodges letters. John's case was first on 
 the calendar for the spring term and no delays were 
 allowed, because the judge had cried to Tyndale, after 
 reading the confession, " How ghastly ! " 
 
 John won, as he was bound to do where justice and 
 honesty ruled, and then the Steel Trust pulled every wire 
 for delay. But again in the fall term no delays were 
 tolerated, and one December morning John learned that 
 he had won again. Now he saw the Supreme Court of 
 the land before him, and he journeyed East, not knowing 
 Harold Tyndale or his silent work for his good. 
 
 The news of the trial occupied pages in every paper, 
 and King followed his young friend through the long 
 appeal line by line. He followed as well the decline of 
 Steel Common, for now that commodity was at fifty and 
 King had made the biggest turn in his career, and he was 
 anxious to find John and help him to get started. 
 
 He knew, of course, that Worth was very poor, but he 
 did not know that when John arrived in New York, in 
 the midst of a terrible snow storm, he had not a cent in 
 his pocket. But the heart of the man as he walked through 
 the station was not despondent. In truth he was happy 
 to be back in New York, and the fact that he had had 
 nothing to eat all that long day in a delayed train did not 
 bother him a great deal. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 IT was about six o'clock in the evening when John set 
 out to walk through the snow down Madison Avenue, 
 on the lookout for a job that would yield him the price 
 of a meal. After he had gone a few blocks, he thought 
 of a plan which, if successful, might mean "supper." 
 Stopping before a large house on a corner, he walked 
 boldly up the front steps and asked the butler, who 
 appeared in response to his ring, whether he wanted the 
 sidewalk cleared. Fate must have been pulling hard on 
 John's side that night, for the butler said, "Yes; and if 
 you will go to the side entrance I'll give you a shovel." 
 
 John was soon hard at work in front of the house. 
 Just as he finished the Madison Avenue side, he noticed 
 a carriage drive up, and he laughed lightly to himself 
 when Lurgan got out and went into the house. About 
 half an hour later the same carriage drove away with 
 the great man, and John idly wondered if it were taking 
 him to fulfil some important engagement. 
 
 He was now near the end of his task, so he gave all 
 his attention to it, especially as he felt a trifle weak, and 
 chilly also, despite his hard work. When he had finished, 
 he threw the shovel over the fence and approached the 
 front door, hardly realizing that he staggered in walking. 
 But some one saw the reeling man, and, as she had been 
 watching him at work for some time, she knew that he 
 
 100 
 
Lurgan's Daughter Catherine 101 
 
 was not intoxicated. So when John said to the butler, 
 " I have finished, and if you will give me twenty -five cents 
 I'll call it square." Catherine, Lurgan's only child, came 
 into the hall and said, " Slater, show this " she was 
 about to say " man," but something in John's appearance 
 stopped her, and she concluded, "this gentleman into 
 the morning-room." At the door John moved aside that 
 she might enter first. 
 
 When the young woman had invited her guest to be 
 seated near the open fire, she left the room, and in a few 
 minutes a footman brought a large bowl of soup, which 
 John took with pleasure. Soon the footman reappeared 
 bearing a small bottle of claret and some biscuits, and 
 John, looking at a large oil-painting of Lurgan over the 
 fireplace, smiled, and, as he was very hungry, he ate the 
 biscuits and drank of the wine. 
 
 Presently, his hostess rejoined him and, handing him 
 an envelope, said, "My father always gives this amount 
 for having the sidewalk cleared." She added, with a 
 smile, " I must put it in that way because you said twenty- 
 five cents was enough." 
 
 As Catherine looked searchingly at the tall snow- 
 shoveler, whom she had taken for a hot-house flower run 
 to seed, she saw quickly his good looks and the hair 
 streaked with gold that fell over his broad white fore 
 head. She observed, also, the iron-like firmness of the 
 face, and the strong blue eyes. She saw that he wore a 
 black comforter wound around his neck, fastened with a 
 safety-pin, and a closely buttoned coat of thin material, 
 which, by its plaster-like fit, made her suspect there was 
 little clothing underneath it. 
 
 This thought reached conviction when the snow- 
 shoveler made a motion to put the envelope in an inside 
 
102 The Mechanic 
 
 pocket. Then, changing his mind, he put it in one of 
 the outer pockets, and when his arm moved, Catherine 
 saw the working muscles rise and fall. She felt certain 
 that the man before her was in extreme need, and yet he 
 was talking to her as if he were clad in fine raiment, and 
 did not know what hunger was. Catherine was puzzled, 
 as she now saw that there was nothing seedy about the 
 mind, or the eyes, or the bearing of the man who had 
 shoveled the snow from her sidewalk, and she wondered 
 how she could help him. 
 
 When she handed him the envelope she had meant to 
 say a few words of the sympathy with which her generous 
 heart was filled, and then dismiss him, but she found 
 herself talking to a man who interested her, and, with 
 swift feminine intuition, she knew that the pleasure of 
 these moments did not spring solely from a feeling of 
 compassion for the man who was but a moment ago 
 hungry and cold. Catherine was puzzled, because she 
 could not place John; she felt sure that he was not a 
 laborer, and he certainly was not in the least like any of 
 the young men she knew, as he had not uttered, " Jolly 
 cold night," or any other inane phrase, nor had he appealed 
 to her heart by either word or look. 
 
 The man met her searching eyes and, divining her 
 mental query, remarked, "I'm a mechanic, and have 
 just arrived in New York after a year's absence"; and 
 with a smile he added, "I shall have plenty to do 
 to-morrow." 
 
 "A mechanic! How very interesting!" she cried. 
 "Please sit down." Then, acting upon an irresistible 
 impulse, she added, "I'll have dinner served in here, as 
 it's so cozy and warm." 
 
 With a delicious feeling of rest and comfort, John 
 
Lurgan' s Daughter Catherine 103 
 
 sank into a deep chair and, looking again at the portrait 
 of Lurgan over the fireplace, he smiled once more. 
 
 It was a merry little dinner for Catherine. For the 
 first time in her life she had met a man who, assuming 
 to be only a fashioner of iron, talked better and was 
 more interesting than any other person she ever had 
 known. But what she liked best was his laugh it was 
 so rich and boyish. Looking at him with growing inter 
 est in her eyes, she exclaimed, "And you were brought 
 up on the East side, and never have lived anywhere 
 else?" 
 
 Without appearing to wish to invite sympathy by his 
 voice, John replied, "My parents died when I was eight 
 years old. Up to that time I had lived in the country, 
 and after that, my uncle brought me to his model-shop 
 on the East side and I have lived there ever since, save 
 this year, which I have spent in Minneapolis." 
 
 Catherine, who was looking into the fire, her chin 
 resting on her laced hands, felt a contraction of her heart 
 at these words, and, after a pause, she said softly, "My 
 name is Catherine Lurgan." 
 
 There was such an obvious request in this announce 
 ment that her companion replied, "And mine is John 
 Worth." 
 
 Catherine did not move nor did she drop her eyes, 
 which were fixed on the fire; she sat as before, with un 
 changed countenance. John thought the name conveyed 
 nothing to her and idly studied her profile. But Catherine 
 knew that name; her heart gave one quick throb and for 
 a moment she thought she must cry out, as she repeated, 
 inaudibly, "John Worth! John Worth!" 
 
 So this was the man whom her father and others were 
 trying to drive into the earth; she had often wondered 
 
104 The Mechanic 
 
 what manner of man he was, who had drawn from her 
 parent such violent abuse. And here he was sitting by 
 her side like any other man, and yet he was not a type, 
 but rather something abnormal and not to be classified. 
 Her thoughts went back four years, to the time when she 
 was eighteen years old. She had then attended a dinner 
 at which Mr. and Mrs. Hodges were present, and the 
 conversation had turned on John Worth and his inven 
 tion. From that time she had heard the name of John 
 Worth almost every day, and always he had been branded 
 as a scoundrel and blackguard of the worst type. 
 
 Only three days before, as she had entered her father's 
 dining-room, she had heard a threat, the remembrance of 
 which now filled her with fear. Hodges had said, "We 
 must get rid of him before the case comes up before the 
 Supreme Court." She had heard no more, except an 
 exclamation of protest from her father, for the two men 
 had stopped talking on her entrance. 
 
 Then Catherine's mind turned to the trial in Minne 
 sota, which the papers had reported in full, and she 
 remembered her sympathy for the man who was fighting 
 such great odds alone. She recalled the leading articles 
 describing the man who had argued his own case, and 
 certain phrases came back to her: "He is as hard as the 
 steel of which he speaks." "Worth muddled all the lawyers 
 on mechanics as easily as a schoolmaster could muddle 
 a boy of eight." Again she mentally reviewed his whole 
 history and that of his forebears, as it had come to her 
 ears. John Worth had been thoroughly discussed and 
 abused before this girl, and she ought to have dismissed 
 him at once; but she was Lurgan's daughter, which meant 
 that she had a will of her own. 
 
 Presently she peeped at John from the corner of her 
 
Lurgan's Daughter Catherine 105 
 
 eyes and, smiling roguishly, said, "You have certainly 
 succeeded in making a great deal of trouble." 
 
 John then realized that she recognized him and, throw 
 ing his hands out toward the fire as if to warm them, but 
 in reality to get more into her line of sight, so that he 
 might see her eyes, he answered, "I am no doubt a 
 trouble." 
 
 He had not yet caught her eyes, for she was gazing at 
 his strong, knuckled hands and the powerful wrists and 
 forearm, which were thrown into view by his position. 
 She thought that she understood the reason why " driving 
 this man into the ground," Mr. Hodges' favorite expres 
 sion, was so difficult, and then she said, musingly, " Aren't 
 you afraid some one will do you an injury, and wouldn't 
 it be better for you to join my father's company and so 
 secure the reward that is your due?" 
 
 To John this sounded like a lecture, but it was not 
 intended as such, for Catherine was thinking only of 
 John's welfare and of her own peace at home. Since 
 this steel patent had presented itself to her parent as a 
 possible death warrant to his hugely watered company, 
 he had not been the father that she had always known 
 and loved; and now she looked at John, awaiting his 
 answer. Gazing so deep into her eyes that she trembled, 
 he said, " Would you give me your honor ? " 
 
 " Why do you say that ? " she stammered. 
 
 "To bring home to you the absolute impossibility for 
 me to enter your father's company, or to accept any 
 reward from him." 
 
 Suddenly he rose and, holding out his hand, said, 
 "Will you take my hand? And shall we not say good 
 night ? " 
 
 But he did not know Lurgan's daughter, for she ex- 
 
106 The Mechanic 
 
 claimed, " Oh, but you are not going now, not until you 
 have built up the fire and told me some more about the 
 East side, and " seeing the still outstretched hand " I 
 forgive you for those strong words, but only on condition 
 that you forget my suggestion, for I had no right to speak 
 as I did." 
 
 John held the little hand in his for a moment and, 
 smiling into her eyes, answered, " You are satisfying in 
 two ways, and here's to the fire and good cheer!" 
 
 " Come," she exclaimed gaily, " I must know, being a 
 woman, what two particular brain cells I fill so satisfac 
 torily." 
 
 " First my thought of you as a woman, and then my 
 sense of beauty as a picture," said John, laughing. 
 
 Catherine blushed and curtsied, and he added, "That 
 salutation completes the gracious vision. But tell me 
 how you accomplish that feat. I have read of the curtsy 
 and have often wondered how it was managed. Isn't it 
 difficult?" 
 
 " I'll show you some day when we are friends," said 
 Catherine, with a mischievous smile. 
 
 "I wonder," said John, looking at her keenly, "what 
 that phrase really means. Is it to be merely a question 
 of time, or is it time and " 
 
 He paused, but Catherine said, " Come! Come! Why 
 hesitate over a word?" Approaching close to him she 
 smiled up into his eyes, with an expression that said, 
 " Finish ! " He looked at her again, in the way that had 
 made her tremble, and he said slowly and pointedly - 
 "Affection!" 
 
 She did not understand why the word thrilled her, but 
 suddenly she felt a little afraid of this impelling man, so 
 she said, "I am going to send you home now, but first 
 
Lurgan's Daughter Catherine 107 
 
 I'll get you a scarf or something to keep you warm, for 
 it must be bitterly cold." 
 
 "Please don't!" said John. "The night, no matter 
 how cold it is, won't chill me now." 
 
 But his hostess left the room, and shortly returned with 
 a plaid shawl. John exclaimed, with a smile, "If I go 
 to the East side with that about my neck, I shall certainly 
 be held up." 
 
 Catherine only smiled sweetly at him and said, "You 
 must obey me! See! I have brought a pin and I am 
 going to fasten the shawl properly. And if you are a 
 good boy very good, mind ! and wear it to your 
 hotel, I'll permit you to bring it back to me." 
 
 " In that case you may muffle me up to the eyes, but 
 not beyond, as I want to add another picture to my 
 gallery." 
 
 Catherine would not look into his eyes, but fastened 
 the scarf around his neck, and John, taking her hand, 
 raised it to his lips and departed. 
 
 From a darkened window across the hall she watched 
 him as he walked down the street, and then slowly she 
 went upstairs to her room, and, after her maid had 
 prepared her for bed, she knelt and prayed to her mother 
 for guidance, not understanding the strange sweetness 
 that filled her being. 
 
 John walked over to the East side and, opening the 
 envelope, he found twenty dollars. Recalling his lovely 
 hostess, he smiled at the beautiful picture in his mind. 
 It was a picture that should have filled his heart as well, 
 but the painting over the fireplace had prevented his 
 becoming intoxicated by Catherine's great beauty. 
 He had seen, when the frightened look came into her 
 eyes as he spoke so pointedly of her honor, a chance to 
 
108 The Mechanic 
 
 injure Lurgan, for he knew, as did the rest of the world, 
 of the financier's great love for his child. And when he 
 saw her tremble beneath his gaze, he, too, had felt the 
 passion of the moment. 
 
 John smiled bitterly at the situation, and well he might, 
 for greater extremes, in a worldly sense, could hardly be 
 brought together. Lurgan's daughter was not only one 
 of the wealthiest heiresses in the world, but extremely 
 handsome as well. 
 
 Catherine had blue-black hair, eyes so dark that they 
 looked black, an exquisite chin and beautiful teeth; her 
 figure was tall and sensuously proportioned. The phrase 
 is peculiarly applicable, for every line and every curve 
 revealed her seductive charm. She was the embodiment 
 of love and life, so much so that men called her the sor 
 ceress of the senses; she was a woman for whom a man 
 would sell his honor, but her proud, imperious soul was 
 still looking for its natural mate. Should she wed her 
 true master and the lord of her soul, she would become a 
 mother, an embodiment of all things beautiful. If, on 
 the other hand, she were to give her hand without her 
 heart, she would be likely to nourish his being with the 
 measured drops of other men's souls. Owing to her 
 peculiar upbringing, for she had always been with her 
 strong, virile father, the girl did not yet realize her fasci 
 nation or her power of allurement. Lurgan guarded her 
 always with the notion that a strict surveillance and his 
 own love were all that his child needed; and at the age 
 of twenty-two, or previous to the meeting with John, she 
 did not know the depth of her own nature and had but 
 little knowledge of men. 
 
 She had spent three months in Europe every summer 
 with her father, and, as he was one of the powerful men 
 
Lurgan 9 s Daughter Catherine 109 
 
 of the world, she had been presented at many courts and 
 had attended many functions of court life. Her radiant 
 beauty had appealed to many men of title, and to others, 
 but they had rapped at her father's door only to be sent 
 away, for Lurgan, with all his faults, would not barter 
 his daughter. He realized that she must be consulted 
 when her future became the issue, for, as a manager of 
 many enterprises, and of thousands of men, he often paid 
 his daughter compliments on her management of his 
 large household. There was no friction, and everything 
 was done properly. This knack of management bespoke 
 the fact that his daughter had an admirable head for the 
 fulfilment of any duty. Her manner was the perfection 
 of gentleness and curtsy, and she never had the slightest 
 trouble with servants. As a matter of fact, they all loved 
 her, and, with her, took an interest in making her house 
 hold a well-organized institution, so that when her father 
 entered his door he always realized the blessing of a 
 perfectly ordered home. 
 
 Lurgan was at his club, entertaining a personage of 
 distinguished title, who was visiting the United States, 
 it was reported, in order to study the country, but the 
 real reason for his visit was to see the country's greatest 
 heiress. Lurgan knew this on receiving a call from a 
 wily ambassador of the great lord, but, though flattered, 
 for he was well pleased that the great ones of the earth 
 should pay court to his daughter, he only said, "Let's 
 look him over." 
 
 So his Grace with a pointed beard came to see one of 
 the leaders in this country of progress; and Lurgan liked 
 him. The next morning at breakfast he told Catherine 
 all about him, and then said, " We'll have a big dinner, 
 sweet, next week. I'll bring you the list to-night, but his 
 
110 The Mechanic 
 
 Grace will come home with me for a cup of tea to-morrow 
 afternoon." 
 
 Catherine smiled, saying to herself, "I hope this one 
 will be interesting, and will not say, * Beastly weather, 
 eh?" But thoughts of sounding titles, and of herself as 
 being "on view," did not trouble her pretty head this 
 morning, for she was conjuring up a vivid picture of her 
 interesting "snow man." 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 JOHN WORTH GIVES AND TAKES 
 
 THE next morning John was thinking about Catherine 
 and recalling the picture she had presented, as he walked 
 past Lurgan's bank to see King, who had written to the 
 East side library, asking him to call as soon as he arrived 
 in town. King expressed himself as being very anxious 
 to begin operations. For as he grasped John's hand he 
 said, "Riddell has everything ready for you, and now 
 let us make up for lost time. I congratulate you on 
 beating Steel. Can they delay you much now ? " 
 
 "It's hard to bamboozle the Supreme Court," John 
 replied. 
 
 " That's so. And now let me say that through you, in 
 the past two years, I have doubled my fortune, and also 
 remember that I am old enough to be your father, which 
 is also stating that I like you and the way you make good. 
 Now, in this room, 'Steel' offered you twelve thousand 
 dollars a year, and I want you, beginning from to-day, 
 to draw one thousand dollars a month until the factory 
 is on its legs and earning money. I think this is only 
 just to you and to the machine, as you can't give 'The 
 King' your time if you have to earn living wage as well. 
 Do you see my point ? " 
 
 " I do, and you are right; but that was not our arrange 
 ment." 
 
 "Quite so, but it is the only arrangement that I'll 
 
 111 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 stand for now, because it's sense and it's business as well. 
 From my knowledge of those men's power and influence, 
 I didn't believe that you would ever succeed in making 
 the patents good, so I made very hard terms, perhaps. 
 But now things are different, and I'm ready to cut the 
 liver out of their printing-machine business if I can." 
 
 Seeing a new side to King, John replied, "All right, 
 and I'll begin at once. Now what about expenses for 
 tools and so forth, and working capital ? " 
 
 Going to his desk, King filled out a check and handed 
 it to John. "When you have used that up, come for 
 more." 
 
 John looked at the check with wide-open eyes, and 
 cried, " This ought to see us through." 
 
 "Don't bother me with details; I trust you fully." 
 
 With eyes a little moist, John thanked King, and after 
 a moment said, "I'm rather short on clothes. Do you 
 mind giving me a line to your tailor ? " 
 
 King, smiling, wrote an address on a slip of paper. 
 " I'll have telephoned before you arrive at this address." 
 And when John had gone, King made it quite clear to 
 his tailor what Mr. Worth really wanted, and finished by 
 saying, "Mind, don't limit his order, but work on the 
 one I have given you and see that the work is put in hand 
 at once." 
 
 After John's visit to the bank and the tailor, he crossed 
 over to the East side, as he was eager to see his friends. 
 He first called on Dr. Sawyer, who, after welcoming him 
 back, said, " Willie Radley has lost his position ; he made 
 a speech about you the night you won your lawsuit in 
 Minnesota, and, unfortunately, what he said was funny, 
 and a reporter gave him a column, and the following day 
 Willie was discharged." 
 
John Worth Gives and Takes 113 
 
 "That's too bad." 
 
 "It is especially so," cried the minister, "because since 
 his father's death he is supporting his mother and sisters." 
 
 And when John met Willie he took his arm and told 
 him to come for a call on King. Willie replied, with a 
 laugh, "From the ranks of the unemployed I hasten," 
 and shortly afterward they were in King's office, and John 
 was telling a story that brought blushes to Willie's cheeks. 
 
 " Why spoil his talents there," demanded the old man, 
 "as we can get book-keepers in large quantities? You 
 tell me that Mr. Radley made the East side bank, and 
 that it had a very large list of depositors. Why not start 
 a small private bank and see what your friend can do ? " 
 
 John, very much surprised, declared that Willie could 
 make it pay, of course. 
 
 "Let us see," went on King, in his velvety voice, as 
 Willie, losing his surprise quickly, and becoming a banker, 
 asserted that there was a lot of money in the venture. 
 
 "I hope so. At any rate, I have always wanted a 
 bank." 
 
 The following day, when Willie called to say that he had 
 found modest quarters, King asked, " Who is the greatest 
 man in your section?" 
 
 "John Worth." 
 
 " Well, then, call your financial institution ' The John 
 Worth Bank.' But don't tell him this, as I want to sur 
 prise him. You see he called a machine after me, and 
 I like the idea of this return compliment." 
 
 Willie went home the happiest man on the East side. 
 King, besides offering him a handsome salary, had prom 
 ised him an interest in the bank, if it should prove a paying 
 investment. When he saw his mother and sisters, he 
 lifted his head high in the air and, inflating his chest, 
 
114 The Mechanic 
 
 pretended that he did not know them. But they soon 
 forced him to abandon his grand airs, and the entire 
 family rejoiced in his roseate prospects. 
 
 When John saw the sign on the window, and realized 
 that a part of the bank belonged to him, he bent his 
 whole energies toward working for a large list of deposi 
 tors. He said to Willie that they must not rest until it 
 was the most powerful bank in New York. Willie 
 assented cheerfully, and then, in choice East side ver 
 nacular, complimented John upon his clothes. 
 
 Early that afternoon, having stopped at his rooms for 
 the shawl, John went up town to call on Catherine. He 
 asked the butler, who recognized him, if Miss Lurgan 
 were at home, and after receiving word that she was, he 
 was taken upstairs to the drawing-room. The butler 
 then asked what name he should give. 
 
 "Mr. Snowman." 
 
 The butler departed and when he had found his mis 
 tress, he said, "Mr. Snowman is in the drawing-room, 
 Miss." 
 
 By her beating heart Catherine knew who it was and 
 said, "Bring him here." John was escorted through 
 three large reception-rooms to another and smaller room 
 on the same floor. This was Catherine's office, and from 
 it she managed her large charities and her house accounts. 
 
 There was a happy expression on Catherine's face as 
 she waited for John, and when he entered she gave her 
 hand, saying, "I am so glad to see you, Mr. Snowman." 
 But as he approached, Catherine's eyes noted the change 
 of appearance, and making a low, sweeping curtsy, she 
 cried, "My! But we have altered." 
 
 "Am I not splendid? I wasn't altogether sure that I 
 would come, as these rags make me proud and haughty. 
 
John Worth Gives and Takes 115 
 
 But yes, I'll talk and be democratic and all that, so don't 
 get nervous. " 
 
 Catherine, laughing with John, exclaimed, "I'm so 
 glad; but how did it all happen?" And when John told 
 her, she said, "I know Mr. King and like him, but he 
 hasn't been to see us for two years." 
 
 "Say," announced John, assuming a long, tragic face, 
 " I forgot the pin." 
 
 " How could you ? " she cried seriously. 
 
 "I attached it to the black alpaca, which I called in 
 last week, and forgot it to-day." 
 
 She liked his humorous way of putting things and, 
 being more child than woman, entered into the play of 
 words, and for a half hour they talked as boy and girl. 
 But time was passing, and Catherine knew that her 
 father, Title, and many others were coming in for tea, so, 
 looking at a little watch, she said, " I am going to send 
 you away now, as I must change my frock and receive 
 all sorts of people, including a small nobleman with a 
 large title." 
 
 " I have read of that person," and looking at Catherine 
 so she blushed, he added, " Isn't he here to look over our 
 industries and such ? " 
 
 " You are real mean," cried Catherine. " You must go 
 now," and she pretended to be hurt at his allusion. 
 
 Approaching her, and looking straight into her eyes he 
 said, " I'm sorry, believe me." 
 
 A few days after the shawl had been delivered, John 
 picked up the pin from his dressing-table, and with it he 
 journeyed to Madison Avenue. The butler opened the 
 door of the morning-room and said, "Mr. Snowman, 
 Miss." Catherine, who was talking to her dear friend, 
 Polly Platt, blushed furiously and then turned very pale. 
 
116 The Mechanic 
 
 Then she said, in a voice that sounded queer to Polly, 
 " Show him in here." Polly, who was a petite blonde, and 
 very attractive, looked with interest in her gray eyes at 
 the man whose name had made her friend blush. Think 
 ing that she saw a slight diffidence in Catherine's manner, 
 and being a wise little girl, Polly immediately remembered 
 a number of pressing engagements, and having taken a 
 liking to Mr. Snowman, she said amiably, "I hope we 
 may meet again." 
 
 " How is your brother ? " asked John. " I knew him at 
 Columbia." 
 
 Polly exclaimed smilingly, " Oh, then you must call to 
 see him, as he loves to talk college." 
 
 When she had gone, John said, " Here is the pin and 
 how are we, Title, and the others the all sorts, I mean ? 
 Of course, I know Polly Platt doesn't come in on the ' all 
 sorts' as the environing traditions, mainly exclusive, that 
 have been built around you, don't extend to her." 
 
 " And how do you know about Polly, if I may ask ? " 
 
 " As I read the social court calendar, I know that one 
 Catherine Lurgan and Polly Platt are becoming great 
 friends. It is narrated, also, that Miss Platt, from early 
 childhood, until recently has lived in Paris, and I gathered 
 from the same article that you danced at her house last 
 night, and wore, besides a dreamy smile I am quoting 
 from the papers a white frock and pearls." And Cath 
 erine, who had been just a bit vexed with her insistent 
 snow man, laughed; and then looking into her eyes he 
 continued, " Will you add to my pictures by dressing in 
 white for me sometime ? " 
 
 " How can I, as this is your last call ? " And picking 
 up the pin and holding it out before him, she cried, 
 " Everything is delivered now." 
 
John Worth Gives and Takes 117 
 
 " If I had only known " 
 
 "Known what?" 
 
 And John soberly said, "I could have had so many 
 things that night. I'm stupid." 
 
 Seeing that Miss Lurgan, as that was the name she 
 took in his thoughts, was troubled to-day about something, 
 John bade her good-by and said nothing about calling, 
 and this piqued her. She sat for a long time thinking 
 about her fascinating snow man, realizing that she had 
 not been quite friendly. She did not like her words 
 about its being his last call; as she repeated them, they 
 sounded rather peremptory. She had made up her mind, 
 if she ever met him again, to be very pleasant, but to 
 put him in his place. As Lurgan's daughter she could not 
 make a friend of a mechanic, no matter how interesting 
 he might be; but her thoughts would not fit into a working 
 arrangement with her feelings, and she was greatly 
 troubled. 
 
 It was only yesterday, in response to a question from 
 her father about Title, that she had said, "Oh, he 
 doesn't interest me." And when he pronounced the 
 perpetual "Why?" seeing John's stalwart form in her 
 mind's eye, she exclaimed rather strongly, "He lacks 
 manliness, ruggedness, and power." 
 
 Catherine now shaped a thought in her mind and 
 looked at it as her father would have looked at a pro 
 spectus. Keeping her position, which she had never 
 thought much about, immediately [before her, it was 
 not so very terrible after all, for her mind was running 
 on Title. Filling in the details, she saw the old 
 world and its gaieties; the many opportunities to 
 clothe herself in fine raiment at court festivals, house 
 parties, dances, and all the other pleasurable affairs that 
 
118 The Mechanic 
 
 revolve around royalty. Many of her friends were already 
 there and all pronounced it beautiful and very satisfying, 
 and against this was and she put her hands over her 
 eyes to shut out the picture of a man piling a log or two 
 in her fire. She saw the bent form and the great ropes 
 of muscle that sprang into the back and then sank out of 
 sight as he straightened. Still communing with herself, 
 she realized that if John Worth had not come into her 
 life, it would not be so hard to say yes to Title. She felt 
 that her father expected her to say that little word, though 
 she knew that he would not coerce her. But there were 
 other forces now at work in Catherine, and that afternoon 
 she made up her mind to marry Title and end her short, 
 sweet dream, for, of her liking for John she was well 
 aware. But how deep that was she did not know. 
 
 Eager to hear something about Mr. Snowman, as her 
 brother did not remember him, Polly called early the 
 next day and cried, "Who is he? Come, confess." 
 
 " I met him and asked him to call," answered Catherine. 
 "It's all prosaic and let us talk about something inter 
 esting." 
 
 "Oh, Catherine, don't get cross I thought him so 
 good-looking and nice, even though Percy was sure he 
 didn't know him. But if he is tabooed, why let us try 
 the weather; that's always safe." 
 
 "I'm sorry for my abruptness, Polly, but I have a 
 shocking headache." 
 
 Turning to her friend, Polly saw that she was not 
 looking quite well. Catherine, in order to find out if 
 Polly had ever heard her brother speak of John, said, 
 " I may go to Washington in the spring, as my father is 
 interested in some big lawsuit against a man named 
 Worth. Better come with us; it's sure to be interesting." 
 
John Worth Gives and Takes 119 
 
 "Percy knows Mr. Worth," and then Polly continued 
 very firmly; "he likes him ever so much." 
 
 "You needn't put it that way," protested Catherine, 
 crossly. 
 
 "I'll come back some day when your head doesn't 
 ache, dear," and Polly, considerably vexed, rose to go. 
 
 But Catherine put her arms around her and began to 
 weep hysterically, so Polly was immediately all loving 
 attention. When Catherine was quieted, she said, " Sup 
 pose I play something." 
 
 Catherine murmured, "Yes, do. Sing Douglas." 
 Polly played some of the airs that Catherine liked, and 
 then sang the song for which she had asked. In the 
 morning, Polly found her apparently quite herself again. 
 
 "I was such a goose, Polly. Do sit down and let us 
 have a good long chat about your big dinner-party and 
 everything." 
 
 " Are you coming ? " 
 
 "Of course. I told father that it was young people 
 only, and because it was at your mother's, he said all 
 right. Now what are you going to wear ? " 
 
 The girls talked as girls will, and Polly went home, 
 assured that Catherine was well physically, but suspected 
 that she was still thinking about the tall stranger. Find 
 ing her brother at home for lunch, and her mother away, 
 she said: "It's odd, Percy, that you do not remember 
 Mr. Snowman, as I have never seen so noticeable a 
 man." 
 
 Upon having him described in detail, Percy said, " Your 
 description is very much like but wait a moment." As 
 Percy Platt had studied a little art in Paris, to engage his 
 time and inclinations, he quickly drew a picture with his 
 pencil and said, " Is that like him ? " 
 
120 The Mechanic 
 
 "Why that is Mr. Snowman; so you know him after 
 all?" cried Polly. 
 
 "Polly, that is John Worth." 
 
 "Brother, it's impossible." 
 
 " And yet this is the man you saw ? " 
 
 "Oh, Percy, something is wrong somewhere, as she 
 can't know Worth. Why, her father hates the ground he 
 walks on"; and then another thought coming to Polly, 
 she cried, "Suppose it is Worth? He is then deceiving 
 her. I shall telephone at once." 
 
 " Don't be silly, Polly. I know that John Worth would 
 not deceive her. Take my word for it, she knows." 
 
 . " But how could they ever have come together ? Their 
 worlds are so far apart." 
 
 " I can't answer that, and I do admit a strange situa 
 tion; but look here, sister, don't make any class error 
 with Worth, or I'll get unpleasant." 
 
 " Was that fight so important ? " asked Polly, archly. 
 
 "Not the fight, little sister, for I was raw and green 
 then, but when he saved me from a gang of ruffians; 
 knowing that he was a mechanic from Center Street, I 
 offered him help financially. It was his answer that 
 made me remember him." 
 
 "And that was" 
 
 "'I wouldn't have believed you capable of this. 5 Just 
 those quiet words, but they sank deep into my heart, so 
 deep that I have never forgotten them, or him, for he 
 then put me on to the road that men travel." 
 
 "Then you sent him a check?" 
 
 " Yes, sister, to my utter confusion. I was a bounder." 
 
 "Oh, Percy!" 
 
 "That's just the word, little sister, and since then I 
 have tried to be what he is a gentleman." 
 
. 
 
 John Worth Gives and Takes 
 
 " But I am so worried about Catherine for I know 
 I know " 
 
 "That she loves him," added Percy. 
 
 But Polly would not admit that even to her brother, 
 and she said, " Why haven't you hunted him up ? " 
 
 " I will one of these days, and try again to get him to 
 forgive me." 
 
 " And does he harbor you ill-will ? " 
 
 "I think he merely despises me." 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE SURRENDER 
 
 BY following the papers closely, John found that Miss 
 Platt was at home on Wednesdays and so he ventured 
 to call, and was made very welcome by Percy Platt, who 
 said to a large, handsome woman, "Mother, this is my 
 friend, Mr. Snowman." John told him afterward that 
 that would not do, as he rather liked the name of Worth. 
 
 "But it must be 'Snowman,' as this function, though 
 small, carries at least two women who sell news to the 
 papers, and I allow your own mind to dwell on the explo 
 sion in Wall Street, if it were known down there that " 
 and then Percy, looking at Miss Lurgan, said no more. 
 
 Presently, John found a vacant seat beside Catherine, 
 and, slipping into it, said, "I shall have a box at the 
 opera next Thursday," and Catherine, who understood, 
 smiled and said airily: 
 
 " But I am not going to speak to you after to-day." 
 
 "So I must do all the talking? That's selfish."' 
 
 "I mean that I am not going to see you," and she 
 looked at him very firmly. 
 
 "Bet you an orange against a cookie that I see you 
 and talk to you within three days." 
 
 " I'll take that bet, but you mustn't deliver the orange 
 in person, if you lose," and Catherine looked at John 
 with big, wide eyes, as he laughingly consented, saying 
 that if he won he should come for the cookie. 
 
 122 
 
The Surrender 123 
 
 " But you won't win, I know." 
 
 And turning the conversation, John said, "May I 
 speak about the picture?" and without waiting for an 
 answer, went on, " Your gown is perfect, and I like that 
 ruffle around your neck, and your hat, and I like your 
 eyes, when they don't wander." 
 
 A little flush gathered in Catherine's cheek, but she 
 kept her eyes turned away because she was afraid of the 
 light which she realized was in them. To her relief, Mrs. 
 Platt joined them, and John soon bade his hostess adieu. 
 Turning to Catherine, and bending over, he whispered, 
 " Wear white " ; and when she looked again, Polly and 
 Percy were escorting him to the door. But what did 
 " wear white " mean ? 
 
 She was plainly mystified, until Polly came in and said, 
 " Dicky Baldwin has the grippe and can't dine with us, 
 so mother asked Mr. Snowman and he was good enough 
 to say that he would come." 
 
 Catherine now knew the import of John's parting 
 request, and she told herself that she was displeased with 
 him. 
 
 Later Polly said to her brother, "Yes, I like him very 
 much, and he is what you say, a gentleman." 
 
 " If I were a real artist, Polly, I would paint him as a 
 symbol of religion." 
 
 "Percy, you dream!" 
 
 " I have imagination, perhaps, and following this crook 
 in my character, I have already arranged with mother 
 for a dinner of small tables Catherine, Title, you, and 
 John together. Then I'll watch the play; of course, 
 Catherine will follow the others to Europe, but still I am 
 making a fight for an American." 
 
 As she dressed for the dinner, Catherine was positive 
 
124 The Mechanic 
 
 that she would not wear white, and she had her maid 
 bring out for inspection a number of dinner gowns of 
 other colors, but none pleased, and finally the maid said, 
 "But, mademoiselle, this is so chic! I can't understand 
 why you don't like it. It makes you look so charming." 
 
 "Very well, if you really think I ought to wear it. 
 But no, I won't wear pearls just this frock, with a rose 
 in my hair." And Catherine said to herself, "I didn't 
 put it on for him, of course, and he is a silly if he thinks 
 so." But she was very happy as she drove to the Platts, 
 and once laughed as she wondered what John would say. 
 Then she whispered to the shadows, "He may say what 
 he likes to-night, and he may look at me, too, in that way 
 he has of telling me that he wants to kiss his picture. 
 Oh oh, John, but you are so shocking," and Catherine 
 blushed in the brougham. 
 
 The arrangements for dinner were pleasing, for Title 
 and John at the same table meant that joy would be the 
 portion of the hours that she had taken from duty and 
 given to her heart. Her father had said that day, "I 
 want to see you settled, dear, and Title is very much of 
 a man; he told me that he had already grown to love you 
 dearly." She had answered that she wished more time, 
 and the banker, seeing the change in his daughter's words 
 as to Title, told her not to decide until she was ready to 
 do so. But Catherine had finally made up her mind to 
 marry the nobleman and, having set her future at rest, 
 she allowed her heart full sway to-night. 
 
 Her eyes drank in their full of the man she loved, and 
 her heart was throbbing intense pleasure. For had not 
 John said, when they were a moment together, "You 
 are exquisite a rose within my life a morsel to de 
 vour, or a nightmare to haunt? When I call for my 
 
The Surrender 125 
 
 cookie, I'll bring shackles to take you away from the eyes 
 of all men." And now at the table, listening to the 
 amiable Title, she was thinking of the look in John's 
 eyes f when he had spoken to her in the drawing-room, 
 and was vaguely wondering if it would be wrong to see 
 him again in her own home. 
 
 While she was conjuring up a scene for the future 
 with John, by that art known only to women, she was 
 listening to what Title was saying. But she was recalled 
 from her dream by the nobleman who was describing 
 Pittsburg, where he had just been. Finding Miss Lurgan 
 so interested, he was giving in detail the account of his 
 two days there. 
 
 "All they talk about is Worth, which in Pittsburg is a 
 synonym for steel," and at that name the smile on her 
 face deepened, and the spell that held her broke, and she 
 asked Title to tell something about this colossus. Then 
 she looked mischievously at John, who, turning to Polly, 
 said in a low voice, "If it gets rough, stop him." But 
 Polly only smiled back and cried to Title, "Oh, do tell 
 us something about the man who is now occupying the 
 stage." 
 
 "By Jove," began Title, "they do give it to him; that's 
 what. They pour it on as thick as you like. Why, they 
 stop discussing whisky at the Monongahela Club to talk 
 Worth. Really, I couldn't begin to tell you all the things, 
 they said, but ' rascal, rogue, thief,' will give you the gist 
 of opinion. I was shown about, you know, by Mr. 
 Hodges, whose vocabulary on Worth seemed more com 
 prehensive than the others. He's a bird, if you like," 
 laughed Title. 
 
 "Why a bird?" demanded Polly, in glee. 
 
 " Oh, he told me that his face was jammed by a steel 
 
126 The Mechanic 
 
 beam which dropped the wrong way. I don't know why 
 he told me that, except that it was late and we had 
 stopped his invective many times to call for whiskies. 
 But I learned the next day that the jamming was done 
 by one David Worth, uncle to John Worth. Really, you 
 know, I somehow like this fellow that every one abuses." 
 
 Polly and Catherine enjoyed the situation hugely, and 
 John saw in their eyes, in their laugh, and in their manner, 
 that all these ugly names took no shape in their minds 
 or their hearts. With deep feeling he saw that his honor 
 as a man stood clear and strong to these girls, and soon 
 he, too, was laughing at the terrible things which were 
 said about him. 
 
 The dinner was a merry one, and Catherine enjoyed 
 every moment of the blissful freedom that she had allowed 
 herself. After dinner she and John were escorted to 
 Percy's study to see a sketch of Polly, and while it was 
 being admired, Platt said, " Excuse me for a moment, and 
 I'll fetch something which may interest you, that I picked 
 up at Christy's." 
 
 After the door closed, John said, " He is a patriot." 
 
 " Why do you say that ? " 
 
 "Because he left us here. I can see he nourishes a 
 hope that you may not go to England." And after a 
 pause, John added, "I think he would be glad if you 
 remained in America." 
 
 Catherine trembled at these words and sat down. 
 Pulling a chair close up to her he said, " I want to marry 
 my picture." 
 
 With her face very pale, Catherine answered in a hushed 
 voice, " I can't, John." 
 
 Lifting her chin with one of his hands, so that he could 
 look into her eyes, he replied in a low, powerful voice, 
 
The Surrender 127 
 
 "I mean to marry you, Catherine, unless you think I 
 can't make you happy ? " 
 
 " John ! John ! You know I can't can't," she cried, 
 jumping to her feet. 
 
 John took her hands and, putting them on his shoul 
 ders, drew her to him. He kissed her on the lips, and in 
 a voice that wavered with the intensity of her love, she 
 whispered, "Please don't." He kissed her again and 
 then she linked her hands about his neck and said softly, 
 " I love you, John, but I can't marry you. I am going 
 to marry Title. Father wants me to." 
 
 At the mention of Lurgan's name, with a grim thought 
 in his mind, John asked, " What night shall I call for my 
 wager ? " 
 
 His arm was still about her, her heaving form against 
 his, as he kissed her again. A moment later he cried, 
 " Give me one evening at your home. I hear Platt com- 
 ing." 
 
 " Come Tuesday afternoon at half-past four." 
 
 When Platt came in, after looking at Catherine, he 
 took a painting from its wrapper and began showing her 
 all its excellent points. He talked rapidly for quite a 
 while, for he was a good fellow and a man of the world, 
 and he was giving the girl time to regain her poise. At 
 last Polly came to tell Catherine of the arrival of her 
 carriage. Looking at John, her soul in her eyes, Catherine 
 said, " Au rev&ir." 
 
 John walked over to her and said gently, " You will be 
 free then ? " 
 
 Understanding his meaning, and making a little curtsy 
 that was infinitely pleasing, she whispered, " Yes." 
 
 Polly laughed at this scene, but Percy saw tragedy in 
 the girl's manner and terrible determination in the man's, 
 
128 The Mechanic 
 
 and he thought that if Worth got only half a show he 
 would win her. 
 
 On her way home Catherine was nestling back in a 
 corner of the carriage, not trying to stay the flood of love 
 that was rioting through her being. She felt again the 
 exquisite pain of his first kiss. Then he had kissed her 
 again and her being seemed to melt into his. The last 
 embrace had submerged her soul with intense longing for 
 a lasting grasp of his strong arms. 
 
 To her father, who was awaiting her, she said that 
 she was sleepy, and went to her room still in that pleas 
 urable thrall of the first kiss of love. In the morning she 
 tried to summon cold reason, but her mind was too full 
 of John, so she thought she would take another day. 
 What did it matter? She sang and was happy, and the 
 image grew dearer and more precious, and when she tried 
 to arrange her life in its old orbit, she grew hot with shame 
 that she had ever imagined Title as her husband. 
 
 At last, taking a firmer hold on reason, she found that 
 John was hope, and that to him only did her being re 
 spond. Another life had come to Catherine; the old 
 girlhood days had gone. She saw the emptiness of her 
 life if she married Title, and the desolation of her father's 
 home if she married John. And yet there was no more 
 worry, no more loss of sleep; for her soul had passed to 
 John when he kissed her, and beyond this she could not 
 go. Had her passions been sapped with many kisses, 
 she would have viewed life differently; from a lower level 
 she could have fought a better battle with herself, but 
 she was very pure and very honest, and that kiss meant 
 more than the abandoning of her lips to a moment of 
 ecstasy. 
 
 She did not then realize the depths of her nature other 
 
The Surrender 129 
 
 than her knowledge that he could have taken her away 
 from home, friends, everything! but the next day, and 
 afterwards, John filled her vision. She could not mark 
 one step of her life beyond him, because he had taken 
 from her the restraint of girlhood, and her look into the 
 future now held nothing beyond the man whom she 
 loved so unrestrainedly. 
 
 When Tuesday came, knowing that her father had an 
 engagement for dinner, and that she had many invitations 
 out for a reception, she searched the telephone book for 
 John's Jersey number, so as to ask him to come for dinner. 
 But John was in New York and Catherine did not know 
 where to find him, so when he came in the afternoon, she 
 met him in the hall and said, "Come back at eight and 
 dine with me. I'll ask Polly and her brother to join us." 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 LTJRGAN LOSES 
 
 WHEN John passed out, Mr. and Mrs. Hodges were 
 emerging from a house a little higher up the street on the 
 opposite side where they had been making a call, and 
 were now on their way to Lurgan's to meet Title. Hodges 
 saw John come out of Lurgan's and greatly wondered. 
 He hoped that the steel patent case was being adjusted, 
 and with this in mind, he said to Slater, " Tell Mr. Lurgan 
 that I should like to speak to him for a moment." When 
 the butler replied that Mr. Lurgan was not home yet, 
 Hodges was amazed. 
 
 After waiting a few moments, Catherine appeared and 
 welcomed the Hodges, and then came others, among 
 them Lurgan and Title. Hodges was in the meantime 
 seeking for a reason which would explain Worth's pres 
 ence, never once suspecting that his radiant hostess was 
 in any way connected with the matter. He wondered if 
 some underhand work were going on, but no, that could 
 not be, for he had seen Lurgan come in afterwards and 
 with him the foreigner. Still he thought he would speak 
 to Playfellow before asking Lurgan to explain, and on his 
 way home he dropped in on his partner, and recited what 
 he had seen. 
 
 "Something is up," Playfellow said; "at any rate, give 
 Lurgan a chance to explain." And, as Hodges was going 
 to dine with Lurgan, he promised to speak with him that 
 
 130 
 
Lurgan Loses 131 
 
 evening. About ten o'clock he had an opportunity to 
 do so. 
 
 But in the meantime John was in the morning room 
 of Lurgan's home, enjoying his picture. Catherine was 
 dressed in a simple gown of great beauty and John 
 was glad that he had her all to himself, for Polly and her 
 brother had remembered a previous dinner engagement 
 and were prevented from coming. 
 
 " It will have to be years and years as father will never 
 give his consent," said Catherine, shyly. 
 
 "Only days," asserted the youth, "as I have a little 
 house all ready in Jersey." 
 
 "A house!" she exclaimed, and he continued, "Yes, it 
 was my father's place once, and afterwards a ruin. King 
 ordered it rebuilt and now all it needs is a little furniture 
 and you." 
 
 Catherine trembled and said, "It sounds heavenly, 
 John, to be there with you alone. It's all so strange, and 
 new, and beautiful. But how father will rage when he 
 knows. You don't know how terrible he is at times, but 
 of course he must be told." 
 
 "I'll tell him." 
 
 " You ? " and she looked up with astonished eyes. 
 
 "Why, yes, of course; his anger won't disturb me. 
 And I have also to say a few words such as I want your 
 daughter now." 
 
 Catherine laughed merrily and cried, " Oh, John 
 John." 
 
 Rising from his chair he went to Catherine and lifted 
 her out of her seat. Then clasping the yielding form to 
 him he whispered, "My Wife!" The girl put her arms 
 around his neck, her heart thumping tumultuously, and 
 he whispered, " Will you come with me to-night ? " 
 
132 The Mechanic 
 
 She answered by patting his cheek and kissing him, 
 realizing that the man was asking for his picture. 
 
 And into this scene strode Lurgan, awakening the girl 
 from her ecstasy by shouting, "You low-down scoun 
 drel!" 
 
 John, carefully lowering Catherine to a chair, in his 
 imperturbable way, said to Lurgan, " Very glad you came 
 in, as I want to talk to you about " But he got no 
 further, for Lurgan, wild with rage, picked up a chair and 
 was swinging it to strike, when John caught his arm and, 
 wrenching the chair from him, continued, "Take care, 
 you are not now striking in the dark, and the light must 
 be fearsome for such as you." 
 
 The words and their measured sarcasm made Lurgan 
 cry, "What in hell do you mean? There's the door 
 go! How dare you come to my house and attempt 
 my daughter's honor?" 
 
 " Father, just a minute, please. I love John and have 
 promised to marry him." 
 
 "Marry him!" shrieked Lurgan, "I'd see you dead 
 first. Don't you see that he is blackguard all through ? " 
 
 "Oh, father, don't! The courts have said that the 
 process is his, so why call him names ? He doesn't merit 
 abuse," protested Catherine, looking at her parent with 
 flashing eyes. 
 
 " Do you dare contradict me ? " and in his rage Lurgan 
 pushed her away from him, and tripping on a footstool 
 she fell heavily to the floor. John, very pale, tenderly 
 picked her up and, carrying her into the hall, said, " Get 
 your coat and hat and come with me." Catherine 
 dumbly went upstairs and John walked back into the 
 room where Lurgan was stalking up and down like an 
 enraged bull. 
 
Lurgan Loses 133 
 
 " We are alone now for a minute as Catherine has gone 
 upstairs for her hat and coat." 
 
 " Hat and coat," gasped Lurgan, " what for ? " 
 
 " She is going with me to-night, of course." 
 
 "You damned impostor and thief!" Lurgan shrieked 
 wildly, "but I'll see " 
 
 " Stop right here until she comes down, as I am afraid 
 that you may strike her again. And as she now belongs to 
 me, another offense of that kind would make me violent." 
 
 Lurgan picked up the fire-tongs as if to hurl them at 
 John, crying, " Get out of my way or I'll brain you." 
 
 " I like you better now, and, of course, I hope you will 
 carry out your threat," John said slowly, "as I should 
 like to squeeze that throat of yours the way my uncle 
 squeezed the hired assassin of your partners." 
 
 "I had nothing to do with that," cried Lurgan, in a 
 fury, but John saw that his shaft went home, and he 
 went on in a voice like the snarl of an angry animal, 
 "I mean to hurt you, Lurgan, as you have hurt me, 
 and by God, if you so much as move this way I'll hold 
 your head in that fire." 
 
 The banker saw that Worth meant what he said and 
 remained where he was. Just then Catherine opened 
 the door and told John that she was ready. Lurgan 
 protested fiercely and swore that he would disinherit her, 
 but with his angry words ringing in their ears, they went 
 out into the night, the girl weeping quietly. 
 
 At Fourth Avenue they boarded a car and in half an 
 hour got off in the central part of the East side. So far 
 they had sat in silence, the girl thinking about her father, 
 and the man about his beautiful picture. 
 
 When they turned into a gate, Catherine, looking up, 
 said, " What place is this ? " 
 
134 The Mechanic 
 
 " Dr. Sawyer's. His daughters will look after you until 
 we are married." 
 
 Holding up her head, in a trembling voice Catherine 
 said, "Let me kiss you, John." 
 
 When the minister came to the door, he noted with 
 surprise that John had a lady with him. He invited them 
 in, and when they were in the sitting-room and the doctor's 
 daughters were making Miss Lurgan comfortable, John 
 told the story of the evening, without the strong side 
 lights, and then he asked Dr. Sawyer if he would look 
 after Miss Lurgan. 
 
 The Misses Sawyer, as in one voice cried, " Of course 
 we will, and a wedding! How delightful." 
 
 Turning to John the doctor said, "I will do as you 
 wish, and now, girls, off to bed, as Miss Lurgan must be 
 tired." 
 
 When they had left the room the minister called up 
 Lurgan by telephone and told him where his daughter 
 was. This message raised a dead weight of fear that had 
 been growing into Lurgan's vitals, for the morning-room 
 contained a companion portrait to that of Lurgan, and it 
 was of Catherine's sweet-faced mother. After the couple 
 had left the house, this picture seemed to look at him 
 accusingly, and he would have given worlds to recall the 
 hot words that he had addressed to his daughter. Before 
 the message came he was thinking that Worth's atten 
 tions toward Catherine could not be honorable, and this 
 thought burned him like hot iron. He was just about to 
 start a hunt for her, and now that he knew of her safety, 
 he settled down for the night feeling certain that he could 
 induce her to return the following day. He had told the 
 doctor that he would call upon him early in the morning, 
 and though he had desired to say more, Dr. Sawyer, 
 
Lurgan Loses 135 
 
 who did not like the way Lurgan had driven his young 
 friend Worth from pillar to post, had hung up the receiver 
 rather abruptly. 
 
 Turning to John, he said, " Now, my boy, I want a good 
 clean talk with you about to-night's work. Are you 
 treating that girl right? Before you answer, let me say 
 something about my knowledge of your character. You 
 grew under my eyes and, always liking you, I have fol 
 lowed with affectionate interest every step that you 
 took. But I am bothered about you to-night, because 
 I somehow see a terrible motive behind this act of yours. 
 The only time I detected the brutal part of your 
 nature was during the riot. Then I saw you naked, 
 stripped to the animal within, and like a giant you brought 
 order out of chaos. Then I saw your sufferings under 
 the iron heel of Lurgan's company, and all these years I 
 never heard you complain and, from my knowledge, I 
 know you went hungry many a night. It was a time of 
 heroic suffering, and I loved your heroism and your 
 perseverance. Then your uncle was murdered and still 
 you were patient and kept to the road the straight road 
 ahead." 
 
 And then the doctor with moist eyes said, "Are you 
 on the straight road with this girl? I know what the 
 world says and believes as to your relative positions, but 
 under the roof of God, John, you are that girl's superior 
 in every respect, and you know it. Now I see again the 
 mad fight of the riot and your endless patience, and I 
 know of your great talents, so tell me truly, John, are you 
 hurting Lurgan through his daughter?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Just that little word was spoken quietly, and the doctor 
 said, "I'll perform the ceremony if she wants me to, 
 
136 The Mechanic 
 
 because I don't want to kill that last spark of manhood 
 that compelled you to bring her here. But I am disap 
 pointed, and from now on I shall not speak to you, John, 
 and this will hurt me more than it will you." 
 
 " Doctor, aren't you harsh ? " 
 
 " Look, John ; take that girl home in the morning, and 
 shoot Lurgan if you wish. Then I'll take your hand; 
 but to hurt that child, no no no," cried the minister, 
 walking up and down the room. 
 
 " I'm sorry we part so. May I call in the morning ? " 
 
 "Yes, John, call in the morning, but don't speak to 
 me until your heart is cleansed." 
 
 Dr. Sawyer's daughters were waiting to hear of his 
 talk with John, and, after he had explained, one cried, 
 " Of course, father, if John doesn't love her, they can't get 
 married. That's absurd." 
 
 The minister, with greater knowledge of the world, said, 
 " John has grown hard, and if I refused to perform the 
 ceremony I might strangle all thought of his mother and 
 honor, and as that girl is with him willingly, I am going 
 to tie her to him if she asks me to." 
 
 Early in the morning Lurgan called and asked for his 
 daughter; he was shown into the doctor's study, and in 
 a few minutes Catherine was saying pleasantly, "Good 
 morning, father." 
 
 Lurgan looked long and searchingly at his daughter 
 and answered, " Has he hurt you ? " 
 
 It took Catherine a few seconds, together with the hard 
 look in her father's eyes, to grasp his meaning. Then, 
 cut to the soul, she became incensed and did not answer. 
 She walked from the room and went upstairs. 
 
 Lurgan, still bitter and hostile, then asked for Dr. 
 Sawyer, and when the minister came into the room he 
 
Lurgan Loses 137 
 
 said peremptorily, "I think this escapade has gone far 
 enough, and I want my daughter." 
 
 " I talked with her this morning," the minister replied, 
 " and, as well as I could, pointed out the seriousness of 
 the step that she was taking. I even urged her to go 
 home, but I was most careful to make her understand 
 that I was a friend upon whom she could rely." 
 
 "And what did she say?" 
 
 " That she was going to marry John Worth." 
 
 "Impossible!" shouted Lurgan. "I won't have it! 
 Have I nothing to say in the matter ? " 
 
 " Why not go to her now and say, * Come, daughter, and 
 be married from home.' " 
 
 " Do you think I'm crazy ? " 
 
 "I have made a perfectly sane suggestion to you, as 
 neither you nor I have the authority or the power to 
 stop them. The girl is willing, nay, anxious, to trust her 
 future to the man, and that being the case, why not give 
 the marriage, which is bound to take place, your sanction ? " 
 
 " I'd see her dead first. I hate that low-down mechanic." 
 
 "Take care, Mr. Lurgan. I have argued with both 
 against this marriage, especially with Worth, and he loses 
 my esteem if he insists on the wedding taking place; but 
 I don't like to hear him defamed by one of the men who 
 have made him hard and relentless." 
 
 " Then he is marrying my daughter for revenge ? " 
 
 The minister, drawing his tall form erect, in a vibrant 
 voice exclaimed, "Yes; because you and others destroyed 
 his uncle." 
 
 Lurgan's red face took on a deeper tinge as he cried, 
 "I had nothing to do with that; I swear." 
 
 "Do you mean to stand there and tell me that that 
 assassin killed a demented man for the pure joy of killing, 
 
138 The Mechanic 
 
 and that the sleuths who were hounding Worth to starva 
 tion were ghosts of his imagination and mine ? " 
 
 " I admit knowing about the spies, but as to the other 
 well, I am not built that way." 
 
 " A beautiful distinction, surely," the doctor remarked, 
 with a sneer. "You are willing enough, so you say, to 
 kill a man's soul, but you wouldn't kill his body. I like 
 the assassin best seems more manly and straightfor 
 ward." 
 
 "You don't understand business." 
 
 Doctor Sawyer said no more, but quietly and with 
 bent head left the room. 
 
 On arriving at his home that night, Lurgan found a 
 note from his daughter, and he tore the envelope with a 
 beating heart; but it was not what he hoped, as it read, 
 "I am to be married Monday morning at eleven o'clock 
 in Dr. Sawyer's church. Do come and wish us both 
 God speed." In his misery Lurgan groaned aloud, and 
 later he heard the newsboys crying in shrill voices, 
 " Lurgan's Daughter Marries The Mechanic." He knew 
 then that nothing could prevent what to him was an 
 awful catastrophe, and he made no further move. The 
 next day, when he saw knots of men talking together, he 
 realized that their topic was the coming wedding, and 
 he bent his machine-like faculties upon his work. His 
 friends remarked that he looked like an enraged bull, and 
 a few felt sorry for him. 
 
 Even King, who had no reason to like the banker, felt 
 a distinct sensation of pity for the stricken man, but he 
 was very practical in his ideas of life, so he said to John 
 who called to ask him to the wedding, "She is a very 
 fine girl and I wish you both happiness. I'll go to the 
 church, of course. Where do you go afterwards ? " 
 
Lurgan Loses 139 
 
 " As I have business in Washington, we will go there for 
 three days." 
 
 King noted the word business and the definite state 
 ment as to time and, going to his ticker, he smiled at it, 
 and then demanded, "And then?" 
 
 " To that little house on the factory property in Jersey." 
 
 "John, I have known Catherine since she was a little 
 tot, and if you don't mind, I should like to furnish that 
 place as a wedding present," and after a few seconds 
 he added, "for her." 
 
 " I am sure she would like that," John replied. 
 
 Something in these words, or rather in the way they 
 were uttered, made King sorry that he had accentuated 
 the wedding present as being purely for Catherine, so he 
 said, " If you are not engaged at the parsonage to-morrow 
 evening, come and dine with me at the Frontenac." 
 
 John, appreciating the compliment, said, "As I'm 
 barred from the minister's and Catherine, I accept, with 
 pleasure." 
 
 "Barred," echoed King. 
 
 John answered the unvoiced question by saying, "Dr. 
 Sawyer thinks I am not doing the right thing by Miss 
 Lurgan and has withdrawn his friendship " 
 
 "And yet he marries you," broke in King. 
 
 "He is fearful that if he refused I might omit that 
 detail." And now a note in John's voice made King 
 glad that he had asked him to dinner. " I have given 
 them two whole days to change the girl's mind, of course 
 reserving the right of governing my own actions in case 
 they should influence her against me." 
 
 King said softly, "That sounds very fair, but your 
 words seem lacking in warmth. I'm thinking of the girl, 
 not your courage." 
 
140 The Mechanic 
 
 "I measure everything from now on by cold reason," 
 John laughingly exclaimed. " I have buried sentiment." 
 
 King, wishing to change the subject, for he did not 
 like this side of John, said, " How is your patent case 
 coming on ? " 
 
 Again King saw another expression glide into John's 
 face, a subtle change which he could not define. 
 
 Talking slowly, with the wonder of his mind in his 
 words, John answered, " It's very odd, but there seems to 
 be some impelling force shoving the suit forward in 
 Washington as in Minnesota. But I'm not going to the 
 capital on that account, as I received a letter from the 
 President on my arrival in New York" John did not 
 say that it was congratulating him on winning his fight 
 in Minnesota " and he asked me to come to Washington 
 on a business matter. He seems to possess gratitude, 
 which is a quaint thing to find nowadays." 
 
 On Sunday, John dined with King, who had invited a 
 few others, and the old man took pleasure in showing 
 Worth to that section of New York that was damning 
 him unmercifully. Soon it was known throughout the 
 hotel who the guest of honor at King's table was, and the 
 host was proud of the sensation that " The Mechanic " was 
 making. That night John killed the last remnant of 
 what is called suspicion in the mind of his business 
 associate. 
 
 Catherine was devoting this evening to dreams, seem 
 ingly sure of the morrow of her life, for when the doctor, 
 trying to be fair to John, said, " I am not sure that he 
 loves you. I am not sure that his motive is not revenge 
 on your father," the girl smiled sweetly, remembering only 
 that little kiss which she gave John in the walk by the 
 door, which was her way of thanking him for her honor. 
 
Lurgan Loses 141 
 
 Many flocked to the wedding, among them a number 
 of Catherine's friends, but, of course, the great crowd was 
 for the groom, their John, as he was called by the dense 
 mass of people. To him and his bride were sent up 
 cheer after cheer as they left the church for the train. 
 And that evening they were in Washington alone, man 
 and wife. 
 
 It did not add anything to Lurgan's love for John to 
 read in his morning paper a few days later a long account 
 of the dinner that the President's wife had given to the 
 Worths. Nor did it add to his complacency to see the 
 shadow that was growing between him and Playfellow. 
 For "prayerful" was now exhorting God to deliver him 
 from his weak friends, and the more he called on the 
 Almighty, the more certain he was that Lurgan was weak, 
 for had he not said in organ-like tones, when told of 
 Catherine, "See my family, how obedient how holy." 
 
 The banker, smiling grimly, saw that Playfellow and 
 his "Man Friday," were planning ahead so as to make 
 it easy to say, " It was through your fault that we lost the 
 steel suit," and to avert possible disaster they tried to 
 unload their stock on the public. But the public was 
 waiting for the last word of the law of the land, and their 
 eyes on this last word saw only the man who had married 
 Lurgan's daughter, Catherine. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE STEEL DECISION 
 
 "MR. WORTH, I sent for you because I want you to 
 engage Harold Tyndale as counsel in your appeal against 
 American Steel. I cannot now tell you why it will be 
 best for you to do this, because I'm bound, and willingly 
 so, to secrecy. I hope that you will rely upon my word 
 when I state emphatically that your interests won't suffer 
 by permitting Tyndale to address the Supreme Court 
 judges. I may say that I have met this lawyer and like 
 him, and you know, I am sure, that he is clever and a 
 great orator." 
 
 The President ceased speaking, for he saw by a look 
 on John's face that he was not altogether satisfied with 
 the proposal. He then continued carefully, enunciating 
 each word, "Tyndale did not make this proposal to me; 
 it came from a legal, not a political source. Also remem 
 ber that I have started an investigation into Oil and 
 their methods, and don't forget the circumstances of 
 Bachmann's death and that his wife was Harold Tyndale's 
 sister." 
 
 Startled by the impressive manner of the President, 
 John answered, "Very good, Mr. President, I'll engage 
 Tyndale." 
 
 From the President's remarks, Worth felt that Tyndale 
 was to head a force working through and with his patent 
 suit, and he exclaimed, "Sister? How odd! I have 
 
The Steel Decision 143 
 
 always had the impression that Bachmann was got at, 
 but his suicide was queer, because it didn't fit the other 
 part which I am sure he played. There is something 
 wanting, as a void exists between his remarkable surrender 
 to the trust and his suicide. I suppose Tyndale holds the 
 key." 
 
 The President, seeing that Worth was reading causes 
 well, answered : " Germans and Bachmann was a Ger 
 man do not possess by inheritance our easy way of 
 assimilating new codes, new ideas, and new morals. 
 When they have been in business as long as we have as 
 a nation they will read success as many of our men read 
 that word, and then they will have fewer Bachmanns and 
 fewer suicides. But now that our business is finished, I 
 may say that your abduction of Lurgan's daughter, for 
 that is how the papers term it, pleases me hugely, and I 
 again wish you all kinds of prosperity and happiness. 
 Au revoir until this evening, when we are to have the 
 pleasure of your company at dinner. Your wife and my 
 daughter being old friends, we take pleasure hi entertaining 
 you both." 
 
 It was this dinner, a very elaborate affair, that hurt 
 Lurgan, because the knowledge that his daughter had not 
 dropped out of sight in marrying Worth, was then thrust 
 home to him. 
 
 But that was only one of many entertainments that 
 were given in their honor, for Catherine, free from leading 
 strings and enjoying a liberty which in her case was not 
 an abstract term, was learning that she possessed great 
 power to attract in herself. And, loving her husband 
 idolatrously, she nerved herself to effort and found it 
 easy to remain not only America's first heiress, but one 
 of its first women. Her visit to Washington was her 
 
144 The Mechanic 
 
 first independent touch at the world, for, after the dinner 
 with the President, she became the fashion, not only in 
 Washington but also in New York. But those who 
 looked upon her husband only as an attachment to 
 a beautiful woman were very soon made to see that her 
 life was bound up in the man whom she called master. 
 
 She was, perhaps, the last word in the evolution of 
 class, an actuality if not a phrase, more dear to the Amer 
 ican than to the people of any other nation; the charm 
 of her character was now being felt, and her great talents 
 and beauty made it easy for her to keep the position to 
 which birth as Lurgan's daughter entitled her. 
 
 Before they left Washington a wire from Willie read: 
 " Get off at Newark; telegraph train." At Newark Willie 
 met them and, with a luminous countenance, exclaimed, 
 "I'm a committee of one to escort you to your house," 
 and turning to Catherine he asked, "Have you been 
 good?" 
 
 "Beautiful," she replied; "and I'm afraid but may 
 I call you Willie ? It seems a great liberty, but really the 
 name fits, if I may say so. " 
 
 And Radley answered, " Of course; but" and then he 
 assumed a long face, saying, "You won't flirt with me, 
 will you ? " and Catherine, laughing heartily, exclaimed, 
 " I won't, ' me ' promise," and with those words, and her 
 eyes full of pleasure, she won Willie's heart. 
 
 When Catherine was escorted to her home she found 
 it a fairy place surrounded by trees, open country, and 
 the factory in the distance. At home that night, in giving 
 an account to his family, Willie said, "She's 'torobred' 
 all through," and this remark traveled in the East side 
 and Catherine was made holy thereby. 
 
 In two months Catherine, John, and King were again 
 
The Steel Decision 145 
 
 in the capital, for the great appeal was on for hearing. 
 Mrs. Worth listened to the argument step after step, day 
 following day. She noted, in the court room of the Supreme 
 Court, that her husband was not the man she knew. Ex 
 ternal appearances were the same so far as concerned man 
 ner and style, for he was as cool and easy as at the factory, 
 but the mind that worked was different so different that 
 Catherine watched him with rapt attention. 
 
 He was continually giving hints in a low voice to Mr. 
 Tyndale, and, although an enormous sum of money de 
 pended on the outcome of the appeal, he was so calm and 
 unruffled that Catherine entirely lost her first feeling of 
 anger at seeing arrayed against him and Mr. Tyndale 
 many lawyers of national renown, for the Steel people 
 were fighting for existence and had secured a number of 
 the ablest men in the country to handle their case. 
 
 Turning to Mr. King in the afternoon session of 
 the first day, Catherine said, "Is it possible that all 
 the facts in this great case were welded together by 
 John?" 
 
 " I am studying John, as well as the case," answered 
 the old man of Wall Street, "and somehow it seems to 
 me that the others are pawns in his hands and he is 
 placing them to suit his own ends." 
 
 Catherine smiled and again gave her attention to the 
 proceedings. Her interest did not flag as she, too, was 
 studying this cold, cynical man who was her husband. 
 It was her first introduction to the world of business, her 
 first peep at war as an attachment of civilization, and she 
 marveled that language contained so much power to 
 hurt, for she felt keenly the shafts aimed at her husband. 
 He, however, did not seem to mind and always smiled 
 when some point was made against him, and often she 
 
146 The Mechanic 
 
 wondered why the opposing counsel did not become ex 
 asperated at Mr. Tyndale, but they, too, smiled in 
 apparent enjoyment. 
 
 It was all queer and interesting, and she was really 
 sorry when John said, " To-morrow will see it all over 
 even to arguments for and against." And John, who had 
 grown to like his counsel, wondered what his closing 
 argument would be. 
 
 After dinner Tyndale called, and when King rose to go 
 to his room, the lawyer followed. When the two men 
 were outside, Tyndale said, " I have some papers which 
 I should like to show you to-night, and if you can spare 
 me a moment I think I can promise to make you take 
 the midnight train to New York." 
 
 King looked searchingly at Tyndale and answered, 
 "I don't believe you can do that," but after he had 
 read Bachmann's confession and the Hodges letters, 
 he cried, "That's terrible. And you bring this out 
 to-morrow ? " 
 
 " I will try to do so, and I tell you to-night so that you 
 may harass them in Wall Street. For the blood in this 
 case is not going to make Worth's damages any less, nor 
 is it going to help them in the eyes of the public." 
 
 In the morning John found a note from King stating 
 that he had been called to New York on business of great 
 importance. 
 
 When court opened the following day, Tyndale arose 
 and gravely said: "If your Honors please, I desire to 
 amend the record on appeal by inserting therein cer 
 tain documents"; at the same time, amidst profound 
 silence, producing his brother-in-law's and Hodges' 
 letters. When he began reading them all eyes at once 
 were turned upon Hodges whose face became very 
 
The Steel Decision 147 
 
 pale, showing clearly the seams that David Worth's 
 blows had made. The lawyers for the defense im 
 mediately objected strongly to the insertion in the 
 record of the letters, and were sustained by the court. 
 Tyndale, having created the effect he desired, cared, in 
 fact, not one whit whether the letters became part of the 
 record or not. 
 
 On his part, John now knew why the President had been 
 so insistent, and he eagerly awaited his lawyer's closing 
 speech, satisfied that he and his patent suit had merged 
 into something much greater and grander than a point 
 of law or a matter of simple equity. He remembered 
 the President's words, " I am investigating Oil on my 
 own account," and now he gave Tyndale his keen atten 
 tion. 
 
 "From their annual reports," he was saying in cool, 
 dispassionate tones, "and more especially the private 
 report which they sent out broadcast after the New York 
 Court of Appeals decided in their favor, you will observe 
 that the Steel Trust has made from the Worth patent 
 more than sixty-one million dollars. When they sent 
 out the private report they felt certain that the case had 
 been decided for all time, and so felt it was safe not only to 
 give to the public a full account of the process which 
 enabled them to strengthen their position by a large 
 addition to their working capital, but also to state that 
 hereafter they would never pay a less dividend than ten 
 per cent on their common stock." 
 
 And Tyndale, looking at the judges, continued, "You 
 can now estimate the business value, if I may put it that 
 way, of the Worth patent. I think I have already shown 
 you upon what flimsy legal grounds their case rests. 
 Their own counsel, even, are clearly of my opinion in this, 
 
148 The Mechanic 
 
 otherwise they would not, in the New York suit as in 
 Minnesota, and also here, have laid their chief stress on 
 the good they have done with the process, and have taken 
 pains to point out how terrible it would be for the working 
 man if this patent were taken from them. That is an 
 old device, as old as our laws themselves. These men 
 who control American industries have proved to their 
 own entire satisfaction that they are the anointed ones, 
 and that they are robed with the Almighty's authority. 
 Without them as vicars they endeavor to maintain that 
 the social and moral fabrics of this country would 
 crumble to hopeless ruin, and so when our poor laws 
 stand in their way they resort to bribery. Think of 
 that," cried Tyndale, in a hoarse, compelling voice, 
 "they bribe, and by means of bribery they kill 
 as witness Judge Bachmann." Despite the clamorous 
 objections of the lawyers for the defense he continued 
 in a passionate voice: "They bought my brother-in- 
 law for a million dollars, and he, mocked at and 
 deserted by his partners in the crime, offered as a 
 sacrifice the life they had desolated, and went to trial 
 before his God. I have read you the letter he wrote 
 to his wife, and as I have not Bachmann's sensitive 
 ness, I have brought the whole transaction to the light. 
 It is evident that the contract with Bachmann, though 
 not in Hodges' hand, was practically written by him. 
 Therefore I believe every word that he has written as 
 to his visits to Playfellow and Hodges, and I give full 
 credit to Hodges and Playfellow for the bribery of Judge 
 Bachmann." 
 
 Turning to the judges he cried, " I ask you, for you 
 have the power, to make those men pay the penalty of 
 theft. I have proved that they appropriated the Worth 
 
The Steel Decision 149 
 
 patents, and I ask you to remember that through the 
 weakness of Bachmann they insulted the law of this 
 country and arrogated to themselves a court of final 
 jurisdiction. I beg you to remember also that there is 
 blood on their hands. I solicit you to pay tribute to the 
 man who worked his way to Minnesota that he might, in 
 another circuit, get that which was lost to him by a 
 conspiracy of bribery." 
 
 Tyndale sat down and there was a silence like that of 
 a great forest, and in silence the crowd in court went their 
 differing ways, all confident that Worth had won his 
 suit and that the Steel Company would finally have to 
 pay an enormous bill of damages. 
 
 John took his lawyer's hand and pressed it, saying, 
 " I'm sorry for that which grieves you. I'm glad we are 
 friends." 
 
 " I satisfied you then ? " 
 
 "Very much"; and the men parted, as both were strong 
 and hid their feelings, but both knew that time would 
 bring them together again. But John's satisfaction 
 was equaled by Hodges' discomfiture, for the latter was 
 hissed as he left the court. He hurried to New York 
 and in the morning called on Playfellow, that they might 
 discuss matters on their way down town. He had read 
 in the morning papers of King's sensational attack on 
 Steel, and the business situation generally was bad from 
 the point of view of his pocket, the only soul he possessed. 
 
 Playfellow decided that Lurgan must arrange matters 
 with his son-in-law, and when he and Hodges called on 
 the banker to point out his imperative duty, Lurgan did 
 not like their methods and frankly told them so. In 
 three weeks the Supreme Court rendered its decision, 
 which was unreservedly in Worth's favor. The Steel 
 
150 The Mechanic 
 
 Company were ordered to stop at once all mills that were 
 working the Worth invention. But this was as nothing 
 to the enormous damages awarded the inventor, only one 
 month being allowed in which to pay the vast sum. When 
 Harold Tyndale read the decision he smiled and said to 
 himself, " I am satisfied, for to-day." 
 
 The three men responsible for the great theft, as it 
 was called, hurried to King's office only to be told that 
 he could not do anything for them, and that Worth very 
 likely would not treat with them. But they urged and 
 urged for a meeting, and King finally arranged it. Speak 
 ing to Playfellow, Lurgan, and Hodges, John said, "I 
 haven't any more to say now than I had when I last met 
 you. I shall not sell nor shall I permit you to use my 
 process; and if you don't pay the damages to the hour, 
 I'll sell you out. I hope I have made myself clear." 
 
 King walked to the ticker, as was his habit, and laughed 
 easily, liking the iron words and the iron manner. Play 
 fellow, raising his eyes toward heaven, cried : " Oh, Lord, 
 I beseech you to move this young man to the path of 
 duty." Then King turned, startled, for he heard John 
 say in a voice that made him shiver as from a cold blast 
 of wind, "Stop that, you bloodsucker." Playfellow 
 fell back in his chair as though stricken. Turning to 
 Lurgan, John said, "I hear from Catherine that I was 
 mistaken in thinking that you would descend to cold 
 murder, and I harbor no ill-will as to your business 
 methods. But to these two here," and John glared at 
 Playfellow and Hodges, "I say that if ever again they 
 raise the knife to me or mine, that I will cut their throats 
 with no more compunction than I would crush the life 
 out of a reptile." 
 
 In his smooth, even tone, for he did not like the way 
 
The Steel Decision 151 
 
 John was looking at Hodges, King then said, "If Mr. 
 Playfellow and his partner will be good enough to with 
 draw and not again intrude upon me, they will be laying 
 me under a deep obligation." The two dazed men silently 
 withdrew, it being the first time since they had grown to 
 power that they had been ordered out of an office. 
 
 When they had gone, King cried, " Lurgan, shake hands 
 with John." 
 
 Lurgan, in deep study, thinking of what Worth had 
 said, jumped up and exclaimed, "Never in my life," 
 and stalked out, banging the door. 
 
 King laughed. "He is coming around; I know him." 
 After a moment's silence he continued, picking up a 
 former conversation with John, " Why not buy a mill in 
 Pittsburg ? " 
 
 "None are modern enough and all are too far away; 
 my scheme calls for a mill where the iron stone is." 
 
 "Do we build more than one?" 
 
 "Two; one south and one on Lake Superior." 
 
 " How is my machine getting on ? " 
 
 "Bully; but why don't you come and see the shop?" 
 asked John. 
 
 "All right, any day you say." 
 
 " To-morrow then, and Catherine will meet you at the 
 station and show you about. I go West to-night." 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 WILLIE RADLEY ASSISTS 
 
 THE following day King saw the works in Jersey and 
 noticed with keen delight the order, the method, and the 
 great number of men employed. He was at last a pro 
 ducer, and joyously he said to Catherine, "I wonder if 
 they have any orders yet ? " 
 
 She looked surprised and exclaimed, "Hasn't John 
 told you?" 
 
 "Not a word." 
 
 "This is real jolly; come to the office. Oh! I know 
 every inch of the shop, and really, I believe I am getting 
 mechanical; it's such fun coming here to see John and 
 the others work!" 
 
 When King saw the books he cried, " Orders ahead for 
 seven hundred! Isn't that great!" But what held his 
 eye were the letter-heads, in the corner of which he saw 
 in small letters, " James King John Worth, Proprie 
 tors." And nothing in that day of pleasure equaled his 
 delight at seeing his name there. 
 
 To Hadley, the foreman of the shop, he said, "How 
 many machines are you making?" 
 
 "One thousand." 
 
 "Don't seem enough, eh, Mrs. Worth?" 
 
 "That's what I tell John." 
 
 "Do you suppose he would get cross and say things 
 to me if I should order another thousand ? " 
 
 152 
 
Willie Radley Assists 153 
 
 " Why, I think he would be delighted to know that you 
 took so much interest." 
 
 Then turning to Hadley, King gave him an order, 
 which the foreman promised to execute at once. 
 
 King wondered what sort of an abode he was going to, 
 as the fact of Catherine's living near the factory had 
 always worried him. But when he was told that the 
 house he saw in the distance was home, he felt relieved, 
 and more so when he entered, for he never had seen a 
 prettier place. The grounds, the lawn, and the trees, 
 now growing into summer beauty, made King exclaim 
 that it was a charming picture. He wondered if Catherine 
 had yet discovered that John did not love her, for the 
 old man was as fond of this dark beauty as if she were 
 his own child. He hoped to read a thought or sugges 
 tion that would give him a lead, but Catherine gave no 
 sign. 
 
 Shortly the world knew that King and Worth were 
 building two immense steel mills. The individual mill 
 owners included in the American Steel Company got 
 together and called on King. He said to them, " If you 
 reorganize and throw out Playfellow and Hodges, we may 
 talk business. Dropping these men may be difficult, as 
 Playfellow owns a large amount of your bonds, which he 
 got for his ore-fields, and Hodges' steel mill gave him a 
 big lot of bonds and Preferred." Then King added, 
 " I'm afraid I am not holding out much hope, but frankly, 
 I see only one way, and that is to wind up your company; 
 and if you do that, we'll buy all your mills at inventory 
 prices, and all your steamers and lands as well. That is, 
 all except the lands originally owned by Playfellow and 
 Hodges, or you may, as individuals, retain your mills; 
 we will let you have our process for nothing." 
 
154 The Mechanic 
 
 The speaker for the mill owners looked with surprise 
 at King and said, " I'm afraid I didn't get that right." 
 
 "I am merely quoting Mr. Worth, who is not seeking 
 to hurt you," King said firmly, " though it may be neces 
 sary for him to do so in order to get at others. When 
 we have sent your company to the wall, as we shall have 
 to do, come back, and Worth, who is at all times and 
 seasons a man of his word, will give you his process for 
 one dollar a year rental. He will do this, but he will 
 make with each of you one stipulation that will not 
 in any way affect your business, or your prices, or your 
 right to combine on prices, or to do anything and every 
 thing you damn please. This stipulation is that no one 
 of you can sell his plant, or any part thereof, without 
 first consulting Mr. Worth." 
 
 " In other words, you want to again establish a number 
 of independent mills, each working out its own salvation, 
 and for fairness all around you will let us have the process 
 but we must not sell any part of our property to Hodges 
 or Playfellow ? " 
 
 "You have stated the case exactly." 
 
 "Say, Mr. King, Worth seems to be a good deal of a 
 man, and you don't trail far behind in that respect. But 
 your big mills will make it difficult for us." 
 
 "No, for when we have accomplished our purpose we 
 stop making brittle steel. That will give you seventy 
 per cent of the home market. We are going in for battle 
 ships, guns, foreign business, and so forth." 
 
 " Is that why you refused to sell the foreign patents ? " 
 
 "It is." 
 
 "Worth must be a quaint character to refuse the 
 colossal amount he was offered for the English rights 
 alone." 
 
Willie Radley Assists 155 
 
 "I don't always understand him," King confessed. 
 "I am merely backing him and will do so to the last 
 ditch, if necessary. He says that America ought to supply 
 steel to the world, and you can't get him to see that he 
 can ensure this by selling his patent. He calls it logic 
 and, frankly, I like his method. You have perhaps read 
 of that other little fight which Playfellow, Hodges, and 
 Lurgan are waging against our printing-machines. They 
 are now selling a thirty-one hundred dollar machine for 
 three hundred and fifty dollars, but we hold to our original 
 price of five hundred dollars and we are now making our 
 fourth thousand. As our machine cost only one hundred 
 and fifty dollars to build, I wanted to cut prices, but 
 Worth said, ' What's the use ? We hold the market and 
 they are losing heavily.' 
 
 " I am trying to put Worth before you as he is, not as 
 the creature that Playfellow and Hodges are trying to 
 make him out in their paid newspaper crusade. It is 
 due to his suggestion that we pay our workmen a royalty 
 of one hundred dollars on every machine, over and above 
 their wages. To insure good work he fines the shop one 
 thousand dollars for each defective machine sent out. 
 Needless to say, perhaps, that every type-caster that leaves 
 our works is in perfect order, and I may also add that the 
 men are the j oiliest lot of workers I have ever seen." 
 
 After the mill owners had gone, King felt quite certain 
 that they would move heaven and earth to free them 
 selves. There was no such trouble as they imagined 
 about separation, for Playfellow was anxious to get the 
 Hodges mill separated from the others because, as a large 
 owner and director of many railroads, he thought he 
 could make it a very profitable investment. Before, or 
 with, the final break with Lurgan and Steel, he wanted to 
 
156 The Mechanic 
 
 do the banker a serious and lasting injury, something that 
 would blast his successful career; for he well knew that he 
 could not control all the railroads if Lurgan were still ac 
 tive in the community, as the first banker in America. 
 
 Playfellow was a banker too, and his bank, the Unit 
 National, was by all odds the largest in the city, outside 
 of the Midland Bank which was more or less a private 
 concern. Through this institution Playfellow had bought 
 into other banks, so that through the Unit National he 
 had a voice in all financial matters. Heretofore he had 
 depended mainly on Lurgan for advice, as his own 
 training, that of the subterranean passage and the dark 
 booths, hardly fitted him for a business that must be 
 conducted in the light. But now, with anger in his heart, 
 he was eager to depose Lurgan from his high estate, 
 thinking that by so doing he could forcibly assume control 
 of the money market. He knew that Lurgan was terribly 
 hit in Steel, for he himself was smarting under the loss of 
 a lot of money and also a tremendous holding of Common 
 and seven per cent Preferred, and his bonds would be 
 worthless as well if the Steel Trust were not dissolved, for 
 the company now needed every cent of its income for 
 working capital. For the first time in his career, Play 
 fellow was compelled to sell a large amount of gilt-edged 
 railway stock to make good the losses that accrued while 
 fighting Worth and King. And because Lurgan's daugh 
 ter had married the arch scoundrel, he turned toward the 
 banker with all the venom with which nature had so 
 amply endowed him. 
 
 One Friday morning, after Playfellow had wound up 
 the Steel Company, his lofty soul being in a prayerful 
 mood, he called for Thomas Hodges and said, " The Lord 
 tells me to punish that sinful man Lurgan, and to destroy 
 
Willie Radley Assists 157 
 
 his power for future evil." And Hodges answered in a 
 rising voice, "How can we break him?" Playfellow, 
 quickly getting down to business, exclaimed, " He has 
 lost a lot of money and a great deal of his prestige in 
 Steel. If a way could be found to hurt his bank he would 
 join the ranks of small jobbers and it's very important 
 that he brings to the light his great holdings of railway 
 securities so that our banks may get them." 
 
 " You mean to make a run on his bank then ? " 
 
 "Yes," hissed Playfellow. 
 
 "How?" 
 
 "Listen! To-morrow, Saturday, at eleven, I will call 
 in a few of our brokers to give them an extensive order 
 to sell * Midland.' Then you come in very much excited 
 and, seeing the brokers, write me a note, whereat I am 
 greatly disturbed. You then murmur a few words, which 
 I make them promise not to repeat. I immediately call 
 up our cashier by telephone and tell him to withdraw at 
 once our account with Lurgan. You are to see that he 
 doesn't quite understand, so that I have to talk sharply 
 to him. After the brokers leave, and I'll keep them until 
 twelve o'clock, I shall call up the railroads that we con 
 trol, gas companies, and the other banks, and I shall 
 speak to a number of people besides, telling them that 
 Lurgan is shaky and advising them to withdraw their 
 funds from his bank the first thing Monday morning. 
 But my hope is in the brokers, for nearly all of them 
 bank with him and their accounts are large, and they 
 will withdraw their cash if we can frighten those that see 
 me on Saturday. Now between Saturday and Monday 
 morning we ought to create a stampede, and as no bank 
 carries in cash more than a third of its deposits, we 
 ought to have his shutters up by twelve o'clock. 
 
158 The Mechanic 
 
 "Of course we can't break Lurgan financially, as he 
 holds too many first-class securities, but we can break 
 his heart and his reputation by showing that he has lost 
 the confidence of the people." 
 
 This little game to tarnish a man's reputation was put 
 into effect and carried out in profound secrecy, and on 
 Monday morning there were quite a number of men at 
 the bank awaiting the opening of the doors. Lurgan, 
 being down early, saw these, and saw also the pushing 
 crowd as he entered the side entrance, and realized what 
 it meant. 
 
 But he was now Lurgan the banker and he took prompt 
 measures to pay all those that presented checks. His 
 cashier was ordered to pay only from one window and 
 have some one send for a squad of policemen to form a 
 line. 
 
 Another saw the crowd, and that was King on his way 
 to Wall Street. Questioning a broker whom he knew, 
 he quickly got the story and then telephoned to Willie 
 Radley, who informed him that John was just coming 
 into the office at that moment. When John had the 
 news he telephoned King that he would come at once, 
 and that Willie would bring all the gold he had. Soon 
 John and King were together in the Overland Bank, 
 where they kept their large deposit, and by half after ten 
 a truck load of gold was on its way to Lurgan's bank. 
 
 The evening extras were all out shrieking, " A Run On 
 Lurgan's Bank! The Great Financier Is Shaky," and 
 this news, belched all over the country, brought Catherine 
 to Wall Street in a great fright. But before she reached 
 the bank the run was turned into a burlesque by Willie, 
 who, after getting a receipt for his gold, said to an assistant 
 cashier, "Pay only in gold when you hear me shout 
 
Willie Radley Assists 159 
 
 'bags.'" Quickly securing a dray, he bought a wagon- 
 load of hemp bags and, driving to Wall Street and opposite 
 the bank, began throwing East side English at the waiting 
 multitude. Then he shouted, "We only pay in gold! 
 Buy a bag!" 
 
 While he shrieked thus at the top of his voice the 
 assistant cashier, to whom he had spoken, went to Lurgan 
 and said, " Let us put a sign out that * We pay in gold 
 only.' That Overland lot and our own will keep us busy 
 for two days. You see what a drug the gold will be, as 
 not one out of fifty can carry away his account." 
 
 Lurgan smiled. " Good ! but who in the devil is the 
 bag seller?" 
 
 " That's Radley, the cashier of the Worth bank. They 
 brought us nearly a million in gold. You see, as he has 
 the crowd in a fairly good humor, the sign will do the 
 rest." 
 
 The bags were going merrily when Willie saw the 
 sign being tacked up, and then he shouted, " Look 
 look!" The crowd saw and began to smile, and then 
 to waver in their determination to withdraw their ac 
 counts. Willie's cry, " Get bags, you blokes. You can't 
 carry gold like a check," sounded out over the mob. 
 Then a hansom pulled up and Willie cried, " How much 
 for this blooming 'ansom ? " The crowd began to yell 
 and those who did not have bags began to jeer those 
 who had. When the crowd began to melt, Willie yelled, 
 "Don't go; we serve lunch. Hot tamales peanuts 
 soup! Stay and buy a bag." 
 
 The run on Lurgan's bank had ended in a farce, and 
 all because a little man born in Manhattan, with the feel 
 of the island in him, knew that his countrymen could not 
 stand being laughed at. And when Willie was congrat- 
 
160 The Mechanic 
 
 ulated by Lurgan, he said, " Only an idea, I am glad it 
 pleased you!" 
 
 Just then Catherine, entering, exclaimed, " Oh, father, 
 have they taken all your money ? " 
 
 The old man smiled, " Not yet, daughter it will take 
 a good deal more than a run to smash this shop." 
 
 Then Catherine, seeing who was with her father, smiled 
 and held out her hand. " How are you, Willie ? " 
 
 "Fine, thank you." 
 
 "I'll go now, father. I was merely nervous at what 
 the papers said. Good-by." 
 
 The father allowed her to go without offering his hand, 
 and Willie, noticing this, said, " Let me take you to John ; 
 he is in Mr. King's office." He and Catherine walked 
 out, leaving the crusty old man alone. That afternoon 
 Lurgan called at the Overland to thank them for their 
 assistance and said, "As you and a little East side bank 
 were the only ones that came to my aid, I want to thank 
 you." 
 
 " I'm afraid," answered the president of the Overland, 
 " that thanks are not due us. It was Worth's and King's 
 deposit that we sent to you, and, of course, by their direct 
 orders." 
 
 Lurgan returned to his bank greatly troubled, and 
 after a few minutes he called on King. The first words 
 he heard as he entered were, " You are just a plain skunk 
 to send Catherine crying away from you this morning," and 
 going to his ticker, he repeated, "just a plain skunk." 
 
 That night Lurgan found his large house very lonely 
 and disquieting, but he would not admit that he was in 
 the wrong nor would he even write John a letter of thanks. 
 But he beamed on Willie Radley and gave to that youngster 
 much good advice and a great deal of his regard. 
 
Willie Radley Assists 161 
 
 And when Willie, with his large, engaging smile, said 
 one day, "I want to buy the old Worth site in Center 
 Street, with the two adjoining lots, so if you should now 
 call up the Insurance Company that owns the property, 
 and tell them to get busy, I'll take you to my heart." 
 The banker lay back in his chair and laughingly cried, 
 "Sure of that, Willie? But may I call you Willie?" 
 
 The young man, pulling out a book and writing some 
 thing in it, said, " Outside of my people, you are the fifth." 
 
 "Fifth?" and Lurgan looked a question. 
 
 Then Radley showed him the page on which was 
 written, " Those that have permission to call me Willie," 
 and the banker, looking at him, laughed again and ex 
 claimed, " If the property is to be transferred to you, I'll 
 telephone." 
 
 " That's it, but I will " 
 
 "Oh, I don't care what you do with it," interrupted 
 Lurgan. "Willie!" 
 
 "Yes, Governor?" 
 
 "You saved me from a nasty hole and I'm grateful 
 to you. To you personally, mind. And if at any time 
 I can be of use," and Lurgan accented these words, 
 "call on me. Now, boy, it was Playfellow who did that 
 dirty trick and he has got to pay for it." 
 
 "You are stronger than ever." 
 
 "Yes, thanks to that little red head of yours, which 
 turned a serious run into a joke." 
 
 A few weeks later there was a sharp, quick fight over 
 the election of directors in the Insurance Company that 
 had turned John Worth into the street, and the financial 
 world was startled to find that the great Lurgan now had 
 the laugh on Playfellow and Hodges. They had both 
 been voted out of the directorate and there was conse- 
 
162 The Mechanic 
 
 quently a new grouping of cliques in Wall Street. All 
 were looking for the big battle that would surely follow 
 Lurgan's smashing retort to the run on his bank, and 
 the men who took bonds and other securities to the 
 Insurance Company to exchange them for cash wondered 
 who William Radley was, for they saw his name on the 
 finance committee. Willie did not know of this honor 
 until he received a note from Lurgan explaining matters. 
 
 Then he went to see King, who said, " Yes, that's like 
 him, and he is not quite all skunk." But Willie could 
 not follow this, and as King was evidently not inclined to 
 say more, he went over to thank Lurgan, who said to 
 him, " I'll help you until you get to know the ropes, and 
 in return I want to know all deals that come to the Insur 
 ance Company. There is going to be a fight and I am 
 out not only to save this house which I inherited, but to 
 make it larger, and now that Worth has knocked Steel 
 into hell I am through with direct control of industrial 
 combinations." 
 
 " And how will my position affect you and John ? " 
 
 "Oh, he has his Steel now. The combine is over, so 
 I don't see where we shall clash, but I must tell you that 
 if I ever get a chance to hurt him, I will do so." 
 
 "And I will do all I can, every waking hour, and all 
 the way to the poorhouse, to help him," protested Willie. 
 
 "That's right, boy, that's right," said the old man, 
 peevishly. "Stick to your friends; but he isn't a friend 
 of mine, and at any rate he is not in the active market, 
 so why bother about him?" 
 
 About six months later Willie had occasion to call on 
 Lurgan and say, "I hear that the Hodges people are 
 depending on the railroads to keep their mill busy. I 
 also hear of rebates." 
 
Willie Radley Assists 163 
 
 "Sure of that last, Willie?" 
 
 "Yes, Governor." 
 
 "Tell me, how is the fight going?" 
 
 And Willie, without mentioning John's name, said, 
 "All the Independents have adopted the same scale of 
 prices for the year, and I am informed that the Hodges 
 mill is losing fifty thousand a week." 
 
 " Good ! and he won't quit, " chuckled the banker. 
 
 Willie smiled at the " he," but like a wise boy said noth 
 ing. When he was going, the banker said, " Come and 
 see me again soon, and how are things with your bank ? " 
 
 " Since we got into our new building, as jolly as possible ! 
 We have stacks now, could stop a run without the use of 
 bags "; and Lurgan laughed heartily. 
 
 Meanwhile John was directing all his energies toward 
 Hodges. He had him in a corner and was pounding him 
 systematically. Knowing that the Hodges mill turned 
 out a very crude metal as compared with his own or that 
 of the Independents, John circularized all steel buyers 
 regarding the kind of contract that they ought to make 
 when purchasing steel, and it was these letters to archi 
 tects and others that made it difficult for Hodges and 
 Playfellow to get contracts beyond their sphere of personal 
 influence. 
 
 It was through armor plates that they were brought to 
 their knees. The Government asked for bids covering a 
 number of vessels, and the specifications read, "pure 
 fibrous steel," not only for the vessels building in their 
 own yards, but in those contracted for elsewhere. As 
 the Hodges mill had made all armor plates while they 
 had the Worth process, they now tried to get the con 
 tracts and, having a spy in John's steel mill office, they 
 knew his figures, so they bid slightly lower and secured 
 
164 The Mechanic 
 
 the contract. Then they made a great shout, and John, 
 thinking that he now had them, called upon the President. 
 
 " To kill off all possible competition, the old trust made 
 the present hard and fast specifications," he explained, 
 "thus enabling the Hodges mill, which at that time was 
 alone in using my process, to have a monopoly of making 
 armor for the Government. Now this same mill has to 
 make the plates for the new contract by the old process 
 and of course it can't make them according to the speci 
 fications; but they hope to get their faulty plates passed, 
 owing to the strength of their political pull." 
 
 "I shall have something to say just about that time," 
 the President answered. 
 
 "That's what I thought; and now, Mr. President, I 
 have a word to say. I am out, as you are aware, to hurt 
 Hodges and Playfellow. I work directly at them, while 
 you are bothered with a constitution, which was made 
 before these brands of bloodsuckers were known, but I 
 am also talking straight business with a straight issue. 
 Now I want all of your assistance, and if you give it to 
 me, I promise a happy day for both of us. I am working 
 on personal grounds and you are working for the country, 
 so I say make them deliver the steel called for in the 
 specifications. Don't let them off, but keep their noses 
 to this grindstone; I will hold in readiness enough steel to 
 cover those vessels in case a war should threaten or other 
 urgent need arise. 
 
 " The larger line of publicity which Tyndale gave them 
 is not dead and Congress would give them short notice. 
 But I don't want Congress to meddle with this, as a loss 
 of two or three millions would not bother them after the 
 disclosure that they could not fill their contract. A 
 threat from you with a time limit will send them to one 
 
Willie Radley Assists 165 
 
 of the independent mill owners, and then they pay they 
 pay through their blood, for money is their blood." 
 
 "Worth, you hate them?" 
 
 "I do, Mr. President." 
 
 " And so do I, as they are a terrible curse to the country. 
 They stifle hope and breed socialism; but when you have 
 killed their steel mill as you have their printing business, 
 they still have their Port Arthur Oil." 
 
 "And I am the solitary Jap, eh?" 
 
 The President smiled, and said, "Tell me, Worth, 
 about the printing-machines. That was a quick collapse, 
 wasn't it ? " 
 
 "Yes," answered John, thoughtfully. "It was Lurgan 
 who wound the business up by asking for a receiver. 
 And I can't understand his action as other than a desire 
 to hurt Playfellow." 
 
 " He must have lost a pile over Steel ? " suggested the 
 President. 
 
 " He did, but Hodges was hurt most, for he was drawing 
 interest on two hundred and fifty millions of invested 
 capital as represented by his mill and his ore lands, 
 vessels, and coke furnaces. In reality his outfit is not 
 worth two dollars as an investment to-day, and in less 
 than a year his property will be sold at auction." 
 
 "You fight hard and without mercy, Worth." 
 
 And John smiled grimly and said, " That's it, without 
 mercy." 
 
 In six months there was a bill of sale out against the 
 Hodges mill. It cost them many millions to procure 
 armor plates of pure fibrous steel, and after Playfellow 
 had made his contract good, he said to Hodges, " I wish 
 we had that devil in Oil, so we could take his heart's 
 blood." Playfellow was sore, for the Lurgan clique in 
 
166 The Mechanic 
 
 Wall Street was active, and when he had footed up his 
 losses in the last few years he fell upon his knees and 
 prayed to God to deliver over to him the unrighteous 
 Worth. 
 
 The day the papers in flaring headlines said, "Worth 
 Has Smashed Playfellow and Hodges' Steel Mill," Willie 
 called upon Lurgan, who, after a moment's talk, bending 
 over his desk said, " How are things ? " Radley, smiling, 
 knew what the old man wanted to hear, and when he had 
 finished the story from John's point of view, the banker 
 exclaimed, "He doesn't know how to quit." Willie, 
 knowing that if he mentioned John's name, the old man 
 would explode, said merely, "That's so." But Willie 
 had still another announcement to make, and the shrewd 
 old banker, noting the repressed air of elation and happi 
 ness, and thinking it concerned some personal matter, 
 said, "Well, my boy, out with it!" 
 
 "It's the finest boy I ever saw; a regular bouncer." 
 
 "What?" gasped Lurgan, trying in vain to restrain 
 himself. " What boy do you mean ? " 
 
 " Why, John's baby, of course. You ought to see it 
 and say, the mother and John are crazy over it." 
 
 Lurgan's face showed plainly the emotions contending 
 within, and Willie rattled on, "I dine with them on 
 Sundays and I have noticed that Mrs. Worth always 
 keeps a vacant chair beside her. I thought at first that 
 it was for some guest who had failed to appear, but that 
 can't be, as there it is every Sunday and always vacant." 
 
 Looking at the old man, Willie saw his head fall for 
 ward and his shoulders heave. As he went out the 
 leonine head was bowed in grief, so Willie said to the 
 secretary, "Mr. Lurgan does not want to be disturbed 
 until he rings." 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE RECONCILIATION 
 
 " OH, father, it's so good to see you." 
 
 And Lurgan, embracing Catherine, said in a husky 
 voice, "It's good to have you in my arms, my child. 
 The last two years have been lonely and the old house is 
 gray without you." 
 
 But there was another watching this scene of love, 
 who, judging from his blinking eyes, did not approve it, 
 and that was baby Jo, reposing in his pillows, and gazing 
 upon the man who held his mother. Lurgan looked 
 down with loving eyes, picked the little fellow up, and 
 holding him to his heart said, " I am your grandpa, and 
 you are Jo." 
 
 Crushing the child to him again, the grandfather 
 promised him toys, cars, engines, and rocking-horses, 
 hoping to avert the impending tears. It was hardly to 
 be expected that a baby a few weeks old could be won by 
 such material means, but when he was safe back in his 
 mother's arms he smiled back at the old man, and Lurgan 
 knew the battle was won. 
 
 For an hour he was a child himself, for Catherine had 
 left them together, sure that little Jo would completely 
 win her father's love. And when she joined them again, 
 her father was sitting on the floor trying to amuse the 
 child. 
 
 "Dinner will be ready in half an hour, father. I 
 
 167 
 
168 The Mechanic 
 
 telephoned your man to bring your things, for of course 
 you are going to stay all night." 
 
 Lurgan, having dressed quickly, rapped at Catherine's 
 door, and being told to enter, sat down in a chair and 
 asked if she expected any one to dinner. 
 
 " Only Mr. King, Polly, and her brother, and, of course, 
 Willie who dines with us every Sunday. They thought 
 I would be lonely without John and planned to come." 
 
 "Hem," and the old man grunted. "I hear that 
 Percy comes here quite often, and I have a distinct recol 
 lection of sending him about his business when he was 
 good enough to call one day and ask if he might marry 
 you." 
 
 " Oh, he has got all over that, father," smiled Catherine. 
 
 " And the others, have they got all over it, too ? Now 
 look here, Catherine, all this tomfoolery has got to stop; 
 I gather from the papers that you are an acknowledged 
 social leader and I can see that every moment of your time 
 is occupied. I also see that a half dozen of young men 
 are in constant attendance to see that you have a good 
 time." And then he quickly asked, "When does your 
 husband return ? " 
 
 "In ten days." 
 
 " Good ! Then you will pack up to-morrow and come to 
 your old home for a visit. We will give a big reception 
 and dinner for his return and then these young men and 
 others will see what they will see ugh," and the old 
 man grunted again. "I have a darned good mind to 
 give you a scolding, Catherine." 
 
 The girl, for she was a girl now in her feelings, went up 
 to her father and putting her arms around his neck cried, 
 "Father, it's lovely to be bossed; so scold some more." 
 
 "Does nobody boss you now?" 
 
The Reconciliation 169 
 
 "No, father, I was hurled from a state of dependency 
 into utter independence." 
 
 "All that's finished now, as from to-day I'm your 
 father again. You know what that means." 
 
 And Catherine, nestling close to him, said, with a 
 merry look in her face, "The Duke of Lockover is here 
 again; he called yesterday and I could see that he still 
 likes me a tiny bit. You will, I know, be glad to see him 
 again." 
 
 " Oh, he is an ass, with not so much brains as a canary. 
 I hope you didn't ask him to anything dinners and 
 such?" 
 
 " Why no, father, as John is away I must take care of 
 the proprieties; but as soon as he returns I'll have Title 
 call." 
 
 " No, child, I tell you all that gadflying is over. You 
 have had two full years of it; it's ageing and at any rate 
 it's foolish and I won't stand it; that's flat." 
 
 The girl, nestling closer to her father, exclaimed, " It's 
 heavenly to be bossed," and the old man, wholly mollified 
 now, said, "The boy is immense. I never saw a finer 
 fellow. I must kiss you on the quiet now, for he seemed 
 to resent our demonstrations this noon. What happens 
 when Mr. Worth is at home?" 
 
 "Say, 'John,' father"; and with this request his cheek 
 was patted just as she used to pat it. The old man in a 
 moment asked another question and used Worth's first 
 name, and then Catherine kissed him and said, " I have 
 never forgotten for a moment, father, that he is my 
 husband." 
 
 And the old man drew her closer, saying, " Of course 
 you haven't; and, daughter there is one thing bothers 
 me. I had nothing to do with his uncle's death. I 
 
170 The Mechanic 
 
 fought him hard too hard perhaps, and for that I'm 
 sorry." 
 
 "His uncle's death? What do you mean, father!" 
 
 Lurgan realized that Catherine did not know that 
 story, so he told her and added, "Odd his not telling 
 you that, as he could have given me a black eye by doing 
 so. For I was in with them then and he had every 
 right to think that I was also in that distressing affair." 
 
 "Oh, father, he says so very little about the dark 
 things of life. When I told him of a threat I overheard, 
 he asked me a few questions, and I see now he had in 
 mind his uncle's death. And I'm sure that he now 
 knows that you weren't implicated in that, but how 
 terrible to assassinate an old, old man! Oh, but come, 
 father," drying her eyes, " we must go downstairs as we 
 are late." On the way she stopped her father to say, 
 "Watch Willie and Polly." 
 
 Remembering an epithet which had rankled in his 
 soul for a year and a half, when Lurgan saw King he said, 
 " I am not altogether a skunk, eh ? " 
 
 King, smiling pleasantly, answered, "You are all right 
 now." 
 
 Lurgan talked to Polly, Percy, and Willie quite amiably, 
 for he was in great good humor. At dinner he kept his 
 eyes on the two whom Catherine had mentioned, and 
 once he saw them glaring at each other. But he was 
 wise in the ways of youth and he thought he saw the 
 trouble that existed. 
 
 When Catherine and Polly had gone into the drawing- 
 room, he said to Willie, "Seems cool this evening." 
 
 Willie, understanding the allusion, blushed and said, 
 "Yes, very frosty," whereupon King and Percy, who 
 knew Willie's malady, laughed. 
 
The Reconciliation 171 
 
 After a time the young men joined the ladies and left 
 the two old financiers together. Lurgan said, "I hear 
 that Playfellow closes control of the Overland Bank 
 to-morrow," and then as if that item of news were of no 
 value, he continued, "I see that the seamless coat of 
 steel for war-ships was very successful and that you are 
 arranging for foreign business. You must be making 
 big money." 
 
 King answered slowly and musically, "Yes, making it 
 in huge lumps now. The manufacturing business is very 
 interesting. Going to buy copper soon." 
 
 "Copper?" repeated Lurgan. 
 
 "Yes, a big, undeveloped property came to me a year 
 ago and John is taking a look at it now. If it is anything 
 like as good as represented, we shall buy it." 
 
 " Say, King, why don't you bond your steel property ? " 
 
 " What's the use ? Playfellow has paid for it five times 
 over." At this statement King permitted himself to smile 
 largely "And, again, I think Worth objects to companies. 
 At any rate, we are indebted to you for keeping the rail 
 roads straight when we were fighting Playfellow. And 
 Worth, I know, is delighted with the way you have pushed 
 Willie forward. He is in all your companies, isn't he?" 
 
 " Yes, I like him, and he is the cleverest man on finance 
 I have ever met. But what about my son-in-law?" and 
 Lurgan' s face took on a deeper tinge as he admitted the 
 relationship. "Can't I do something for him in these 
 large concerns ? " 
 
 "I think not. Just push Willie forward; by the way, 
 he will see you to-morrow morning with an idea. Ah! 
 there is the music," and both relinquished business for 
 the delights of the violin as played by Catherine and 
 accompanied by Polly on the piano. 
 
172 The Mechanic 
 
 Polly's sweet face, framed in her blonde hair, was a 
 foil to Catherine's wondrous dark beauty. And the one 
 most deeply stirred by the black, humid eyes, the perfect 
 figure, and the color which came, lingered, and then 
 slowly departed only to come again, was Lurgan, her 
 father. To-night he saw for the first time with reasoning, 
 thinking brain, the wonderful creature that was his 
 daughter. Sinking back into his chair like a huge gorilla, 
 he grasped clearly why men became insane for love, and 
 he also understood why a man like Worth could claim, 
 as of right, a woman so full of heroic charm. And now 
 a thought was shaping which made him fear. Did she 
 know that Worth did not love her ? Did she realize why 
 John had married her? He felt that his daughter was a 
 very proud woman, and was now perhaps hiding a sore 
 heart. But the father could not answer his own questions ; 
 he felt sure only that he idolized her and that he was 
 going to look after her as of old. 
 
 The following morning Catherine said to him, "I will 
 go with you until John returns, and then I must come 
 back here." 
 
 The old man said with a snarl, " Can't we both live in 
 the same house ? " 
 
 "Why, of course, father, so we will arrange it this way; 
 I will go to you for ten days, and then you can come 
 and pay us a visit. I am trying, as you see, to harmonize 
 things; if all goes well we will spend the summer with 
 you in the country. How is that ? " 
 
 And the banker, looking at his daughter in admiration, 
 said, "All right. Now send Jo with his nurse to me, 
 and I'll take them for a drive in the Park, before I go 
 down town." 
 
 "Father?" 
 
The Reconciliation 173 
 
 "Yes, dear?" 
 
 "I made John a promise that Jo was never to go out 
 without Tony, so don't mind the dark little fellow that 
 will be always near his nurse." 
 
 " Tony ? Tony ? " repeated the old man, quietly, " Who 
 is he?" 
 
 " I don't know, father, other than that he is very oblig 
 ing, and apparently exceedingly harmless. He looks 
 after the automobiles." 
 
 "And must he accompany you too?" 
 
 "Yes, father, always." 
 
 "It's very strange, and somehow doesn't sound like 
 Worth. I shouldn't have imagined it." 
 
 "Oh, father, you are utterly wrong, if you think he is 
 watching me in that sense. Until last night, I merely 
 put Tony down as a hobby of some sort, but in thinking 
 over Uncle David's untimely end, I think I see Tony's 
 usefulness." 
 
 Lurgan bowed his head; he, too, understood. Before 
 they started he said to Tony, " Do you know who I am ? " 
 
 "Mrs. Worth's father." 
 
 "Why do you watch?" 
 
 "Ask the Master, Tyndale, or Radley." 
 
 Lurgan said no more, but several times that morning 
 he saw the patient trailer always moving like a shadow, 
 always near little Jo. 
 
 After the banker had looked at his mail, remembering 
 what King said about a call from Willie, he rang that 
 young man up on the telephone and said, " Little Jo and 
 I are coming around to see you." Shortly Lurgan was in 
 the John Worth Bank and he was taken to the board room 
 where he found Willie, who said, " Sit down for a moment, 
 until I get through with the meeting of the directors." 
 
174 The Mechanic 
 
 " Then I had better go ? " said Lurgan. 
 
 "Oh, don't move. My directors never come, but I 
 hold the meeting just the same. You see I regularly 
 send a notice to Mr. King and John, and they as regularly 
 don't pay any attention to it. Mr. King thinks it a bore, 
 I suppose, and as John's office is over this bank I pre 
 sume he doesn't think it worth while to detach himself 
 from his other duties. So I hold the meeting alone. 
 As a banker you see the advantages I labor under, as 
 there is no one to find fault or criticise. 
 
 "About a year ago I planted small receiving and 
 paying banks in other sections and, like this institution, 
 they are open at night, and you have no idea how well 
 these sprouts have turned out. Quite a large amount of 
 money is gathered from them every day. I called this 
 meeting of the directors to lay my plans before them, 
 and I worked up a fine speech, but no one appeared so 
 I made my speech anyway, and then took a vote and it 
 was decided that I go ahead and establish branches. 
 I tell you, Governor, that I have a cinch." 
 
 " Say, Willie, what interest have you in the bank ? " 
 
 "One fifth." 
 
 Lurgan looked disappointed, and then Willie added, 
 " The bank owns the steel mills and the printing works." 
 
 "And you own a fifth of these?" 
 
 "It looks like it. At any rate I have to manage all 
 their financial deals and I am, as well, responsible for 
 the working of the mills." 
 
 Lurgan looked more pleased and said, "And as to the 
 money you make personally ? " 
 
 "All goes to the bank." 
 
 "And no meetings are held between you, King, and 
 Worth?" 
 
The Reconciliation 175 
 
 " Never held one yet, Governor. If, for instance, John 
 buys that big copper property, he will telegraph King, 
 who will hold one meeting with the owners, and when the 
 price is arranged he will send them to me. And neither 
 he nor John will ever ask another question. Harold 
 Tyndale, our lawyer, has offices in this building, too, so 
 that it's all here under this roof." 
 
 At this point the telephone rang, and Willie, excusing 
 himself, put his ear to the receiver and Lurgan heard, 
 "Good morning, Mr. King." Then Willie was told to 
 move every cent out of the Overland Bank and deposit it in 
 Lurgan's bank, to which he answered, "With pleasure." 
 Hanging up the receiver, he told the banker the news.' 
 
 His eyes showing his pleasure, Lurgan said, "I have 
 always wanted his account and he doesn't take long to 
 work on a hint." After a moment he asked, "Do you 
 handle his cash as well ? " 
 
 "Only half is his." 
 
 And now Lurgan whistled and said, " They are together, 
 then, on the Street." 
 
 Willie replied, "That has been the arrangement ever 
 since John won the steel suit, and to-day you get the 
 largest liquid account that I ever heard of and every 
 dollar of it is good clean money." 
 
 "King told me last night that you had something to 
 say to me, but before we get to business I should like to 
 ask if you are related to Edward Radley who once owned 
 a small bank in Radley, Ohio ? I knew him when I was 
 a young man, and years ago, when he visited New York, 
 I used to entertain him at my home." 
 
 Willie said mournfully, the laughter all gone from his 
 face, "He was my father." After a moment he went on. 
 "He owned considerable land. Oil was found and, 
 
176 The Mechanic 
 
 honest soul, he thought that he could operate his own. 
 But why tell an old story, as Playfellow blacklisted him, 
 and five years later he was driving horses on the East 
 side always kind, always cheerful. He worked hard 
 that his children might get some education. He died a 
 few years ago, or just after I got into the savings bank." 
 
 Lurgan said nothing as his heart was touched with the 
 tragic story. 
 
 Then Willie, to change the conversation, said, "On 
 bag day, to make a panic, Playfellow threw into the 
 market all of his holdings in your Midland railroad. 
 And as you know, he broke the market price of this stock 
 thirty points, as for an hour the stock exchange went 
 crazy. Of course, Playfellow thought that it would be 
 easy to work the old scheme and get this stock back next 
 day, but this time the game didn't pan out as he antici 
 pated because King bought every share that he could 
 get his hands on, and to-day this bank holds every share 
 that Playfellow threw on the street at that time and he 
 has had to pay fancy prices to secure another lot of 
 Midland stock. Through Mrs. Worth, I recently met 
 the Bleeckers, Cullimores, and Mannerings, and last 
 week I saw them, and they are quite willing to give you 
 voting control of their holdings for the coming election of 
 officers and directors. To each and every one I explained 
 carefully that we wanted to throw Playfellow and Hodges 
 out of the directorate; so there's the story, and what do 
 you think of it?" 
 
 "I like it, Willie; but who suggested that I was the 
 man to handle this matter?" 
 
 " Why, Governor, you are the man, because you have 
 run this road for years, and nice clean people are getting 
 very sick of Playfellow." 
 
The Reconciliation 177 
 
 "Answer my question, Willie." 
 
 " I got it from Mr. King, Governor." 
 
 " I have learnt this morning that you, King, and Worth 
 work as a unit in all things. Who is the head, Willie?" 
 
 "John Worth, Governor," and Willie's eyes glistened 
 as he spoke his friend's name. 
 
 "What is he after?" 
 
 "Playfellow and Hodges." 
 
 "He is not through with them, then?" and the old 
 man looked astonished, for he thought Worth's work was 
 confined to Steel and other such commodities. He had 
 never pictured John as manipulating railroads so as to 
 hurt Playfellow. But here Worth was on the Street 
 through King, in the financial world through the growing 
 power of William Radley, and evidently wanting the 
 Lurgan bank, too, and its owner. It was very evident, 
 from what Radley had just said, that Catherine had been 
 able to enlist the help of the old families who really 
 owned the Midland railroad. 
 
 The old man musingly said, "I sized him up wrong 
 from the start, or rather I didn't know him"; then he 
 caught sight, through the window, of little Jo cooing in 
 the arms of his nurse as she sat in the carriage outside, 
 and he said, " Tell me the Tony story." 
 
 " John has Tony to look after Mrs. Worth and the little 
 one. You see he lost a father and an uncle and he is 
 careful because he knows the kind of people he is fighting. 
 But Tony is not the only one," and Willie, speaking in a 
 hushed voice, said, "every servant in his house and all 
 the men about his place know that they are answerable 
 for the safety of Mrs. Worth and the child. All his 
 people have been recruited from the East side hard 
 workers, neat and alive, very much alive to possibilities. 
 
178 The Mechanic 
 
 "In other words, there is no pity in our fight. They 
 don't know the meaning of that word, nor does Tony, 
 and he is attached to John as a dog is attached to its 
 master. And this same black-eyed, wiry little fellow has 
 built up with Harold Tyndale a secret service that is 
 perfect, because it's purely of New York." 
 
 And Lurgan, as he listened, marveled. Yet he could 
 say nothing against this desperate care of a man for his 
 wife and child, but he wondered at it, because as John 
 Worth did not love his wife, why this trouble to hedge 
 her about? 
 
 Willie broke into his thoughts by saying, " John takes 
 care of his own, Governor." 
 
 And Lurgan concluded, "That's it, 'his own.'" And 
 getting up he said, " I'll handle the railroad deal and will 
 lay other wires at once, and it will be a great joy to throw 
 Playfellow down hard. But tell me, how did you get 
 around Neil Mannering ? " 
 
 " Mrs. Worth saw his wife and fixed the matter up. I 
 don't know how, but I do know that they all want Play 
 fellow thrown out and in the open, Governor that is, 
 give 'em a hint of what's going to happen." 
 
 "All right, in the open. Good day to you, Willie." 
 
 "Good day, Governor." 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 A POOL OF WATER 
 
 JOHN was on the shores of Lake Superior looking over 
 a large tract of very thickly timbered land, but at the 
 moment he was not viewing the property with the idea 
 of using nature's growth. He was trying to determine 
 whether this area carried all the copper ore that the 
 vendors claimed for it. Besides watching the output of 
 the two hundred men that were at work, he was tramping 
 over the large claim to fix its extent and its geography 
 definitely in his mind. He had reached the place by a 
 power-boat which he had chartered at Sault Ste Marie, 
 and with a cook he located his camp at a little cup in the 
 shore about two miles from the large camp of men who 
 were opening up the different leads. 
 
 His tramp through the forest with the surveyor was a 
 joy to John, for the silent woods appealed to him strongly. 
 He had made the great round of the property and was 
 now watching the developing of the mines with growing 
 interest, as he saw that there was evidently a great deal 
 of ore. Experts had gone over the land many times, and 
 all the reports had read more or less alike as to the value 
 of the deposits, but as the property was very expensive, 
 John wished to be certain that all was what it was repre 
 sented to be. 
 
 The present owners were honest folk and would not 
 have sold their mines had it not been for the trust, of 
 
 179 
 
180 The Mechanic 
 
 which they were afraid. To Worth they had said, "You 
 have the money and you do not fear Playfellow. Come 
 and see what we have and, if you are satisfied, pay our 
 price." Worth liked this kind of talk, and after spending 
 two weeks on the land had determined to buy. 
 
 There was, however, something on the property that 
 puzzled him, and that was a large pool of amber-colored 
 water which owed its size and depth to a very old 
 mine. Many times he had walked to this pool, which 
 was not more than two hundred yards distant from his 
 camp, and the more he saw of it the more he was mystified. 
 
 He had finally decided that the mound-builders, that 
 ancient race of people who have left such lasting records 
 of their habitation near Lake Superior, had followed deep 
 into the earth some lead or vein and were driven out by 
 a spring of water. For he saw the face of the rock and 
 the earth banks on either side, and over these was a dense 
 growth of old trees. The overflow trickled into the little 
 cup in the lake where his camp was located. The prime 
 reason for John's great interest in this pool of about 
 an acre in extent was that one day, on coming home, 
 he tripped and fell on his hands into the little over 
 flow that ran into the lake, and though he merely wet 
 the palms of his hands and held them out as he walked 
 toward the lake, intending to wash them, on looking 
 again he was surprised to see them absolutely white 
 and clean. They appeared, in fact, as if he had scoured 
 them thoroughly, and this was odd because he had been 
 tramping all day and they had been greatly begrimed. 
 
 So he went on to camp and, undressing, took a dip in 
 the cool waters of Superior. Then dinner occupied all 
 of his attention, but afterwards his hands again claimed 
 his thoughts because they felt so soft and grateful. The 
 
A Pool of Water 181 
 
 next day, having wiped a cylinder of his power-boat with 
 his handkerchief, he pulled that through the water in the 
 pool, and to his surprise it came out clean. John now 
 concluded that this pool contained some great cleansing 
 chemical, and the constant ripple in the pool told him 
 that it was living water. When his handkerchief had 
 dried, he saw that attached to it was a solid wall of 
 white, fluffy substance, and he then gave the water other 
 tests, always thinking of it as a cleanser. He was amazed 
 at the results, for a bit of " waste," solid with oil and dirt, 
 came from the water as clean as if rinsed in chemicals 
 for an hour. 
 
 The last day of his stay he made a box of green 
 wood, large enough to hold ten or twelve gallons, as 
 he had made up his mind to have the water tested to 
 see what properties it contained. But the box was faulty 
 and leaked, so, after emptying it, he put oil waste in the 
 seams, and then turning into it the contents of the large 
 square tin which held his oil supply for the power-boat, 
 he went to the pool and partially filled the tin with water. 
 Shaking the water violently about, he let it run out and 
 then his nose told him that there was now no smell of 
 oil. He also saw that the outside of the can, which had 
 been streaky with oil and dirt, was as clean as when it 
 had left the factory. 
 
 John laughed aloud and said to the pool, " I'll turn you 
 into a laundry." So in amusement he filled the can and, 
 corking it, started for his camp. Then all being ready, 
 he sent his oil toward the carbureters and turned a 
 crank to start his engines. The explosion which drove 
 the cylinders told him that he had struck an unusual lot 
 of oil, because the detonation, instead of being sharp, 
 was as heavy as the boom of a cannon, and the boat jumped 
 
182 The Mechanic 
 
 forward with great speed. Being a mechanic, he was 
 careful to see if the cylinders were damaged, but they 
 were not, and then John kept his feed valve very low, 
 thinking that the booms would soon stop and the sharp 
 sound, that he knew, would be resumed. But in all that 
 run of a hundred miles John saw that his engines were 
 being driven by a new force, as if the oil were charged 
 with dynamite, and he realized that if he turned on full 
 power to his cylinders they would be blown to pieces. 
 
 On the arrival at the "Soo," he lifted the lid and 
 looked with a puzzled face at the box which contained 
 the oil, and, putting his face close down, was startled 
 to find that it had no odor whatever. He took the 
 wooden box out of the boat and, packing it carefully, 
 never lost sight of it until it was in his laboratory 
 over the bank in New York. Then going to King's 
 office, he said, " I have bought the copper property. 
 Willie will take care of the details and in due course we 
 will be in the copper business. I am going back there at 
 once, and in the meantime we want to secure fifty or sixty 
 acres of meadow land, as close as you can get it to our 
 Jersey property. We are also going into the oil business 
 now, and we shall want this property for an oil refinery. 
 I hope you still intend to join me in this venture ? " 
 
 King left the chair in which he was sitting, and John 
 smiled as he saw him go to the ticker. In a few moments 
 the old man said, " I'll telephone Willie to buy," and he 
 knew by these simple words that King was his partner 
 in oil. In a few minutes King interrupted John's descrip 
 tion of the Lake Superior purchase by asking : 
 
 " Have you been home ? " 
 
 " I only just arrived and was anxious to get the copper 
 properly on way to settlement. Am off now to see 
 
A Pool of Water 183 
 
 Catherine and the boy. Good-by, as I won't see you 
 again for some weeks." 
 
 But at that statement King smiled " I'll see you to 
 night. But no, I mustn't tell you other than that our 
 plans have prospered. What is it, John ? As I see you 
 with the light on your face, you seem as though you 
 were laboring with some excitement." 
 
 " I have an idea, but I am not sure of it yet. I think at 
 the end of another two or three weeks I shall astonish 
 you." 
 
 John went home and learned that he was booked for 
 a big dinner and reception at Lurgan's. That evening 
 Catherine said, " Oh, John, father has met his match ! 
 Jo bosses him all over the place. Here is the list of 
 guests to-night. And I'm so glad that you don't mind 
 our going to him this summer. But will you really be 
 away most of the hot weather ? Surely you don't harbor 
 any ill-will against father, John ? " 
 
 " Of course not ; why should I ? " 
 
 " I'm thinking of your poor uncle David. He told me 
 that story and oh, John, how silent you can be ! But those 
 others make me feel creepy. I should like to hurt them," 
 said Catherine, determinedly. 
 
 The meeting between Lurgan and John came off better 
 than Catherine expected. Her womanly wit suggested 
 that their first meeting should take place before strangers. 
 She went to her father's early so as to take a look at the 
 rooms to see that the flowers and other matters pertain 
 ing to the dinner were arranged properly, and also to 
 be there for the first arrival, as she was to receive the 
 guests. 
 
 "No, you can't come with me," she said to John, "I 
 want to show you the old house in gay attire, which means 
 
184 The Mechanic 
 
 that I want to surprise you. So come exactly at eight 
 not a minute before." 
 
 On the moment he was at Lurgan's door, and Slater 
 smiled on seeing Mr. Snowman. The servants made 
 a point of taking his coat and serving him in other 
 little ways, which showed John that he had merely come 
 from one home to another. Going upstairs he came to 
 the reception-rooms, where he heard the hum of voices, 
 and entering, Lurgan came forward, as if he had been in 
 the habit of meeting his son-in-law every day, and holding 
 out his hand said, for the benefit of those who had their 
 ears wide open, " Good trip West, John ? " 
 
 Smiling, Worth replied, as he grasped the old man's 
 hand, " Very good every way, thanks. It's pleasant to 
 be home again." 
 
 Lurgan's strong face beamed at the word home, and 
 in many ways he disappointed those who thought to see 
 him show reserve or coolness toward Worth. Later 
 that night, when the guests were gone, he said to John, 
 "I have been getting a lot of information from Willie, 
 but I should esteem it a favor if you told me your pro 
 gram." 
 
 " I am going after their oil business." 
 
 "That is dangerous." 
 
 " I know it, but I can't stop now." 
 
 Then the old banker thought for a time and said 
 quietly, "What will you take for an interest in the John 
 Worth Bank?" 
 
 And now John was startled, and he said slowly, " King 
 is alone in the world and he knows from experience what 
 failure is, and Willie is young. In other words, the John 
 Worth Bank will shortly assume an undertaking that is 
 extremely hazardous, for I won't stop short of the last 
 
A Pool of Water 185 
 
 dollar. I shall, of course, make things clear to King 
 later on and give him a chance to pull out, but I feel, 
 somehow, that he will stick; but with you it is different, 
 as you have so much more than money to lose." 
 
 "I see it all, the fight, and the possibility of failure, 
 and I again ask what will an interest equal to yours or 
 King's cost me?" 
 
 "King started the bank with one hundred thousand 
 dollars. I have since returned him eighty thousand dol 
 lars for control and Willie's share. If you will pay me 
 twenty thousand dollars you shall have a fifth. How is 
 that?" 
 
 " Why, John, a fifth is worth many hundred times more 
 than twenty thousand dollars." 
 
 " To a stranger or investor, yes, but you are different 
 and of course you must see all I mean." 
 
 " All right, John, I'll send Willie the check to-morrow; 
 and now, boy, put up the strongest fight you know how." 
 
 " I think I'll satisfy you in that respect." 
 
 And they parted, not great friends, perhaps, but with 
 at least a sense of mutual respect. Lurgan saw now 
 with clear eyes the potentiality of the bank, and when he 
 called on King the following morning, to tell him what 
 he and John had arranged, he again asserted that twenty 
 thousand dollars was not enough for an interest. 
 
 King replied, "I have very seldom heard John talk 
 finance. But I know that it was Radley's hope to event 
 ually get you interested in the bank. Long ago I suggested 
 giving you a share and letting you in at the bottom as 
 that would mean a combination that could not be whipped, 
 so I am not hearing anything new this morning. Of 
 course you see what is opening up. John means to fight 
 the Oil crowd. That is a colossal undertaking, but 
 
186 The Mechanic 
 
 neither you nor I dare say he cannot do it, as witness 
 what he did with Steel. Willie thinks you can destroy 
 their power in the railroad world and it is also his notion 
 that you and I, working together, can materially hurt them 
 financially. But of course we must work systematically 
 and, well, the bank is a good clearing-house." 
 
 Thinking of his question to Radley, Lurgan said, " Who 
 runs the bank, Jim?" 
 
 And the old man walked to the ticker and lifting the 
 tape answered, "Willie is a clever youth and I like him, 
 too, but he is not in John's class, and I don't believe we 
 are either, Lurgan. Of course I see that all these plans 
 are Worth's, and somehow you can't kick or say a word 
 as he possesses marvelous magnetism, ability, and courage. 
 You remember, perhaps, when Southern went to a corner. 
 I was on the right side of that deal and was in a par 
 ticularly happy frame of mind, for I had made a lot of 
 trouble for the Playfellow ring. John came in, I told 
 him about the deal, and he said, 'As it looks easy, why 
 not rush the stock to one thousand?' Well, I gave the 
 orders and next day the stock exchange had to arrange 
 the settlements. I tell you that story to show you John's 
 influence over me." 
 
 After a few moments, King added, " He is a rare, special 
 kind of devil, with no more idea of fear than the chair 
 you are sitting in. I never thought of questioning his 
 judgment and he was here all that day as happy as pos 
 sible. When I asked him why he did not come on the 
 Street, he laughed and said, * My way of hurting them is 
 more thorough.' " 
 
 " If he only loved Catherine," Lurgan cried, " I should 
 be the happiest man in the world, for he possesses all the 
 essentials I like." Then quickly changing his frown 
 
A Pool of Water 187 
 
 he added, "It was fun last night watching the little ants 
 hover around my girl." And, rising, he said, "Don't 
 forget Sunday night and the music." 
 
 Lurgan went to his office feeling pleased that he was 
 father-in-law to John Worth. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE OIL WAR BEGINS 
 
 JOHN left New York the next day for the silent pool, 
 but this time he was alone with the little power boat, 
 the great woods, and the stretches of water. He made 
 boxes of all sizes and found that after the wood was 
 allowed to soak in the amber-colored pool the odor of the 
 crude oil with which he previously filled them disap 
 peared. Something in the water took away the smell and 
 gave the oil a new property which made it more viscid but 
 more transparent, the size of the box seeming to make 
 no difference. 
 
 After many tests, for he had carried five barrels of 
 ordinary crude oil in his power boat, he found that the 
 soaked wood would deodorize the contents of a full 
 barrel, and his oil stove showed him that the oil so treated 
 would burn about five times as long as that untreated. 
 After soaking one of the boxes in the spring, he dried the 
 wood thoroughly in the sun and found, on filling it 
 with oil, that the potency for refining and transmuting 
 the contents was undiminished. This test afforded him 
 especial satisfaction, while other experiments which he 
 made convinced him that the illuminating, as well as 
 the heating value of his refined product was increased 
 some four or five fold. 
 
 When he had made sure of every point he left the 
 copper property and, going into a populous interior town 
 
 188 
 
The Oil War Begins 189 
 
 of Michigan, contracted for a large barrel factory to 
 be erected the coming winter on the shore of his little 
 bay. Then he journeyed South where crude oil was going 
 to waste, and made contracts whereby he agreed to take 
 the total yield for three years. 
 
 John was in the South three weeks before Playfellow 
 heard of him and his mission, and the magnate greatly 
 rejoiced when he learned of Worth's tremendous purchases, 
 for now he thought he had a grip on the man whom he hated 
 so intensely. But John did not delay long in the South, as 
 when it was known what he was after, scores of dealers 
 came to him, delighted that they had at last found a 
 market for their oil. Playfellow had been for years 
 strangling these people by paying them prices that did 
 not cover their expenses, and as the Texans and others 
 knew that Worth had driven Playfellow to his knees on 
 Steel, and as they were aware that he had the money 
 to pay for that which he bought, they not only gave him 
 all he wanted, but agreed to keep their surplus for him. 
 In other words, they would not sell to Playfellow. 
 
 But all wondered why Worth did not build a pipe line. 
 One man of prominence said to him, "Look here, not 
 withstanding Playfellow's lobby, in three hours we will 
 pass a law granting you a permit." To this John 
 laughingly replied, " I don't care for the pipe line. I am 
 to send my barrels knocked down, you fill and ship them 
 to New York and I pay only on these barrels which my 
 agent passes." Nothing more could be said to a man 
 who knew so exactly what he wanted. 
 
 When he was again in New York, Willie said to him 
 jovially, "Well, John, we will at least keep warm this 
 winter." 
 
 King, who knew of these enormous purchases, said 
 
190 The Mechanic 
 
 nothing; he was waiting for John to speak. And when 
 Worth did, of course he walked to his ticker and then 
 replied, "Then we live for the next two or three years. 
 I always felt that I would strike something exciting before 
 I died." 
 
 Lurgan exclaimed, " Give them hell that's all I ask," 
 and John began building his refineries in the meadows by 
 the river. 
 
 When frost came he went West to superintend his 
 barrel factory and was pleased to see his pool frozen over. 
 As he was in a lumbering community he had no trouble 
 in putting an immense force of men to work cutting and 
 hauling lumber to his mill. In the spring he began the 
 manufacture of barrels, and as his mill contained every 
 modern contrivance and some of his own inventions as 
 well, he could rightly say that the logs went in one opening 
 of the mill to come out barrels at the other. A sluiceway 
 carried the staves and hoops to the pool, where they were 
 left until the pool was filled, and then they were taken 
 out on the lake side and put in ships and sent to their 
 destination. 
 
 An East-sider, a man whom John could trust, was put 
 in charge of the mill. To him John said, " All staves and 
 heads must go through that pond as the water there 
 contains something that cleanses them. I'll certainly 
 know if you make any mistake in this simple direction, 
 and when the pool is full, pile in the sheds, and ship as 
 I have directed in units. Every barrel, that is, staves, 
 heads, and hoops, must be securely tied together and all 
 must go through that pool." The foreman said firmly, 
 " Trust me, John," and then Worth went to New York, 
 confident that he had attended to everything and that he 
 had also arranged for an enormous supply of oil. 
 
The Oil War Begins 191 
 
 It was imperative that his building in the meadows 
 should take the shape of a real refinery, for the oil in the 
 barrel was to come here, be emptied and rebarreled in 
 well-made iron-hooped barrels. He had erected another 
 barrel factory for this purpose, for it was very important 
 to make every one, even King, Lurgan, and Willie, believe 
 that the oil was deodorized in the meadows. Conse 
 quently he built a receiving building, which contained a 
 large quantity of moving wheels which were to make a 
 great noise, and in addition he put into his tank hun 
 dreds of wires, for he wanted to establish the idea that he 
 deodorized oil electrically. He knew well that the greatest 
 living electrician could not say that such a process was 
 impossible, and when this building was completed it 
 looked very much like business. From the moment it 
 was finished it became a closed book to all the world, 
 for no one was allowed inside but four men whom John 
 knew he could trust. But even these were deceived, as 
 they started the dynamos after the huge tank was full of 
 oil, and they did not suspect but that their work was 
 deodorizing the oil. 
 
 The tank was closed to them, for the barrels that came 
 from the oil fields were unloaded in the yards and from 
 there carried by wire rope to a platform where they were 
 broken by machinery. The oil ran into the tank and 
 the empty barrels were sent down a shoot to the engine- 
 room, where they were burnt as fuel. The workmen on 
 the inside followed the indicator, which showed the level 
 of the oil in the tank, and kept the wheels going, firm in 
 the belief that they were making deodorized oil, whereas 
 all this pretense was merely a blind to hide the great power 
 of the little pool on the shore of Lake Superior. Simul 
 taneously with the erection of the Meadows plant, which 
 
192 The Mechanic 
 
 included factories for the manufacture of the by-products 
 of the oil, such as vaseline and others, John was erecting 
 an immense building near his type-machine works for 
 the manufacture of oil stoves and burners. He had in 
 vented a scheme for turning up or lowering any number 
 of wicks in a burner by the simple process of turning one 
 small wheel, and this invention permitted him to arrange 
 his wicks in circles that might be expanded into any 
 number. His invention handled the flat or rectangular 
 wicks equally well, so that he was enabled to throw into 
 a small or large fireplace an amount of heat that coal 
 could not equal. 
 
 When his initial plans were perfected and the tools 
 built so that he could make stoves and burners quickly, 
 John gave to the public prints the story of his plant and 
 his aims. In a public demonstration he showed that no 
 matter how his oil was applied, it was five times better 
 than the product that had heretofore been used. A situa 
 tion full of potentialities was of course at once created, 
 for the public knew that Worth would not sell or combine 
 with Playfellow, and they were also aware that Worth 
 was now attacking the great money king on his own 
 ground. 
 
 So John was generously supported, and his oil was 
 purchased at two dollars a barrel in preference to Play 
 fellow's at one dollar and fifty cents. In doing this the 
 public knew full well that they were helping themselves, 
 because they found that Worth's statements as to his oil 
 were correct. But apart from its comparative value, 
 John's oil was free from odor, and it was this great fact 
 that made his commodity popular. In a short time he 
 was doing a thriving business in oil by the barrel, to the 
 very great annoyance of Playfellow and his handy man, 
 
The Oil War Begins 193 
 
 Hodges, who, with the loss of his great fortune in Steel, 
 had become Playfellow's shadow in crime. And now 
 these two men laughed, that is, almost laughed, for real 
 mirth could not exist on their lips or in their hearts, and 
 they rubbed their hands many times and said they now 
 had Worth where they wanted him. They forthwith 
 reduced the price of oil to one dollar a barrel and began 
 their operations. They would have liked to have ended 
 Worth's career by an assassin, but they had never for 
 gotten his threat and they were afraid to try the quick 
 and expeditious way that had been so useful to them 
 on many occasions when any man dared to enter the 
 oil business. 
 
 They were, of course, making every endeavor to dis 
 cover how Worth deodorized oil, but it was impossible 
 to get a man into his refinery. They had sent a trusty to 
 the Lake Superior mill, who reported, " Merely a fine large 
 barrel factory, nothing more." Another had gone South 
 to the oil fields and reported, " Only crude oil is put in 
 the barrels." They had tried hard to bribe some of the 
 refinery hands as to Worth's method, only to find that 
 there were still honest men in the world. 
 
 Hodges said, "It's no use, as the refinery where they 
 change the oil is a closed book. I found an old man 
 partially blind, who has a daughter about sixteen, and I 
 think we could get at him, but he only delivers lunches 
 from the boarding-house on the hill and his information 
 is worthless. Besides, he is never admitted to the refinery ; 
 he taps on the door and then his work is finished until 
 twelve at night. His girl always goes with him to show 
 him the way." 
 
 And so Playfellow for once was balked, and with a 
 terrible fear he saw Worth's growing business. 
 
194 The Mechanic 
 
 But up to this time John was selling oil only for lamp 
 use and to railroads, and here he had a large sale as 
 Lurgan took care that all his roads ordered the Worth 
 oil. But the Western and the other large systems would 
 not buy from John, and as they were using his process in 
 their steel mill, he had it taken out and then told all the 
 Independents to treble prices on all Western orders. In 
 an advertisement John at once warned the public against 
 traveling on a road mentioning the Western which used 
 brittle steel for axles. This started the war, and Play 
 fellow immediately lowered his oil to fifty, then to twenty- 
 five cents a barrel. 
 
 John now launched his big scheme of burners and stoves 
 and made an announcement to all housekeepers, of whom 
 there were about twelve millions, "You have been using 
 a furnace which burns coal and, if your house is a small 
 one, it has cost you fifty dollars a winter to keep warm. 
 I can arrange my burner so as to fit your furnace, and 
 by using our oil you will be able to heat your house for 
 twenty dollars. " Taking a seven-room house as a basis, 
 he made his scale, for he had burners that would fit fur 
 naces of all sizes. To those who had flats he gave his 
 price on stoves at one dollar each, and guaranteed that 
 the heating of a small flat would not cost more than 
 fifteen dollars, which included heat for cooking as well. 
 But it was to houses that John paid particular attention, 
 for he well knew that furnace expenses ran into millions 
 of dollars annually, and as the furnace is usually tended 
 by the head of the family, he attached to his burner a 
 scheme for turning it on or off from the hall upstairs, so 
 that a visit to the cellar to fix the fire was not necessary. 
 As the oil was furnished automatically to the furnace and 
 burners, he hoped that he would interest many house- 
 
The Oil War Begins 195 
 
 holders, and he did, for his orders for burners and oil 
 far exceeded his expectations. His stoves, too, were 
 ordered in great numbers, as the price of one dollar, 
 compared with the five dollars which the trust charged, 
 made his article very popular, and he made "No smell" 
 a byword. 
 
 Cutting prices did not affect John in the least, as he 
 still charged two dollars a barrel for his oil, and even 
 during the first year he made a very handsome profit 
 and, at the same time, had the satisfaction of knowing 
 that he had forced Playfellow to cut down his monthly 
 dividend of ten per cent to five per cent. This so 
 gladdened the hearts of King and Lurgan, that out of 
 pure joy they hammered oil stock from nine hundred 
 dollars to three hundred dollars a share. 
 
 Willie, too, was beaming, and especially so because 
 on this Saturday John was to call for him at one o'clock 
 with his new automobile and, after lunch in the bank, 
 they were to go to Lurgan's place up the river for Cather 
 ine. They proposed then to take a sixty-mile ride to 
 Platt's, near Bernardsville, where they were to spend the 
 week's end, and as Willie had not seen his heart's delight, 
 Polly, for two weeks, he now tingled with anticipation 
 and pleasurable excitement. 
 
 In two hours they were at Lurgan's and shortly they 
 were on the long road to Platt's. Catherine always 
 enjoyed her husband as chauffeur, for with him nothing 
 ever went wrong. They were not accompanied by ser 
 vants or luggage, as these followed in another machine, 
 and John loved motoring, as it was his only outdoor 
 amusement. 
 
 When they were nearly half-way, Catherine said, " Do 
 let us stop at Fowler's. It's so pleasant and so much like 
 
196 The Mechanic 
 
 the country inns of England." And when they arrived 
 at the pleasant little wayside hotel, Fowler came out and 
 bade them all welcome. To Catherine he said, "Always 
 glad to see you, Mrs. Worth, and how are your father and 
 Master Jo?" 
 
 "Very well, thank you, Fowler! And yes, I'm thirsty, 
 so serve iced coffee in the orchard, please, as I'm sure it's 
 too warm inside." 
 
 The old housekeeper and his wife fussed considerably 
 over Catherine, for they had both worked for her father, 
 one as butler and the other as housemaid. And after 
 they were married Lurgan had bought them this farm 
 and, starting a hotel, they were much patronized by 
 touring parties. 
 
 Before John had stopped his engines in the yard of the 
 hotel, a chauffeur, coming up to him, said, '* I'm driver 
 for the Mannerings and our machine broke down about 
 two miles from here. Perhaps you will loan me a battery, 
 if you have an extra one, as ours is dead ? " 
 
 John answered, " Jump in," and in a few minutes he 
 found Mr. and Mrs. Mannering by the roadside awaiting 
 the return of the driver. Having met them before, he 
 said laughingly, "Come and join us, ?/' are at Fowler's." 
 
 "That's just where we are going," exclaimed Helen 
 Mannering. "And it was so very good of you to come 
 to us. Neil, let us drive with Mr. Worth, and our man can 
 follow." 
 
 Very soon all were seated in the orchard and served 
 with iced drinks. Mrs. Mannering and Catherine, who 
 were old friends, talked animatedly about cars and their 
 frolics, and Neil Mannering and John were discussing that 
 which was farthest from their thoughts, politics. The men 
 were studying each other, looking into each other's eyes 
 
The Oil War Begins 197 
 
 and groping for the thread of underlying purpose which 
 each knew existed in the other. Willie was watching the 
 two, apparently without doing so. 
 
 But Willie ceased to study Worth and Mannering when 
 he reached Platt's. He was saying good day to Polly in 
 the library, where they were alone. The young lady, her 
 head lightly tilted, cried, " I suppose I must speak to you, 
 as you are a guest." 
 
 " Look here, Polly, if you ever treat me that way again 
 I'll tell your mother, and I feel sure that she'll punish 
 you." 
 
 "I am not Polly to you, please remember that. And 
 you were perfectly shocking the last time I was with you." 
 
 " Ugh," cried Willie, " I like that, when I had all I could 
 do to keep you from kissing me." 
 
 "Oh, William Radley, you are perfectly horrid!" and 
 Polly, with eyes full of anger, stamped her foot. 
 
 " Are you going to marry me, Polly ? " 
 
 " Look here," and Polly went up close to Willie, " If 
 you were the very last man in the world, I would refuse 
 you. Now will you take that as final ? " 
 
 Then Willie pulled out his little book and, examining 
 it, cried, " You have refused me twenty-three times and, 
 hardened girl, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. 
 Say, Polly." 
 
 "Call me Miss Platt." 
 
 "Polly, come and show me the garden, it's only half 
 past six." 
 
 "Will you be good?" 
 
 "As an angel"; and then the two walked out among 
 the roses and very shortly were apparently the best of 
 friends. 
 
 And in that week-end party at the Platts, John secured 
 
198 The Mechanic 
 
 the respect and esteem of the largest owner of Midland, 
 for Mannering had said to him Monday morning, " I 
 believe you are dining with us this week, but come and 
 see me at my office one day soon, as I want to hear more 
 about your fight with the Oil people." 
 
 "Thank you," John replied. "I'll call Wednesday 
 morning." 
 
 This invitation meant much to John, for he saw clearly 
 that he would need every assistance in his fight with 
 Playfellow. The Midland, through its allied roads, was 
 a big factor in the West and Southwest, but Mannering 
 had not gone beyond the Midland proper in helping 
 Lurgan. It was an open secret that it was his wife who 
 had insisted on his compelling Playfellow and Hodges to 
 resign from the directorate of the road which her grand 
 father had built. Lurgan had been working on this big 
 silent man for a year with the hope of getting him to in 
 struct the presidents of the different roads in which he 
 was interested to buy Worth's deodorized oil, but so far 
 Mannering had only marked time, for he had said that 
 such action might mean a railroad war, the Northern 
 clique being strongly for Playfellow. He did not yet feel 
 certain that Worth would not combine, and this was his 
 real reason for his stand in this deadlock. 
 
 Willie, finding Polly in an amiable mood one day, had 
 suggested a week-end party to bring Worth and Mannering 
 together, and in the two days under the same roof they 
 had become acquainted. When Willie saw how well his 
 little scheme was going, he said some things to Polly such 
 as, " When you are my wife, I'll treat you every week to 
 a cream puff and some good advice." And as words of 
 this kind always meant a row, they were generally at 
 sword's point, to Catherine's infinite amusement. 
 
The Oil War Begins 199 
 
 To see Willie at a house party made one wonder if he 
 were ever serious, and where he kept his business knowl 
 edge, as apparently he did not possess any other faculty 
 but the one of amusing. When cogitating about Willie, 
 which was very often, Polly marveled why he was trusted 
 so much by Mr. Lurgan, for it was very evident that he 
 was the banker's confidential aide-de-camp. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE WINNING OF MIDLAND 
 
 AT the end of the second year Willie's balance sheet 
 did not wear so agreeable an aspect as was formerly the 
 case. In October of that year, Playfellow and his clique 
 offered a stove and sufficient oil for the winter for one 
 dollar, and to householders a special furnace made to 
 burn his oil, and with it oil for six months' use for two 
 dollars. Here, indeed, was a cut, and as the fight had 
 been going on for more than a year the public had lost 
 their first great interest and saw only a chance to keep 
 warm during the cold weather for almost nothing. Toward 
 the end of the same month, when John was in the South, 
 Lurgan and King met at the bank and, against the wishes 
 of Willie, cut the price of their oil to fifty cents a barrel. 
 They also made a sixty per cent reduction in burners 
 and stoves, and when John saw this announcement in 
 the papers, he smiled and thought, " Here at last is bank 
 ruptcy for some one." 
 
 In the meantime many oil fields had been offered to 
 John and he had a staff of experts looking at properties, 
 but so far he had not found what he wanted. His first 
 great requirement was something with an unusually good 
 output and near the seaboard. John knew that in order 
 to make a long, hot fight, he must own his own oil wells, 
 for, with the cut in prices, orders increased, and as every 
 purchase was now filled at a loss it was important to 
 make the loss as light as possible. 
 
 200 
 
The Winning of Midland 201 
 
 Early in November he secured what he wanted in an 
 oil field that met all his requirements, and when he had 
 bought it he felt that the outlook was a shade brighter. 
 But his faint joy was nipped in December, for Lurgan 
 and King then made a further reduction all around, and 
 now the public saw a death grapple between great forces. 
 At the end of the season Willie did not smile, nor did 
 Playfellow rub his hands with pleasure, for that year he 
 passed his dividends and King hammered his stock from 
 three hundred dollars to ten dollars a share. 
 
 In the meantime the fight had extended to other coun 
 tries. But John would not sell oil to Europe for less than 
 one dollar a barrel, which was the equivalent of twenty 
 cents for the Playfellow article. Lurgan and King being 
 very busy on the Street, he remained in New York to 
 handle the fight, endeavoring to supply only his regular 
 customers. He was well aware that his wealth, added to 
 that of Lurgan and King, was not to be compared to the 
 resources of Playfellow and his associates, so he nursed his 
 business and his money, realizing that now was the time 
 for economy and strategy. But he continued the war 
 by shipping oil to all centers. This meant that Playfel 
 low, with his huge organization, was under a terrible daily 
 expense, for his delivery wagons were in every hamlet 
 and his pipe lines extended in all directions. He was 
 compelled, by force of circumstances, to give away, for 
 that is what it amounted to, one hundred barrels to John's 
 one. 
 
 Playfellow hoped that a compromise could be effected, 
 so little did the outlook satisfy him, so he sent Hodges to 
 see Lurgan, but the banker would not permit that gentle 
 man to enter his office. The fight was therefore continued 
 and daily grew more severe. The four great factions that 
 
202 The Mechanic 
 
 controlled Wall Street were now merged into two, and 
 Neil Mannering, who for years had not taken an active 
 part in business affairs, was now managing all the roads 
 in which he was interested. He had lately taken a great 
 fancy to John, who said to him one day, "Be good and 
 order from Playfellow all the oil that you can use for a 
 year." 
 
 "I see you want to add to their losses," answered 
 Mannering, and forthwith he telegraphed instructions to 
 all his managers, and the huge order that was placed made 
 Playfellow grind his teeth when he heard of it, for he saw 
 the game that had been worked. But he was powerless 
 to stop it for the contracts had been signed. Through his 
 agents he then tried to place a big order with John for 
 the roads that were with him, but Worth was not to be 
 caught at his own game. Playfellow was worried over 
 the attitude of some of the wealthy residents of the West 
 End, more especially by Mannering, who was again active 
 in railroad affairs. This " dark colossus," as he was 
 called, had dining with him one night a number of men 
 who in the past had been satisfied to leave the management 
 of their large railroad properties in the hands of paid 
 presidents. To these Mannering, when the coffee, cigars, 
 and liqueurs were on the table, said, 
 
 " I have been watching this fight over oil with interest. 
 If oil were the only issue at stake, I should remain a 
 spectator, but both Lurgan and Playfellow have bought 
 largely into our roads and we must now choose between 
 these two men. In many ways we are affiliated with 
 the banker, for he is of New York and belongs to an old 
 family, and, personally, I should dislike to see him hurt 
 financially. Of Playfellow I haven't anything good to 
 say, still he is representing a powerful clique and he must 
 
The Winning of Midland 203 
 
 be discussed and measured to-night. Now I come to 
 the man John Worth, and about him I want to say a 
 few words. I learned a week ago from Mr. Low, the 
 manager of our own bank, who makes it his business 
 to know things, that Hodges was responsible for the 
 death of Peter Worth, and that Playfellow and Hodges 
 instigated the murder of his uncle, David Worth. By 
 these facts we know why John Worth dislikes the men he 
 is now fighting, and I am thoroughly convinced that he 
 will not sell or combine with the Oil crowd. I may say 
 here that I like Worth and believe in him. You must 
 also keep in mind that we are using, free of charge, his 
 process in our steel mill, and in all the time that we have 
 used it he has always, in the most exact way, lived up to 
 the letter he wrote us which gave permission to use his 
 invention. Since that letter he has written us but once 
 on the subject of steel, and that was to suggest that if 
 we found his process valuable we give the workmen 
 attached to the mill an interest in its profits. 
 
 "Mr. Low told me later that a similar letter, worded 
 equally as apologetically, if I may use that word, was 
 sent to the Independents. The mill managers, coming 
 together, decided to meet Mr. Worth's views and a plan 
 was drawn up and sent to him, but he politely and pleas 
 antly refused to have anything to do with the matter. 
 He again assured the managers that his letter was merely 
 a suggestion. 
 
 "All this brought home to me the fact that Worth is 
 not a meddler or a socialist, but that he is merely trying 
 for justice all around. Then he found a way to deodorize 
 oil and the present situation is the result; it is to discuss 
 this situation that I asked you to come here to-night." 
 
 Every one was now listening attentively, with arms on 
 
04 The Mechanic 
 
 the table, and looking at the man who had married Helen 
 Carpenter and afterwards had more than doubled her 
 large fortune. Mannering was dark and swarthy, with 
 rather an ugly face, but fascinating on account of the 
 intellectual force that seemed to dominate his features. 
 It was evident that he was a very powerful man physically, 
 and they all knew that he possessed great executive ability. 
 All those gathered about the table loved the man, and 
 later that evening they proved that they would back him 
 in any kind of fight. 
 
 " I learn," he continued, " that the Western have broken 
 their traffic agreements; that is, they run ghost trains in 
 order not to waybill Playfellow's oil. They are dead 
 heading all Oil's employees, and in every way possible 
 helping Playfellow to overcome Worth. But the Western 
 doesn't limit their assistance to their road, for their banks 
 have been called into requisition to supply Playfellow 
 with money on oil stock as collateral. Of course that 
 stock is worthless at this moment, and yet the banks are 
 not worrying, because they are, as I have stated, * Western ' 
 concerns." 
 
 " Now you see the situation and what do you suggest ? " 
 
 " It was Percy Platt who cried, " Give us your ideas, old 
 man." 
 
 "That's what I say," exclaimed Mannering's brother- 
 in-law, a tall, good-looking young fellow with curly hair. 
 
 Bertie, another scion of the Carpenter family, chirruped : 
 "Let out a yard or two more, Neil." 
 
 Then Mannering smilingly went on, "We have two 
 roads that enter New York from Jersey. One runs 
 through a part of Pennsylvania and meets our main line 
 at Buffalo. Now this road is very rich and possesses an 
 immense reserve fund, so I suggest that we build a new 
 
The Winning of Midland 205 
 
 line from a point west of the Oranges so as to take in all 
 the large Pennsylvania cities, and that we operate this by 
 electricity. As you may know, we have the plans for 
 this road now, and as we are coming to electricity, I 
 bespeak that power for our new venture. For the next 
 move I call in all our managers and tell them about the 
 new railway, and that with the first sod turned over we 
 may expect a fight with the Western, and that we are going 
 to carry the fight to all points in America as we meet the 
 Western or its allies in every one of the large cities in our 
 country. I don't think we can afford to see Lurgan 
 smashed by Playfellow, who is backed by a large railroad. 
 And if Lurgan, Worth, and King are compelled to go under, 
 Oil will have the country by the throat again, not only in 
 their own commodity, but in steel and every other indus 
 trial, as they had before John Worth came upon the scene. 
 
 "Once before Playfellow made the Western do his 
 bidding, that was when he was aiming for control of Oil " ; 
 and now Mannering and the others stood up. " They have 
 wantonly destroyed life, as I can prove. Now I say, let's 
 give them the cold steel and in a short time you will see 
 the collateral of which I spoke dumped into the market, 
 for the Western, after my orders go out, will know that 
 they are not now fighting three lone men, but a corpora 
 tion that can buy and sell them. And in fighting Worth's 
 battles, we are also fighting our own. I wouldn't have 
 suggested this move had they lived up to their agreements. 
 Again, I like Worth's way of making Independents, and 
 when I asked him to visualize a success in his present 
 fight he said, 'More Independents.' So I say, let's throw 
 behind Worth, Lurgan, and King our railroads, as the 
 Western has thrown theirs to Playfellow." 
 
 A shout of " Good," was Neil Mannering's answer. 
 
206 The Mechanic 
 
 Catherine, who was with Helen and Polly, heard the 
 great shout in the dining-room, and when they were 
 called in to drink a toast to Worth, with tears in her eyes 
 she said, " I'm so glad, so very glad." And brightening 
 she cried, " How good you all are ! " 
 
 " Say, Mrs. Worth, we couldn't allow those outsiders 
 to run the whole show," exclaimed Bertie, "we really 
 couldn't." As the others spoke in the same tone, it would 
 have appeared to a stranger that fighting the Western 
 and Playfellow was as easy as kite-flying or dominoes. 
 
 Later Catherine said to Helen, " You have helped John 
 and my father greatly, and I shall remember." 
 
 " Why, Catherine," answered Helen, " we must protect 
 our class. For ever since the day your husband fixed 
 our motor-car I knew he was a democrat and not a snob. 
 I like him and so does Neil, and as for your grim, deter 
 mined father, why he used to toddle me on his knee and 
 bring me dolls, then chocolates, and later he used to 
 scold. So you see the men folk had to fall in line and 
 help; there wasn't anything else to do." 
 
 When Catherine told her father what had been decided 
 upon, he kissed his daughter and said, "Good little girl; 
 I have been trying for a year to move those people, and 
 now you, at a stroke, accomplish it." 
 
 " But, father, it was Helen she was so very nice about 
 it all; and does it mean so much?" 
 
 "Why, dear, it means that we won't at any rate go 
 down alone, and we have now a chance to win. The 
 fight has been desperately one-sided with Western backing 
 Playfellow." 
 
 "Is John home?" 
 
 " He telephoned that he would be here at twelve." 
 
 "Then good night, father." 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 NEIL MANNERING TAKES A HAND 
 
 LURGAN went back to his easy-chair and began figuring 
 on the news that Catherine had brought home. He saw 
 the clever work of his daughter and admired her greatly, 
 but he wanted the details, so in the morning he called on 
 Mannering. Afterward he saw King, and after giving 
 him the news said, "Now is your time, Jim, for a big 
 coup in the market. Mannering begins operations to-day, 
 as the Western, by running ghost trains, has broken 
 traffic agreements, and to-morrow you will see a bill in 
 the legislature of Pennsylvania for the new road, and 
 John's name goes on for the franchise. This is owing 
 to his immense popularity in Pittsburg now and elsewhere. 
 It is my opinion that it will pass and be immediately 
 signed by the Governor. At any rate, this move and the 
 sixteen-hour train to Chicago, which goes on the rails 
 to-morrow, will tell the public, and the Western people 
 as well, that there is something up. So sell all along their 
 line; give it to them hot and heavy to-day or before the 
 big break comes." 
 
 King smiled and, in his quiet way, began giving selling 
 orders. In half an hour Wall Street knew that King was 
 making a gigantic raid on the market. Playfellow, not 
 suspecting Midland's move, bought heavily to protect the 
 market, and by sheer weight of coin kept the stocks up. 
 
 But again the next morning King was selling and the 
 
 207 
 
208 The Mechanic 
 
 stocks that he was hammering began to decline, as all the 
 newspapers had the story of the coming Worth franchise 
 and Midland's first traffic move. When it became 
 definitely known that Midland was behind Worth in the 
 new railroad, there was a terrible panic, and King smilingly 
 said to Lurgan, " We can keep the oil pot boiling on their 
 money for another spell." 
 
 " Jim, you are magnificent." 
 
 "With the information you gave me, the game was 
 easy, so I went in up to our entire limit." 
 
 Playfellow now pulled every wire he could control to 
 keep Midland quiet, and had Marvin, president of the 
 Western, who was called "The Red," on account of his 
 long red beard and red face, come to New York by special 
 train. He called at once on the president of the Midland, 
 his long nose looking like a beak, and cried angrily, " Do 
 you mean to fight?" 
 
 Before this he had intimidated the president of the 
 Midland and thought to do so again this morning, but he 
 was answered in these words : " Mannering has assumed 
 charge. He is in the next room and, Marvin, I suggest 
 that you alter your manner when you meet him." 
 
 The president of the Western, very hot and unpleasant 
 looking, then strode into Mannering's office and shouted, 
 " What does this mean ? " 
 
 Mannering answered quietly, "You have broken your 
 agreements in every way. I have here a list of your 
 transgressions " ; and passing over the paper he continued, 
 "Please tell me about these items, Marvin." 
 
 After reading the paper, Marvin exclaimed, "You are 
 not giving me the truth in these charges." 
 
 Mannering flushed slowly and said, " They are all true, 
 as I can prove, and you are a liar if you deny them again." 
 
Neil Mannering Takes a Hand 209 
 
 Pale with passion the Western's representative jumped 
 up and exclaimed, " I will make you pay for that ! " 
 
 " I have heard of your insolence before while under 
 this roof. Now I purpose forcing a polite president on 
 Western or I'll turn the road inside out, and I won't stop 
 until all your directors vote a rebate to the John Worth 
 Bank equaling the money of which you have robbed 
 them by these dirty tricks of yours to help Playfellow. 
 Now go." 
 
 " Mr. Mannering, give me a minute," entreated Marvin, 
 in fear. 
 
 " Go, I say, or I'll throw you out." 
 
 The president of the Western slunk out, feeling like a 
 whipped cur, and to him the hell of it was that he knew 
 Mannering's written statement was a true bill. But how 
 he had gotten all those facts bothered Marvin. He was 
 not aware then that his secretary had sold the items to 
 Harold Tyndale, Worth's lawyer, for a small fortune, so 
 he went to the master of his destiny, Playfellow, and told 
 of his interview. 
 
 "You have messed things, Marvin, for as I get your 
 story, you told him he was not telling the truth. Now 
 that was hardly the way to begin the conversation." 
 
 "I was angry when I saw that list and consequently 
 lost my temper. But he called me a liar, and I wouldn't 
 stand for that." 
 
 " Oh, but you must apologize and square things some 
 how, as we can't fight the Midland over that rascal Worth." 
 
 "What about the rebates," cried Marvin, "especially 
 as our directors don't know about these items? I tell 
 you we must fight long enough to hush that matter up." 
 
 This was a polite slap at Playfellow, for if the directors 
 of the Western should learn of the crooked work it would 
 
210 The Mechanic 
 
 mean his immediate retirement, and also that of his 
 creature, Marvin. So Playfellow, for the first time in his 
 life, allowed an important matter to drift, and in less than 
 a week the biggest railroad fight in the country's history 
 was under way. There could be no doubt as to the result 
 of this particular fight, because it was well known that 
 the Midland held a tremendous amount of money for 
 working capital in its own bank in New York. This had 
 also been the policy of the Western at one time, but after 
 Playfellow secured control he had cut down the road's 
 balance to bare necessities, and they were in no condition 
 to keep up a protracted fight without calling on the 
 stockholders for money. The Western's allied roads 
 were in no better condition as to working capital than 
 the Western itself, so the public considered the Western's 
 chances of success to be very small. 
 
 This, too, was the opinion of the directors and large 
 stockholders of the Western, who were told by Marvin 
 that Midland was responsible for the row. "It will be 
 all over in a month so we needn't worry," he answered. 
 " In the meantime I'll make another cut in rates all around, 
 so that they will know that we are not to be bulldozed." 
 
 Marvin and Playfellow thought that a short, stubborn 
 fight would bring the old families who controlled Midland 
 to their knees, and that their crooked work would be 
 covered up in peace negotiations; but they did not know 
 Neil Mannering, the aforetime university athlete, known 
 to the Johnnies as the black giant of Lockyear College. 
 
 The business of fighting for the great power that he 
 once held was now occupying all Playfellow's thoughts, 
 and as the months dragged on he realized that the end 
 meant bankruptcy for some one. He had a great hope 
 that he could pull through, but on the day when hope 
 
Neil M annexing Takes a Hand 
 
 was strong and every indication pointed to success, a 
 short, broad-shouldered, strong-faced man of sixty, who 
 had been president of the Western prior to Marvin, 
 arrived in New York from England and immediately 
 called on Mr. Mannering at his office. 
 
 After announcing him, the secretary said, "Mr. Man 
 nering will be pleased to see you, sir. Walk right in." 
 
 " How do you do, Mr. Cassman. I'm glad to see you ; 
 sit down. What's the news ? " 
 
 "Thanks for your courtesy, Mr. Mannering. I was 
 told that you wouldn't speak to a Western man." 
 
 "I'm always glad to see a gentleman." 
 
 And, judging by the happy smile that lit up his face, 
 Cassman was pleased with the compliment, for he said, 
 " My story is a short one, but important; that is, important 
 to me. As you know I am a large stockholder in the 
 Western and I wrote for particulars of this distressing 
 railroad war. I was told that the fault was in you. Now 
 I knew your father well, and have known you from a boy, 
 so I ask if that statement is true." 
 
 Opening a drawer in his desk, Neil pulled out a package 
 of papers and said, "Look these over carefully and you 
 will be able to answer your own question." 
 
 And when Cassman had done so he exclaimed, "I 
 expected something of this sort, so I am not greatly 
 surprised. But tell me, how did you come by Marvin's 
 original orders and his private account ? " 
 
 "They were purchased by the John Worth Bank and 
 then handed to me. I was told by Harold Tyndale, 
 Worth's lawyer, that there was no promise as to secrecy, 
 so I know they came from Marvin's secretary, who is 
 now in Paris. I was also told by Tyndale that I could 
 give these papers to the press if I wished. In other 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 words, the John Worth Bank doesn't mind its share in 
 this transaction seeing the light. I was prepared to talk 
 sensibly to Marvin, but he came in like an enraged bull, 
 so I gave him the door and you know the rest." 
 
 " May I have copies of these papers ? " 
 
 "You may take the originals after you initial copies 
 which I have." 
 
 "Thank you, and now, Mr. Mannering, I don't mind 
 telling you that I was forced from the presidency of the 
 Western by Playfellow, who thought that my betterment 
 account was too great. You see I was aiming for the 
 best road in America, and this meant spending a lot of 
 money; and as he was then at the zenith of his power he 
 had no trouble influencing the other directors against me. 
 So I resigned. Now," and Cassman tapped the papers 
 Mannering had given him, "it's my turn. I propose 
 to call an extraordinary general meeting and I think that 
 in a few days we shall have peace." 
 
 " I have a condition or two, Mr. Cassman." 
 
 "And those are?" 
 
 "Mr. Marvin must leave the road, Playfellow and 
 Hodges the directorate, and a settlement be made with 
 John Worth." 
 
 " The first two I think I can promise, but as to Worth 
 I am not so sure; it's hard to fix compensation." 
 
 " I see the difficulty, but it must be overcome before I 
 open peace negotiations." 
 
 "Is he hard?" 
 
 "As nails." 
 
 " Why are you so much interested in him ? " 
 
 " I like his fight, and likewise the man, but that is not 
 all. I mean to crush rebates. We have never been in 
 that business ourselves, but we have suffered from it. At 
 
Neil Mannering Takes a Hand 213 
 
 any rate I won't stop this war until I am satisfied that 
 every one, rich or poor, hereafter shall get a fair show. 
 It's the Marvins and Playfellows that are driving the 
 people to think about Government ownership of rail 
 roads." 
 
 "I see your point; any other condition?" 
 
 "Yes, all this, right down to our eventual agreement, 
 must be made public. I am sorry if you think this need 
 lessly harassing. I regard it as imperative, not from the 
 point of view of a conqueror, but to show the public that 
 we are having a general house-cleaning, preparatory to a 
 clean business conducted on clean lines." 
 
 "I truly admire you, Mr. Mannering, and believe in 
 your doctrines. I never permitted a rebate, because I 
 saw not only the unrighteous side to such transactions, 
 but also that rebates would eventually lead to a giant 
 amalgamation which would be a peril in every way, so I 
 take up that condition with pleasure and bid you good 
 day." 
 
 " Just a moment; there is a little matter that is not my 
 affair, but I know you will be pleased to hear about it. 
 Your banks are holding Playfellow's notes with rather 
 slim security." 
 
 "That makes it easier for me, and I'll look into that 
 at once," answered Cassman, smilingly. 
 
 Cassman found all the other large stockholders of 
 Western in a very receptive mood, and when it was learned 
 that oil stock was attached to Playfellow's notes, they 
 began a searching inquiry, and at the general meeting 
 Cassman was elected president. 
 
 Playfellow and Hodges, being compelled to withdraw, 
 were told that if they did not lift their notes at once the 
 road would foreclose on their property. This was a 
 
214 The Mechanic 
 
 crushing blow, for Playfellow hoped that if his oil com 
 pany should be compelled to close business he would be 
 left with a great amount of first-class securities. In order 
 to make his notes good he was compelled to disgorge all 
 his Western stock, and others as well. And as all stocks 
 were far below their normal value, and as cash was quite 
 out of the question, Playfellow was forced practically to 
 empty his coffers to meet his obligations. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 OIL IN MANY MARKETS 
 
 WITH the adjustment of the railroad war Playfellow 
 was left without a shred of reputation, for his means of 
 securing money and his methods of warfare convinced 
 even the more narrow of religious folk that his affectation 
 of regarding the Bible as a daily mental diet was but a 
 bid for popularity and a cloak to hide his iniquity. And 
 now, too, it was rumored that the mighty money citadel 
 was weakening, as Worth, through his Washington con 
 nections, made the bank examiners very active. Many 
 of the Playfellow loans were "called" and, moreover, 
 these were from banks which he controlled, so it was 
 plain that he was being driven into a corner. What 
 vexed him most was the fact that he could not get at 
 the John Worth Bank through an examiner to see if he 
 could retaliate against Lurgan and Worth, for no way 
 was found to attack a strictly private concern. 
 
 So he raged at the cords which began to tighten about 
 him, but had he only known that Lurgan, King, and 
 Worth had about reached their limit, his joy would have 
 been uncontrollable, for, though seriously crippled finan 
 cially, he still had some bonds and a large amount of 
 gold to his credit in the Unit National. But he could get 
 no positive information as to their financial standing, and 
 began to think of his early career and the means he then 
 used to get rid of persons who bothered him. He did 
 
 215 
 
216 The Mechanic 
 
 not dare think of the assassin because such recollections 
 made him shiver, for he well remembered Worth's words, 
 and a mistake such as Pike had made would mean his 
 own death. 
 
 And this was also the belief of Hodges, only in a more 
 marked degree. He felt that he was ticketed and labeled 
 for death and spent many hours in the gymnasium where 
 he worked hard, for he was still in robust health and 
 well under fifty. But in the evenings, and especially in 
 bed at night, he knew his efforts to gain additional strength 
 would be of no avail, as he fully realized that he was not, 
 and never had been, a match for John Worth, man to 
 man. 
 
 As there was no income from his oil stock, Hodges was 
 now living on a salary and in a small flat. He had been 
 compelled to sell everything to meet the calls that Play 
 fellow made on those who held an interest in the Oil 
 company, and was now getting his first feel of a world 
 that he did not know. But he would have willingly 
 accepted privations if he could have seen hope ahead, but 
 he did not see that, he saw only John Worth. And a 
 sixth sense told him that he was to suffer, and this feeling 
 took such a hold upon him that he grew physically and 
 morally afraid even to meet Worth on the street. When 
 ever their eyes met he read the desire of the brute in 
 John, and now he knew that it was only a question of 
 time when he would be compelled to look into the face 
 of the man whose father had been killed by his hirelings. 
 
 He often thought of writing to Worth the plain, naked 
 truth of his connection with that matter, and many times 
 he began the confession; but there was David. How 
 was he going to answer the question about him? Any 
 falsehood about that suggested fear, but reason said: 
 
Oil in Many Markets 217 
 
 "He will not be satisfied with assertions, nor will he be 
 satisfied with the story you are going to tell about his 
 father's death. He is not one to condone or forgive." 
 Then the heart, pumping red blood for a moment, said, 
 " Fight him"; but soon fear would still that voice and cry, 
 "Go away with what you have and find some haven of 
 retreat in an unknown country." But to this reason 
 would reply, "He will find you while you cumber the 
 earth, and make you pay for their lives with yours. Death 
 is too fleeting a pleasure for hate such as his, so he will 
 make you suffer and then he will kill." 
 
 Playfellow, also, was doing an unusual amount of 
 thinking, but on straighter lines, as he possessed none of 
 these small qualities which made it hard for Hodges to 
 view with equanimity the morning of another day. Play 
 fellow was pondering fires and their possibilities. He had 
 already used the midnight torch on bubbling wells to 
 great advantage, and as personal violence was barred, 
 why not do something even more thorough than a single 
 death ? Following his brave thoughts, he saw the Worth 
 refineries destroyed. "But they could be built again," 
 cried caution, and to this the brain of Playfellow answered, 
 "I will also break him at the same time, and then he 
 must come to terms, if I do not in the meantime get his 
 secret." 
 
 Accordingly he said to Hodges one day, "We must 
 smash him at once or we will go down before them. I 
 can't hold out another six months; the whole world seems 
 against me." 
 
 After these words Playfellow knelt in his office and 
 prayed eloquently for success. He cried to the Al 
 mighty, "I trust in You"; and then feeling more 
 normal he said to Hodges, "From what you have told 
 
218 The Mechanic 
 
 me from time to time about Heenan and his child I 
 gather that you can at any time take his place in deliv 
 ering the midnight meal." 
 
 Hodges, not understanding, answered, "Sharp and I 
 have been up to the door of the refinery many times with 
 them, but it is quite impossible to get in." 
 
 " You could set fire to the mill, though ? " 
 
 Now Hodges saw the drift of Playfellow's other remark 
 and cried, " That would be crazy, for what do we accom 
 plish by destroying the place ? Of course you know that 
 he can rebuild that wooden structure, or all of them, in 
 three months. Besides I feel certain that they would 
 welcome a fire which would give them another excuse for 
 delaying deliveries." 
 
 " I see that side, but I want to know definitely if you 
 can set fire to the deodorizing refinery. " 
 
 "I can. As you know, I have kept in with Heenan. 
 As we are of a height, and as it is easy to assume lameness; 
 his girl has many times escorted me to the mill. And I 
 have also gone with both of them and with Sharp as well. 
 It would be only a question of price, as Heenan, being 
 blind and lame, is desperately anxious to arrange his 
 child's future." 
 
 "What is she like ?" 
 
 "A good-looking blonde with rather a timid face, who 
 will help all she can because she is anxious to get back 
 to New York. But with all her silliness she is fond of 
 her father and will do what he says." 
 
 "I see the type!" exclaimed Playfellow. "And I can 
 see the father; five thousand would do it, eh?" 
 
 "Now you are wrong; the girl is perhaps a bit flighty 
 and wild, but the father is very sane and hard. You 
 will have to multiply your figure ten times to get him." 
 
Oil in Many Markets 219 
 
 " But you can get in without him, so why not pay him 
 after the event ? " 
 
 " That is so," cried Hodges, with gladness. " I'll just 
 make an ordinary trip, eh, to see if I can get a look inside 
 of the deodorizing mill?" 
 
 " Of course," smiled Playfellow. " Tell me, what does 
 Sharp know?" 
 
 "It was he who discovered Heenan; in fact he knew 
 him well at one time. And if it is agreeable to you, I'll 
 take him with me, as there are a few things to think 
 about in getting out and he may prove useful." Sur 
 mising that the work which Playfellow had suggested was 
 to be done at once, in order to show why he wanted 
 assistance, he continued, " The Worth property, or Amer 
 ican oil as they call it, contains about sixty acres and has 
 only two exits, one by water and the other by land. The 
 water exit is closed at night and, as you have read, the 
 whole property is surrounded by a canal and conse 
 quently is isolated from the rest of the meadows. On 
 the outside bank of the canal there is a high, strong, 
 electrically charged wire fence, so it's impossible to get 
 to the refineries except by one of the roads I have men 
 tioned; and each refinery inside of this circle is isolated 
 from the others by waterways. 
 
 "In other words, the most extraordinary precautions 
 have been taken against the weapon which you have 
 named, and in their precautions they have, as well, built 
 up their system of handling goods with the least possible 
 labor, as canals large enough for barges run to each 
 refinery. Now the particular refinery that we want to 
 burn is at the extreme end of this property, or near the 
 water entrance. Consequently I must find my way over 
 considerable distance before I can get out, as, of course, 
 
220 The Mechanic 
 
 I must get to the road entrance as quickly as possible. 
 Otherwise I am in danger, not only from the fire but 
 from the men who work at night, and they total quite a 
 number. 
 
 " There are others who live at ' The Pipe,' or the only 
 place where the workmen are permitted to smoke, and 
 this building, a big one, is pretty well filled all the time. 
 I tell you this because I must pass it on my way out, and 
 I leave you to imagine what they will do if I am caught." 
 " What protection have they against fire ? " 
 " Only great care, as, of course, nothing can stop an oil 
 fire." 
 
 " How does Heenan get through the gate ? " 
 "He is the gate man and that explains why it is so 
 easy for me to enter. And now here is where Sharp and 
 one or two others will be useful, as I may be stopped at 
 this point on my way out, for beyond this gate, on the high 
 ground, nearly all the people who work in the different 
 refineries live. You must remember that long before I 
 reach the gate the fire will be known and the alarm given, 
 and the men and women outside will flock to the gate. 
 I, of course, expect to reach the gate before those who 
 are outside do, but I shall be one of the last to get there 
 from the inside. In running I may be noticed, not by 
 the limp to which I will adhere, but I shall be going 
 entirely too straight for a blind man. If Sharp is with 
 me, crying, ' Fire fire,' it will help, and if some one is 
 outside with an automobile near by, we ought to pull 
 through all right, especially if I have Sharp to help." 
 
 Playfellow, in his mind's eye, saw the fire and was 
 thinking that on the eventful night he would secure a 
 good coign of vantage from which to enjoy it, and this 
 thought held him to silence, for he liked the picture that 
 
Oil in Many Markets 
 
 he conjured up. But the active agent was anxious to get 
 things settled, so he broke the silence by asking, " When 
 do we make the blaze ? I'm ready any time." 
 
 With a start Playfellow awoke from his sweet dream. 
 
 " I, of course, see with you the uselessness of this fire as 
 such, so here is the rest of my scheme," answered the 
 elder man, rubbing his bald head. " For profound secrecy, 
 and for what I want done intelligently, you must start for 
 England immediately " (Hodges blushed with pleasure at 
 the first great compliment Playfellow had ever paid him), 
 "and give my instructions to Marsh, our London agent. 
 And here they are. He is to proceed at once to Italy and, 
 through a bank, order five hundred thousand barrels of 
 deodorized oil from Worth. Pay any price that is asked, 
 and, if necessary, arrange for payments to Worth in New 
 York. Then he must go to Austria, Germany, France, 
 and then home to England, and in these countries arrange 
 as outlined for Italy. But if the Italian order is accepted 
 he must place a bigger one for Austria, and if that goes 
 through, a larger one for France, and then something 
 colossal for England. 
 
 " In each country a blind company ought to be organized, 
 to make it appear that an active fight is going to be con 
 ducted against us, and an item to this effect given to the 
 Associated Press. Do you understand so far?" 
 
 "Perfectly"; and, smiling, Hodges added, "I see hope 
 ahead." 
 
 "Now," said Playfellow, "comes the important item. 
 Contract only for deodorized oil to be delivered in three 
 months. Put a penalty clause equal to the price we pay, 
 for failure to deliver that which is called for in the contract 
 deodorized oil. In order to get this clause in as strong 
 as you can word it, tell Marsh to pay the price asked and, 
 
222 The Mechanic 
 
 after the Italian contract is signed, to use the cable only. 
 He is to get the banks he uses to do all their work with 
 their correspondents in New York by cable, and I will 
 arrange his credit with the Bank of England to cover all 
 these purchases. I want all the contracts you make to 
 fall due about the same time. After you are sure that 
 Marsh understands thoroughly what is required of him, 
 come home for the conflagration." 
 
 Hodges, jumping up from his chair, cried, "You are 
 still the greatest man living." 
 
 , " Glad you like the idea," replied Playfellow, happily. 
 " I want you, of course, to go to Italy with Marsh, so as to 
 advise him properly on the first contract, which will be, no 
 doubt, the basis for the others. The Worth Company 
 are poor and will bite at these rich offers, and then we have 
 them." 
 
 Playfellow laughed at the prospect and walked up and 
 down the room, his tall form quaking with suppressed joy. 
 
 On Saturday Thomas Hodges sailed for England, and 
 in two weeks he was in Italy with Marsh, arranging the 
 details for a company. A bank was approached and in 
 due course a letter was sent to John Worth, and this 
 reached Harold Tyndale, who was much amazed at the 
 extent of the order. Never before had they received a 
 request for so many barrels, and Tyndale, being a careful 
 man, read again the letter, which was written in English, 
 but paused at the clause, "If our experts pass the oil as 
 deodorized we shall cable the money to New York." 
 These words, "our experts," struck him as odd and 
 made him study the letter word for word. In re-reading 
 it through he detected an eagerness which puzzled him, 
 but the last paragraph was to the point, as they had 
 requested an answer by cable, as on an acceptance they 
 
Oil in Many Markets 
 
 would request their correspondents in New York to call 
 and make the contract. 
 
 So Tyndale wired, raising the regular European price 
 twenty-five cents per barrel and stipulating that an expert, 
 chosen by both, was to go with oil from America, and if 
 their bank were found to be satisfactory the Worth Com 
 pany would agree to deliver the oil in fourteen weeks at 
 Genoa. The following afternoon a man from Wall Street 
 called, and in two days a contract, drawn up by Tyndale, 
 was signed. When Willie Radley received all the papers 
 he found also an agreement with a steamship company 
 carrying the delay penalties of the Italian Bank, providing 
 the oil in barrels was docked at New York in ten weeks. 
 Willie then sent an order to the works in the meadows, 
 and as John had heard of the large shipment he prepared 
 for its fulfilment. 
 
 Within a week Tyndale had closed a German contract 
 for one million barrels at one dollar and fifty cents per 
 barrel, and then the French order came in, and on its 
 heels a huge one from England. John was called in to 
 look at these. Tyndale interrupted his thoughts suffi 
 ciently to say, " Odd, isn't it ? They take the experts we 
 name, and the manager of the Midland Bank says that 
 the Bank of England guarantees payment on the lot. 
 As I have told you before, Hodges was in Europe. He 
 is now on his way home." 
 
 "As everything is in order, sign," replied John; and 
 then he went to his room and by long-distance telephone 
 called up his Lake Superior manager, saying, " I am leaving 
 for the mill to-night. Put full force on; four six-hour 
 shifts." And then he called up every barrel mill in the 
 country and by night had contracted for several million 
 barrels. 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 That evening he left by special train for Lake Superior 
 and shipped from there five hundred barrels of water to 
 his own oil wells. After finding out definitely what this 
 factory could do he stopped at other points where he was 
 having barrels made. Coming back to New York he 
 said to Tyndale, " I have the barrels all right and I find 
 letters from Texas confirming their wires as to oil, so 
 you can begin arranging dates for the shipping companies 
 you have contracted with, as we shall be able to keep the 
 schedule upon which they have insisted." 
 
 John went home exhausted, for his days and nights 
 had been spent under a terrible strain and, knowing well 
 the ways of Playfellow and Hodges, he was certain that 
 some coup was pending. But he made no move other 
 than to see if all refineries were following closely his 
 instructions as to escape in case of fire. When satisfied 
 on this point he smiled grimly and awaited developments, 
 feeling sure that their scheme would come to a head 
 when his yards were choked with oil. He was under the 
 impression that the time of his return from his own oil 
 wells, for which he intended to leave the next day, would 
 see something that would add zest to life. 
 
 But John had not figured well the activity of Play 
 fellow, who said to Hodges immediately after John's 
 return, " Can you do it to-night ? " 
 
 "The sooner the better for me," answered Hodges, 
 feverishly. 
 
 Keen-eyed Playfellow saw that Hodges was bolstering 
 his nerves by strong drink, but he said nothing about the 
 ill effects of alcohol, which he had so often related to young 
 men, for he well knew that the more sense was deadened 
 the better the job would be done. After walking up and 
 down the floor he said to Hodges, "If you pull this off 
 
Oil in Many Markets 
 
 to-night, Tom, I'll allow you fifty thousand a year to live 
 on, and hand you back your stock as well." 
 
 Hodges, shaking with pleasure at being called by his 
 first name, as well as on account of the magnificent offer, 
 for he was now wholly at the mercy of Playfellow for 
 living wage, cried, " I'll do it ! and listen Heenan and 
 his daughter will remain behind ! " And with those words 
 Hodges moved his face into a leer at which the seams 
 stood out, giving him a diabolical appearance. 
 
 " That's the idea," chortled Playfellow, " dead people 
 don't peach! Muffled up so that I can't be recognized, 
 I'll go to the palisades in Jersey and watch the fire. 
 It will fill me with deep joy, and with the first fork of 
 light on my knees I shall give thanks to God." 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 FLAMES OF YELLOW GOLD 
 
 WHEN the two conspirators parted, Hodges went 
 directly to Sharp's room, where that worthy saluted him 
 with, " Hello, Tom, how are we ? " And this familiarity 
 brought home to Hodges how far he had fallen; but he 
 was too politic to take offense and at once proceeded to 
 outline the work for the night. 
 
 "Let me say first that I'm game," asserted Bill, "for 
 I well see that something out of the ordinary must be 
 done to wind up the Worth crowd. But it's a desperate 
 undertaking and I only go to save my stock and my 
 business." 
 
 With a note of anxiety in his voice Hodges cried, " Why 
 is it desperate, Bill ? I see the danger, of course, but not 
 the extreme risk that you intimate." 
 
 "We have to make a good half mile to the gate and 
 there'll be a light such as never existed before, thrown 
 on our every move long before we reach safety." 
 
 " I admit that, too, but there will be many others running 
 with us." 
 
 "That's sure, but" 
 
 " Not afraid are you, Bill ? " interrupted Hodges. 
 
 "Yes, I am; but as I said before, I'll do it." 
 
 "I suppose Heenan and the girl are to be trusted," 
 remarked Hodges. 
 
 " No trouble there," replied Bill, " as the girl wants to 
 go on the stage and our money has been educating her." 
 
 226 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 2Z7 
 
 "Why does Worth keep them?" 
 
 " Heenan was a mechanic at one time, but it galls him 
 to live on charity, for that is what his position amounts to. 
 And naturally he hates the man who's kind to him." 
 
 "Let us meet in Newark at eleven at the old rendez 
 vous." 
 
 Bill nodded his willingness, and at a little before twelve, 
 having concealed their automobile in some bushes close 
 to the entrance of Worth's property, they walked to the 
 gate-house. Bill, dressed in old clothes, asked for 
 Heenan, and when he came out into the night, Bill said, 
 " My partner wants to try again." And as that heretofore 
 had meant one hundred dollars to Heenan, he answered, 
 "All right, wait until I get Lizzy." In a few moments 
 all four were walking toward the big mill, and when they 
 were close to it, Lizzy went forward to the door and 
 rapped, a pleasant smile on her face. This was because 
 Walter Peace, the head electrician, had frequently of late 
 made love to her, and it was her custom to stop and talk 
 to him until her father called. 
 
 Their conversation was carried on through a sliding 
 door about a foot square, and this small aperture did not 
 look directly into the mill but on another door which, 
 when it was not locked, was kept closed by strong springs. 
 The hole was too small to permit the man inside to 
 see anything but what was directly in front of him, 
 which was the vaseline factory. Peace, consequently, 
 did not see the others, and Hodges kept the old man 
 talking at the corner of the mill until Bill ran up, saying, 
 "Let us hurry." This meant that he had started a fire 
 where the barrels were hoisted by wire ropes over the 
 canal to the receiving door located high above the ground, 
 for considerable oil was splashed down the sides of the 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 building at this point. It was washed clean every week 
 by Playfellow's kerosene so that the smell would be de 
 tected in the air. As this oil arrived in Worth's own 
 barrels and in carloads, no one suspected but that it was 
 oil to be deodorized. This part of the building was 
 soaking with inflammable material, and Sharp had no 
 difficulty in igniting it. His hope was that all would get 
 well on their way out before the fire was discovered. 
 
 But Hodges had different plans. As he was strong and 
 burly and afraid only of one man, and that man was not 
 present, after Heenan had called to his daughter, he 
 promptly knocked him down with a stout stick which he 
 carried. Then he rushed for Lizzy, who was standing 
 inert, spellbound at his action. But just before the blow 
 on her head choked off all utterance, she screamed, 
 "Walter," and the cry, though stifled, was loud enough 
 to reach her lover's ears just as he was about to close the 
 second door. 
 
 He ran to the sliding door but could see nothing, so 
 began to undo the bolts; then he thought he heard a 
 slight roar and the crackling of wood. Opening the 
 door he ran to the corner nearest the canal, and there he 
 saw a sheet of flame spreading over the whole side of the 
 building. In a moment he realized that nothing could 
 be done to save the building, so he rushed back to the 
 door and, entering quickly, in a hoarse voice screamed, 
 "Fire fire! Hurry, hurry!" Then remembering 
 Worth's instructions, he pulled down hard a lever which 
 rang a bell in all the factories, and in Worth's house, 
 four miles away. As his companions were rushing out, 
 he followed, and in making for the main road at a run he 
 stumbled over a body on the ground which he recognized 
 as that of Lizzy. Promptly picking her up, by the fierce 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 229 
 
 light he saw that she was apparently dead. He rained 
 kisses upon her face as he called wildly, " Lizzy, Lizzy ! " 
 but no answer came. Driven on by the heat, he started up 
 the long road with the girl in his arms. He was a strong, 
 bull-necked young fellow and for a time managed fairly 
 well, but soon the weight began to tell and he had to stop 
 and rest for a few seconds. Then he would make another 
 hundred yards and rest again. At this third halt he felt 
 that he was walking in an oven and soon he would have 
 to give up not the girl, for Peace was not built upon 
 those lines. He was only a plain mechanic, proud and 
 forceful like his class, and with unbounded courage, and 
 he loved this girl, so he struggled, hoping to reach the 
 main street where he could be seen from the hill. 
 
 Had she been a stranger he probably would have left 
 her to be licked up by the flames, but his love made him 
 strong and, crushing her to him, he kissed her again and 
 hoarsely gasped, " We die together, Lizzy, but not yet 
 not yet." So he pressed on, ever on, hoping to reach the 
 long, wide street that ran directly through the property 
 from the gate. But he was reeling now and felt that he 
 was being actually baked. Glancing back he saw a hell 
 on earth, as now the other mills had caught fire, but he 
 struggled on, grim and determined. Rounding a corner, 
 he sighted the great crowd on the hill watching the 
 flames, but he realized by the suffocating heat and the 
 awful roar so close upon him that man could not succor 
 him. He felt his mind giving way; still he gritted his teeth 
 and stumbled on a yard or two. At last he reeled and 
 fell to the earth. 
 
 The dreaded fire alarm had brought out every employee 
 of the oil works, and its clanging noise spurred Hodges and 
 Sharp to run as fast as they could, but they were not the 
 
230 The Mechanic 
 
 first ones at the gate, for when they reached the opening 
 it was jammed by those who lived on the hill close by, 
 seeking to be of assistance. In the melee Hodges lost 
 his soft hat and, as he was a well-known character, and 
 very tall, he was observed by many who at first thought 
 that he must be merely a passing stranger. If he had 
 kept his nerve he would, perhaps, have gotten through 
 the mass of people without being recognized, but unfor 
 tunately for himself he put his hand before his face to 
 hide it, and this was a fatal move, for a man close to 
 him said, "Why do you hide your face?" Then the 
 hand was roughly pulled down and the same man, 
 turning to the crowd said, "Fellows, who is this?" 
 
 " Why, it looks like Hodges," one cried, and then Strong 
 Tom and Bill tried by bull strength to force their way 
 out. But they were soon overpowered and the crowd, 
 fiercely angry now, wanted to trample out Hodges' life. 
 When Sharp saw what was intended, he cried to his 
 captors, who were beginning to handle him roughly, " I 
 am a relation of Heenan's and when he comes he will 
 tell you so." 
 
 Bill felt satisfied that he would never be called a liar 
 by Heenan, and as his excuse seemed to work well, he 
 used strong language in proving his statement and con 
 sequently he was not molested. The Worth people knew 
 all about Hodges and his career, and were familiar 
 with the David Worth story, so they cried, "Let's burn 
 him"; and that idea seemed to please the crowd, but the 
 superintendent cried aloud, "Say, fellows, Worth will be 
 here soon. He is home to-night, so wait until he comes." 
 
 As John's name carried a great deal of weight with the 
 workmen, they took Hodges and Sharp up the hill to 
 await Worth's coming. 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 231 
 
 John had overworked and could not sleep, so at twelve 
 he partly dressed and went downstairs to look over some 
 important papers, thinking that a little work might make 
 him sleepy. He had only just comfortably settled him 
 self in his chair when he was startled by the fire-bell. 
 Jumping up, he rushed to his automobile and in a marvel- 
 ously short time was going at full speed toward the 
 meadows. He reached the gate in a few minutes, and 
 was getting out when he heard a great moan from the 
 crowd. Looking down he saw a figure, carrying another, 
 fall in the street of fire. Shouting, " Clear the way," he 
 started at full speed his slowing engines, and soon he had 
 the two senseless forms in his car. Then reversing 
 his lever, he was quickly out of the parching heat into the 
 cool of the hill. A great shout welcomed the chauffeur 
 from his desperate dash into the street of fire. 
 
 An old gray-haired mechanic, with tears running down 
 his face, cried, " Like his father to-night. Aye, much like 
 big, swarthy Peter. And I knew the goliath David, too. 
 I tell you boys, it's in the blood. You just can't scare 
 'em." " 
 
 John had jumped from his automobile after rescuing 
 Peace and Lizzy; and was now looking at Hodges and 
 Bill Sharp, who were bound in cords. After a moment 
 he said to the cursing, maddened crowd, " Who captured 
 these men ? " 
 
 A shout of "We did," was his answer, and Worth 
 smiled as he bent down and said to Hodges in a honeyed 
 voice, " One fire too many ! " 
 
 " How are your patients ? " John asked of the doctor. 
 
 "Peace is coming around, but Lizzy is still insensible. 
 The blow was a nasty one." 
 
 "Blow? She was hit then?" 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 "Her whole scalp is cut open, and if it wasn't for her 
 thick hair she would be dead.'* 
 
 "Anybody else hurt?" 
 
 "Not that I'm aware of." 
 
 His plucky ride into the sea of flame did not lessen 
 John's popularity with the hands, who were correspond 
 ingly enraged against the two men whom they held responsi 
 ble for the disaster, for all were now certain how the fire had 
 started. So while the flames raged from refinery to refin 
 ery they stood in sullen determination about the house 
 where Hodges and Sharp were tied. 
 
 After some time had passed, they saw Lizzy Heenan 
 being carried into the house. Here, after she had been 
 placed in a chair, she said to John in a weak voice, " My 
 father took both Mr. Hodges and Mr. Sharp into the 
 works as he had done many times before. Each time they 
 gave him one hundred dollars. I guess they hoped 
 to get a look inside of the refinery where the oil is changed. 
 He did not know, nor did I, what they were going to do 
 to-night. I saw Mr. Hodges strike father down with a 
 club, afterwards he struck me on the head, and I can't 
 remember any more." After a pause she went on, " Oh, 
 God is punishing me!" Quickly falling on her knees, 
 she cried, " Oh, Mr. Worth, forgive me, won't you ? " 
 
 And John, picking her up, said, "Don't worry, child; I 
 forgive you freely, and will look after you hereafter." 
 
 The girl sobbed in the strong arms of Worth, and a 
 man inside, who had heard what the girl said, told those 
 outside. Then some oil was sent for, and the snarl of 
 the men, like that of enraged animals, reached the ears of 
 Hodges, who shivered from his heart, while Sharp turned 
 pale as death. 
 
 The superintendent said to John, " This man," pointing 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 233 
 
 to Sharp, "says he and Heenan were cousins. Ask the 
 girl." Lizzy, who heard the assertion, cried, " He told 
 a lie, thinking we were both dead." Then John carried 
 Lizzy out and said, "Who will take this girl to my 
 home?" 
 
 And Peace, now fairly recovered, answered, "I'll look 
 after her, Mr. Worth." 
 
 Then a voice exclaimed, " Make way for Mrs. Worth," 
 and Catherine and her father met John, who was still 
 holding Lizzy. Catherine said, "Send her home with 
 Tony. The servants are all up, and the house is ready 
 to take care of the wounded. How terrible the fire is! 
 But are you hurt, John? Your hair seems singed and 
 your face blistered." 
 
 " I'm all right, and glad to say that every one is here 
 except the old gatekeeper." But John was wrong, as he 
 was to find out later that three others had perished in 
 the fire. 
 
 Lurgan passed inside and saw Hodges tied to a table 
 and Sharp to a chair. John, calling him to one side, 
 said, " Get Catherine home as soon as you can. There 
 is going to be trouble here soon, but don't tell her that or 
 she won't go." 
 
 " I think," said Lurgan, looking at Hodges and Sharp, 
 " that I see the trouble, so I'll take her. But is every 
 thing gone ? " 
 
 "Yes; all the buildings and their contents." 
 
 And Lurgan, calling Catherine, said, "Let's go home 
 and look after that girl. There is no one else that requires 
 attention." 
 
 " Are you sure, father ? " 
 
 " Quite sure, dear, and besides we should only hamper 
 John by remaining." 
 
234 The Mechanic 
 
 "Oh, father, did you notice how strong he looked, 
 standing among his men ? His firm head, his fine shoul 
 ders and height, and the details of dress, seem to throw 
 his figure out. I always shall see the burnt shirt and 
 blistered skin, for they made me realize the superintend 
 ent's thrilling story of his ride into the white heat to 
 save two of his people." 
 
 But the old man remained silent, for he saw beyond the 
 fire and the prospect made him sad. Catherine, noting 
 the silence, exclaimed, "What is it, father?" 
 
 "Ruin! For now we can't fill those large European 
 orders." 
 
 Catherine put her arm about her father and said, " Let 
 us put our trust in God," and they walked to their con 
 veyance. 
 
 Looking back, Catherine saw as if at noonday the 
 great crowd about the house that held her husband, and 
 she asked her father what they were doing. She had not 
 gone into the house and had not seen Hodges. "Oh, 
 father! Listen! They are calling the roll." 
 
 "Yes, dear, to see if any are missing; but let us hurry, 
 as that little girl will need you." 
 
 In front of the house a timekeeper had mounted a rude 
 platform and had begun calling the names of those on 
 the pay sheets. Inside, sitting around a table, were John, 
 the superintendent, and the foremen of the different mills. 
 And when the timekeeper began to call the night watch, 
 John said to those who were standing by, "Unloose the 
 roped men." The criminals were made to sit in a corner 
 of the room by themselves, while outside the timekeeper 
 called loudly the names from his tally sheets. He was 
 stopped by a wail at the names of Tobsenello, and he 
 cried again, " Robert and Chid Tobsenello." There was 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 235 
 
 now a cry as from a lost soul. " My boys my boys ! I 
 must see the master." 
 
 The crowd made way for the frenzied woman. She 
 fell upon her knees and cried in wailing tones, " Master 
 master my boys my boys ! They were at * The 
 Pipe.' " Seeing Sharp, she jumped to her feet, her dark 
 eyes flashing fire, and screamed, " There's the hell-hound 
 who bought my father to murder yours, John Worth." 
 
 Sharp sank into his chair, a gleam of hatred in his 
 eyes, and said insolently, " You're raving ! " 
 
 The woman was going to speak, but John interrupted 
 her. "Not now, Mrs. Tobsenello. Wait." Motioning 
 a man at the door, the timekeeper proceeded with the list. 
 
 Those inside presently heard a splashing on the sides 
 and roof of the house as if the men were throwing 
 buckets of water on the building. But Sharp, who 
 could see a number of faces in an open window, real 
 ized that the walls were being soaked with oil and not 
 water. The other windows framed faces in the same 
 way, but none gave ground at the deluge of oil, as they 
 were there eagerly watching the proceedings and Hodges 
 and Sharp as well, and the dripping oil did not affect 
 them in the least. 
 
 At the name of Weldon the timekeeper stopped again 
 and another harrowing scene occurred, and at the last 
 name, Mrs. Weldon and Mrs. Tobsenello were sitting 
 side by side in the house. Then John said, "Three are 
 missing." 
 
 Turning to Hodges he said, "Have you anything to 
 say?" 
 
 Strong Tom, looking into John's eyes, saw something 
 that made him fear. Still there was one chance for his life 
 and he took advantage of it and began his narrative, a 
 
236 The Mechanic 
 
 stenographer taking down what he said. When it was 
 transcribed and read aloud, Hodges said, "That's the 
 whole truth, and I'll sign it," and coming forward quickly, 
 he did so. 
 
 "I don't care for that instrument, Hodges," John 
 declared, with a terrible calmness, " and if you think it is 
 going to help you in any way, you are very much at sea. 
 You can tear the paper up. I know now that Playfellow 
 is back of all this." 
 
 Hodges was now in a mortal terror, for the men sitting 
 around the table smiled grimly at Worth's words, and 
 those in the window laughed gratingly. 
 
 " What had you to do with my father's death ? " 
 
 Again Hodges spoke the truth, the words trembling on 
 his lips. 
 
 "Now tell me who murdered my uncle"; and Hodges, 
 mopping his brow, told that story. 
 
 " Then the knife was for me." 
 
 (( "\7 
 
 x-e-s. 
 
 "And you killed Heenan to-night and tried to kill his 
 daughter. You are a brave man, Hodges," sneered John. 
 " Now, Mr. Sharp, what have you to say ? " 
 
 "Nothing," cried Bill. 
 
 "Hodges says you set fire to the mill." 
 
 Still Sharp remained silent. 
 
 " It may please you to know that Mrs. Tobsenello was 
 the daughter of the bandit that you hired to abduct me. 
 I discovered her about six years ago, and, as you see, she 
 remembers you perfectly. I may also add that I traced 
 Pike some time ago, and found that he had left a rather 
 interesting family in Oil City, where he was a pillar of 
 the church. But unfortunately no money was found, 
 although he was known to be fairly well off, and his 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 237 
 
 family and little ones have been cared for by their 
 mother, a good woman. Why didn't you look after these 
 people ? " 
 
 Still there was no answer, and John continued, "It 
 would have been much better every way for you if you 
 had, for I bought their little house when it was put up 
 at auction, and found that Pike, like his family, was 
 interesting, too, for he kept a diary. And I got possession 
 of this by deeding back the house to Mrs. Pike. My 
 man, Tony, photographed Pike the night he was killed, 
 and I then noted the smell of oil on his clothes; so when 
 I could afford the luxury of a sleuth," and here John 
 smiled knowingly at Sharp, "I engaged Tony and sent 
 him into the oil regions, first getting an artist to sketch 
 Pike's face, for Tony's photograph, taken on the night 
 Pike killed my uncle, was not the kind to invite sympa 
 thetic attention, if I may put it that way. But the artist 
 did fairly well, because, with his conception, Tony found 
 Pike's family and it was he who got the diary. As Mrs. 
 Pike did not fully understand the fires or the death entries, 
 she thought, good soul, that her husband, being a great 
 reader of dime novels, was merely keeping track of the 
 murders and fires of fiction. But the diary also contained 
 many entries or orders from you. All of these were 
 mandates to kill. I have traced many and found that 
 Pike did his work well. It was too bad he slipped into 
 my uncle's grasp, eh ? " 
 
 Sharp now almost cried out in his fear, for Worth's 
 short laugh was much more terrible than any curse 
 that he had ever heard. And now, Bill, in his fear was 
 going to speak, but John rose and said, " We have listened 
 to enough in Hodges' speech. Let us go out into the 
 good air." And then the faces at the window smiled 
 
238 The Mechanic 
 
 grimly and men came in and poured oil on the floor. 
 When John had gone others boarded and nailed the 
 windows securely. Hodges and Sharp meanwhile watched 
 these preparations with wild, dilated eyes. 
 
 At the door John said to the two women, " To-morrow 
 you will receive deeds to the houses you are living in, and 
 our cashier will allow you thirty dollars a month to live 
 on." And when they tried to thank him he said gently, 
 "No thanks, please; you are merely receiving from the 
 mills what is your due." 
 
 "Then you're going to build again?" asked Mrs. 
 Weldon. 
 
 " Of course," John replied. 
 
 Outside he saw the expectant crowd still sweltering in 
 the frightful heat that came from the meadows, for now the 
 yards which held thousands of barrels of oil were on fire. 
 Men had tried to play the hose on these great stacks of 
 barrels, but the intense heat had driven them away. It 
 was three o'clock and soon the sun would be up. 
 
 Playfellow, from his high altitude on the Palisades, 
 had seen the first tongue of flame, followed by a dense 
 mass of smoke that gathered and gathered in the still 
 night air. With joy heretofore unknown to his being, 
 he saw the gigantic ring in the heavens, ever ascending 
 and always increasing. Then the huge tank exploded, 
 and other buildings, as if by magic, added to the awful 
 fury of the burning oil. Sixty acres of ground were now 
 one mass of flame. His soul gloried in the magnificent 
 spectacle of this great sea of fire. Many others now 
 came to this point and looked with awe upon the 
 terrible conflagration. 
 
 They saw something so stupendous that their sense 
 was in sorrow. Even children were hushed from accla- 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 239 
 
 mations of joy, for all knew the Meadows shops; all realized 
 that thousands made their daily bread there, and now how 
 would this army of workmen live? But this aspect of 
 the fire, which saddened all, only added to the fierce 
 pleasure which pervaded the being of Playfellow. As 
 he looked, he hugged himself with delight, nursing the 
 thought, " The Lord has answered my prayer and deliv 
 ered my enemy into my hands." For three hours he drank 
 in the glorious beauty of the fire. It seemed to him that 
 it was his, and so it was, and in each flame he saw yellow 
 metal running back to his coffers. Every fierce shooting 
 tongue of fire looked to him like a pillar of gold, and in 
 the gloom and murkiness of the dense cloud of smoke 
 which choked the sky he saw the funeral of his enemy, 
 Worth. 
 
 And once, through sheer delight, he went down on his 
 knees and prayed. Now the great light was growing less 
 and the sorrowing people were on their way home, speak 
 ing in hushed tones, for the glamor of the majestic destruc 
 tion was still strong on them and they saw nothing beyond 
 the wrecked homes. But Playfellow was untroubled with 
 moral scruples ; he saw only the fire and the golden future 
 which the great light had made and, turning to one of 
 the satellites, who accompanied him, he exclaimed in his 
 squeaking voice, as though drunk with joy, "From now 
 on, I once more can put a price on bare existence." And 
 with this delphic utterance he turned and, in grotesque 
 stateliness, walked to his waiting carriage. 
 
 And yet, if he had heard John Worth's speech to his 
 people, he would have trembled instead, for at that time 
 John was on the doorstep of the house that held Hodges 
 and Sharp, and back of him were men ready to board up 
 the door. 
 
240 The Mechanic 
 
 But the hammer was stayed to hear the man they all 
 loved, because in fair weather or foul he had not changed. 
 In prosperous days he was still the same John Worth 
 they had always known. They had never come within 
 reach of him or known him in an intimate way, either in 
 poverty or prosperity, but he was always their friend, not 
 in words, but in deeds. And to-night they were in great 
 sorrow, for they did not think he would rebuild, and yet 
 they were not at that moment thinking of themselves. 
 
 They saw only wanton destruction of the John Worth 
 Mills, the mighty fabrics of a man's genius, now in 
 smoke, and they thirsted for the blood of those who had 
 done the deed. No one doubted but that Hodges and 
 Sharp were to die. The mechanics from the printing 
 works and from the stove and burner factories had joined 
 the oil men and their voices, like those of the men more 
 directly concerned, said, "Death"; just that word. 
 Nothing else was considered. 
 
 When John raised his hand for silence, from their 
 knowledge of his kindness many thought that he was 
 going to make a plea for the two men inside. And when 
 he said, "I want, to say a few words to you," and then 
 he stopped for a moment to collect his thoughts, in that 
 second Hiram Bidding, a tall New Englander, and a 
 labor leader, exclaimed, "No use, John, it's all settled; 
 I guess they are going to burn all right. It's sort o' 
 fixed that way." 
 
 Finding his words, John began, "I am going away 
 to-morrow and will be absent six weeks," and, haltingly, 
 "I am not just sure at the moment how we stand." 
 
 But Willie Radley, who had hurried from New York 
 when he heard of the fire, was now on the outer circle of 
 the great mass of human beings and realized what was 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 241 
 
 worrying John. As an idea had been growing in his 
 mind for the past two weeks, he yelled at the top of his 
 voice, " Don't bother about money, John; we have plenty." 
 
 A cheer went up in answer, and then more cries of 
 " William Radley, forever," and John, now assured, went 
 on: 
 
 " Monday we shall begin erecting a new plant, so all of 
 you now on the pay-roll will remain there, providing you 
 are willing to help at any or all sorts of work. Your 
 superintendent will make plans to-morrow, but I partic 
 ularly want you to see that no strangers are allowed near 
 the deodorizing mill. So now we will dismiss work, if 
 you please, and take up the case of the two men inside. 
 
 " It may be well for me to state first that I haven't the 
 slightest intention of interfering with their fate. I am, 
 as you have found out, a man who believes in the prin 
 ciples of Government as laid down by our forefathers. I do 
 not want to change the sound principles of liberty that are 
 part of our bone. Twenty years ago labor and capital got 
 on fairly well. Then began to come in the giant amalga 
 mations, and because a profit at any price had to be shown, 
 all sorts of trickery were resorted to in order to pay interest 
 on stock that had no value. Whereas, if the properties 
 had been left to their natural growth, every one concerned 
 would have been better off. 
 
 "But if these causes were the only ones they could be 
 adjusted. These outrageous growths of fortunes have 
 demoralized society, and there now exists in America a 
 state of corruption such as is known nowhere else. Even 
 doctors are bribed by drug vendors to use their wares. 
 Servants are bribed to betray their employers' interests, 
 and politician has become a synonym for grafter. As a 
 matter of fact, it is difficult to-day to find a business that 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 is run honestly, and it's harder still to find a business man 
 who does not strip his employees to the bone. Witness 
 the great institutions throughout the country that are 
 making millions, and witness also the pay they give their 
 workers. We see these institutions always howling for 
 their rights, always playing to the gallery of public opinion 
 by spectacular gifts, and meantime reaching with dirty 
 hands for more money. It is always money, and no 
 matter how it comes, it's money. And so they preach 
 honesty to the poor, yet they all bribe in one form or 
 another to further their ends, and we see the result. 
 
 "We see taxes evaded by those with political pulls, as 
 we see political jobs secured by bribery. Other countries 
 can attack such a condition by mandatory laws, but we 
 are bound together by the tie of equality and we can 
 move only through the people themselves. And it is 
 this that permits these rascals to bribe, pillage, and 
 plunder permits such scourges as Playfellow and 
 Hodges to live, grow, and, by their dastardly methods, to 
 corrupt the morals of a country. Look at to-night's 
 work three men sent to their Maker because we dare 
 to try to sell the same commodity as that sold by Hodges 
 and Playfellow. These two began to kill my people even 
 in my infancy, and yet you, Hiram Bidding, and perhaps 
 others, think I would raise a hand to save those creatures 
 in there. 
 
 "I have always intended to kill Hodges as I intend to 
 destroy Playfellow; they gave me no mercy and I will 
 give them none. To a portion of our community this 
 will sound wrong, but I am not thinking of them to-night, 
 as I did not yesterday and shall not to-morrow. To-night 
 we shall be a law unto ourselves, and so far as I can, I 
 am going to stamp out that which is eating into the vitals 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 243 
 
 of our country bribery. The law-breakers shall feel 
 the force of broken laws this night. 
 
 " Our printing works, our steel works, and our copper 
 mills are run in the open. We do not bribe, or cheat, or 
 steal. I have lately spoken to the owners of the great 
 independent steel mills, and they are with me in the effort 
 to stamp out this awful curse of purchasing souls. 
 
 " I had a talk with Neil Mannering, after his exposure 
 of Playfellow and Marvin, and he showed me orders he 
 had issued to his purchasing agents and others, and I 
 noted with delight that he realizes the ghastly spread of 
 bribery, and that he believes with me that mere talking 
 is useless and that only through fear and discipline can 
 we hope to get back that which was ours before the 
 history of Playfellow was written. The nation knows 
 that this man has killed and pillaged, and yet he remains 
 free. They have seen Congress play with this same 
 bribery. Mechanics, and I am one until I die," and a 
 hoarse yell greeted these words, "and all intelligent 
 craftsmen, see that if a rich man asks for protection, no 
 matter how flimsy the pretext, he gets policemen by the 
 score, and if one of you should ask for protection you 
 would be ridiculed. And yet your life, under our consti 
 tution, is as valuable as any. 
 
 " When this oil fight is over and independent companies 
 are working throughout the country, I am going to exert 
 all my influence to cut this cancer from out the body 
 politic, and I say now, let the bribers beware, for they 
 will get no mercy from the associations which I intend 
 to organize. Let those that kill people watch, for I 
 intend to give these creatures the same sort of a deal that 
 they have given, and if you and the others " and John 
 circled with his arm the north, south, east, and west, 
 
244 The Mechanic 
 
 "help, we will exterminate bribery. I think I shall have 
 the money to prosecute this work and I think I possess 
 the courage. Now, men, Hodges is mine, not yours. 
 The other was merely a tool and doesn't figure, except as 
 such, so I alone light this fire." 
 
 A hoarse, "No no, John," was the answer, and 
 many came to the door. 
 
 " Hodges is mine, I say. I lost father and uncle through 
 him, so stand back or, by God, I'll brain you." 
 
 And those that had come forward to light the fire fell 
 back in fear, for they saw that Worth meant what he said. 
 But at that moment a cry, "They are escaping," was 
 heard from the back of the house, and the crowd 
 rushed in that direction. 
 
 But John was first around the corner; but hardly had 
 he turned it when he heard the sharp, quick snap of a 
 revolver. Running, he came to a little group standing 
 about a man who was prone on the grass. John saw that 
 it was Hodges and, raising his eyes, discovered a number 
 of his men disappear in the shadows of the trees and 
 knew that they were after Sharp. 
 
 Waving the crowd back, in a voice full of pain John 
 cried, "Who did this?" But there was no answer, as 
 none apparently knew. The faces of all, however, wore 
 a pleased look, and John, seeing the futility of an inves 
 tigation, called for Tony. It took some time to find him, 
 but when he appeared John said sternly, " Was it you ? " 
 
 "No, master." 
 
 " Do you know anything about it ? " 
 
 "I know that two men were sitting at the back door 
 with the boards ready to nail up; all the others had gone 
 to the front to hear your speech. Hodges and Sharp 
 must have rushed these two." 
 
Flames of Yellow Gold 245 
 
 "Who were the men ?" 
 
 "I don't know." 
 
 "We will go home now, Tony. Ah, Tyndale, you 
 here?" 
 
 "Yes; came over when I saw the fire." 
 
 " Jump in and we'll try for a cup of coffee. I wonder 
 who shot Hodges?" and John studied the wheel of his 
 vehicle as if for information. 
 
 Tyndale answered calmly, "I wonder." 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 WHAT FOLLOWED THE FIRE 
 
 WHEN Playfellow arrived at his city residence he said 
 to the footman who was awaiting him, "Call me at ten 
 o'clock and have all the papers for me." Promptly at 
 that hour he was awakened from a splendid dream of 
 yellow gold in columns, and the smile on his face remained 
 until he had finished his breakfast of predigested food, and 
 had selected an easy-chair. He felt a vague perplexity 
 while he ate, just a line of shading wonder as to Hodges' 
 whereabouts, for according to arrangements, his accom 
 plice should have been with him promptly at ten o'clock. 
 Picking up the first newspaper that came to his hand, 
 the front page, wholly devoted to a sketch of the great 
 fire, caught his rapt attention. He saw again the sea of 
 flame and the great ring of smoke, and while he looked 
 the smile on his face deepened. 
 
 Then he turned over the page and began to read the 
 reporter's picture, but that palled after a time, as descrip 
 tive words seemed tame to the thoughts that were surging 
 through his own brain. Turning to another page, his 
 eyes were now held and he grasped the paper with a 
 tighter hold. His heart began to beat with suffocating 
 rapidity, for the large headlines read, "I Will Destroy 
 Playfellow." In smaller headlines he read that Hodges 
 and Sharp were dead the one shot, the other knifed. 
 
 Rising from his chair he walked up and down the room 
 
 240 
 
What Followed the Fire 247 
 
 in great agitation, and then picked up another paper and 
 yet another, but all bore the same word. Hodges was 
 dead, and again confronted him that line, " I Will Destroy 
 Playfellow." Mastering himself, he read John Worth's 
 speech, and for once in his life he was full of indignation. 
 He thought, "How dare this man threaten my sacred 
 person ? " and ringing his bell, he said to the butler, " Call 
 up Walter Bethune and ask him to come to see me at 
 once." 
 
 It was odd, perhaps, that Playfellow should ask for 
 one of New York's most celebrated lawyers, for Bethune 
 was that, and yet with his reputation he possessed a very 
 shady record. Playfellow had first come in contact with 
 him when he began life in New York as a projector of 
 big industrials, and in all large combinations he had 
 retained Bethune, who was an adept in evading interstate 
 and other laws. Bethune assumed the habits and ways 
 of the simple life. This was his method of appealing to 
 the gallery of public opinion, and his clothes were made 
 to conform to this idea, as he always wore black with a 
 white bow tie. His soft, broad-brimmed black hat gave 
 him the appearance of a Quaker, and it was only when 
 he removed this that you saw the man, for he had a broad, 
 high, furrowed forehead and piercing gray eyes, shaded 
 in black. It being Sunday, he was not long in answering 
 the oil magnate's call. 
 
 On seeing him, Playfellow, for he was still very much 
 excited, cried, " I want this fellow Worth bound over to 
 keep the peace! See!" and Playfellow pointed to the 
 papers. " He threatens to kill me, and of course he shot 
 Hodges." 
 
 And Bethune, who had wondered greatly why he was 
 wanted, and now understanding, said, " You haven't read 
 
248 The Mechanic 
 
 all the papers carefully or you would have found out that 
 Worth did not shoot Hodges." 
 
 " That is merely a distinction, as of course he hired a 
 man to do the killing, and I don't want to be assassinated. 
 This brute, Worth, must be tied up by the law," and 
 again Playfellow raised his voice. 
 
 Now Bethune smiled and said, " How are we going to 
 do it?" 
 
 "Don't you know?" 
 
 " I confess I don't see my way clear to tie him up, as 
 you put it." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " There are large reasons in the way very large ones, 
 indeed." 
 
 "Tell me one." 
 
 "Yourself." 
 
 Playfellow cried angrily, " What do you mean ? " 
 
 "Look further into the papers of to-day and you will 
 find an account of a big land deal in Utah, and attached 
 to this is your name. I remember distinctly advising 
 you against going into this scheme." Playfellow flushed 
 slowly and, picking up the paper, read, " A Big Steal In 
 Land Engineered By Playfellow." Then he cried, " How 
 could I know that the details would come out ? Some one 
 has leaked." 
 
 "Oh, I only used that to show by suggestion, as it 
 were, how hard it will be when we ask the court to put 
 Worth under bonds, as of course, we shall be asked a 
 lot of uncomfortable questions. I feel sure you see my 
 point." 
 
 Playfellow saw what the lawyer meant, still he was 
 scared and showed it, for this was the first time that 
 any one had turned on him and said plainly, " I will 
 
What Followed the Fire 249 
 
 destroy you." He did not like it, and he hoped to dis 
 cover a way in the law that he had never before called 
 upon for protection, and was very much annoyed to find 
 that the law might work two ways at one and the same 
 time. Surely the world was in a very bad way when 
 Playfellow thought of calling on the machinery of govern 
 ment, as he had heretofore proved more clearly than 
 any other man how much he despised the law which gave 
 his kind sustenance. Petulantly he turned to Bethune 
 and said, " What shall I do against this scoundrel ? I 
 admit he worries me. Can't Mrs. Hodges proceed 
 against him in Jersey?" 
 
 " No doubt she could bring a case, but I see that you 
 haven't read your papers carefully yet, especially The 
 Fad, whose reporter was in the room after the death roll 
 was called. He states that Worth was seemingly well 
 posted on his father's death, which of course doesn't 
 concern you much, but what will interest you came when 
 Sharp was questioned by Worth. It would seem that 
 Sharp was game up to the time that Worth told him he 
 possessed a diary belonging to a Mr. Pike " at this name 
 the lawyer smiled at Playfellow, " which told much of 
 that singular individual's life, and of course you missed 
 The Fad's other great story of Hodges' confession, 
 which is to be made public to-morrow. I should think," 
 and the lawyer smiled at the fear in Playfellow's face, 
 " that you would do all in your power to keep Mrs. Hodges 
 quiet." 
 
 "But suppose," said Playfellow, querulously, "that 
 Worth should begin action against me on this Hodges 
 confession you speak about?" 
 
 "Not the slightest danger of that, and I am speaking 
 as sure as a book. You will see by his speech he has a 
 
250 The Mechanic 
 
 mighty poor opinion of the law as nowadays adminis 
 tered. Depend upon it, he won't fight that way." 
 
 "Can't we get up an agitation against him in Glass 
 Hall and mold public opinion ? We have worked that 
 game successfully before." 
 
 "You must see his present popularity," laughed the 
 lawyer, "and that if he cared to take the trouble he 
 could muster ten votes to our one, and you know that's 
 what counts. No; if I were you, I should depend entirely 
 on your foreign contracts to break him. You have 
 broken more than a thousand large concerns by actual 
 count, and I think you have him in your clutches now." 
 
 Playfellow smiled as his fear for his life vanished for 
 a time, and cried, " I won't have any mercy on him or the 
 others!" 
 
 Bethune, seeing what his words had done for his client, 
 added, "And your stock will begin climbing to-morrow, 
 especially if you let me give the press Worth's obligations 
 to Europe." 
 
 " Do, do," cried the old man " and threaten a lawsuit 
 on killing a good man like Hodges. A good strong state 
 ment, with my many gifts to charity, will make friends, as 
 it has always done." 
 
 All over America people were talking of the fire, and 
 those that believed in the ways of peace censured Worth 
 for his speech, which was clearly a public statement, and 
 not just a few words to his workmen. Others, and these 
 were largely in the majority, wondered how Worth would 
 answer the fire. Not by the slow process of law, they 
 felt sure, and they were certain, though his future looked 
 dark, that he would in his own way even things up. 
 
 When Monday morning came the public rushed to the 
 newsboys, who were screaming, "The Hodges Confes- 
 
What Followed the Fire 251 
 
 sion," and all read what Hodges had signed, and this 
 made for a great sensation. Even old and staid journals 
 recommended Worth to bring suit for damages against 
 Playfellow. But he was away North, and when seen by 
 a reporter said merely, " Haven't any statement to make." 
 
 Other newspaper men tried to interview Tyndale, but 
 Worth's lawyer refused to be seen. But there was plenty 
 of "copy," as Playfellow's threat of proceeding against 
 Worth made a sensation that was not anticipated. Meet 
 ings held all over New York, New Jersey, and elsewhere 
 cried as in one voice, "Hodges deserved death, and if 
 Playfellow and his gang of bribers want trouble we will 
 give it to them in large doses." 
 
 It was these people in mass that showed Playfellow 
 and Bethune that the public generally were for Worth 
 up to the price of blood. John, now discussed more than 
 any other man in the country, was on the train, going as 
 fast as he could to his mill at Lake Superior. 
 
 He had said to Lurgan, " I don't know how extensive 
 their 'fire' order is, and I must, at all hazards, protect 
 the barrel factory. I am taking Tony with me and have 
 requested Catherine not to leave this place while I am 
 away. For her safety I have requested Hadley to turn 
 out of the grounds every stranger that he sees." 
 
 Lurgan, who wanted to talk business, said, "How 
 about that oil, John ? " 
 
 "Oh," John replied, smiling, "trust me a bit longer." 
 
 With a tear in his eye, the old man cried, " I trust you 
 always, John, and if you only loved Catherine I should, 
 even in poverty, be the happiest man in America. For 
 you are a man, John, with all that word means." 
 
 John was going to say something, but Tyndale, who 
 had been sent for, entered at the moment and John 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 murmured, "I'll see you before I go." But he had no 
 opportunity for another talk with Lurgan, as Tony came 
 in shortly to say that they had barely time to catch the 
 train. 
 
 "I think you have all my wishes; at any rate I'll be 
 always near a long-distance wire," and, hastily writing a 
 note, he said, " Give this to Willie, and he will attend to 
 the financial matters you mention." 
 
 At the door Lurgan gave John a paper, whispering, 
 "Read that and you'll understand my meaning more 
 clearly." 
 
 John was in a curious mood and his soul was greatly 
 troubled. At the works in Michigan the men found a 
 totally different Worth from the man they had previously 
 known, as now he seemed to possess the spirit of the 
 devil and was hardly ever satisfied with anything or 
 anybody. He was there for several days, and in parting 
 said to Tony: 
 
 " Shoot the first stranger you see back of the mill, and 
 don't sleep a wink until all the barrels are shipped. And 
 only leave here with the last lot; do you understand?" 
 
 "Perfectly, master." 
 
 "And continue to send a man with every train load. 
 I'm going to our own oil property." 
 
 When John got into his power-boat, Tony grieved, for 
 only once before had he seen his master with red eyes, 
 and he wondered what was wrong. 
 
 "I never saw him so excited before," exclaimed Tony 
 to the foreman. "Some devil spirit is eating into him." 
 
 And John's heart was a sea of despair, but, fortu 
 nately perhaps, he had plenty of work to do and soon 
 he was on his own oil fields, superintending the filling of 
 ,the barrels for Europe. When he had arranged things 
 
What Followed the Fire Z53 
 
 there, he went to Texas, always consumed by feelings 
 absolutely remote from his work. He had not even heard 
 from Willie, nor did he once think of him, and Willie, for 
 a time, was in desperate straits, and all because he loved 
 John Worth. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 FORMULA 1506 
 
 THE John Worth Bank building was a brick and stone 
 structure four stories high. The upper floors were occu 
 pied by John Worth; the third floor was filled with 
 draftsmen, whose duties were to put down definitely 
 and accurately on paper the work which he outlined to 
 them. The fourth floor was used entirely for laboratory 
 work, and here was to be found every known apparatus, 
 every chemical, and every reagent used in scientific re 
 search. It was in this room that the liquid to harden 
 copper was made, and it was here that the largely specu 
 lative mind of Worth held full sway. Here he realized 
 that there were no boundaries to science, no beaten roads 
 or paths. He always enjoyed his hours in the laboratory, 
 for they seemed to belong to another world and yet were 
 essentially practical. He was following the bent of his 
 business and was trying to solve, through chemistry, that 
 which would help him forward in the great fight for life. 
 And it was here, too, that Harold Tyndale would often 
 come to watch Worth's experiments. John liked Tyn 
 dale, liked his cryptic, humorous way of putting things, 
 and they had become friends. One day before the fire 
 they had been talking, and John's determined expression 
 interested the lawyer. 
 
 " Why do I look grim, Tyndale, you ask ? I have just 
 discovered something that startles me. I hardly dare 
 
 254 
 
Formula 1506 255 
 
 believe it myself yet, much less speak of it to another. 
 If my deductions are correct, this age of steel is, indeed, 
 at the mercy of a new factor, the existence of which has 
 never been imagined, not even by writers like Verne. 
 I have discovered a mechanico-chemic disease, that, once 
 it has attacked steel or iron in any of their forms, will 
 almost instantly dissipate the inherent strengths of those 
 world-worshiped materials and leave them impotent as 
 the charred semblance of the log which lies in that grate. 
 See! I shall inoculate that old retort. There watch it 
 
 now! 
 
 A drop of fluid from the tip of a glass rod fell into the 
 dingy laboratory implement. But nothing seemed to 
 occur. There it stood, black and red and homely. 
 
 Tyndale turned to Worth questioningly " When?" 
 
 " Touch it, Tyndale." 
 
 Tyndale strode forward and his hand closed upon what 
 still appeared to be the retort, but there was no substance 
 within his grasp. His fingers met, and between them 
 remained only a coating of rust. The iron receptacle 
 had disappeared as a bubble of soap bursts, and where it 
 had stood upon the table there now was only a trace of 
 reddish black powder. 
 
 "Paint the steel columns of a sky-scraper to-night," 
 said Worth, " and to-morrow but a ruin of brick and stone 
 will remain, with not an ounce of iron or steel to be found 
 in the entire heap. I tell you, Tyndale, if this disease, 
 this cohesion-destroying germ, should ever lay hold of 
 this city, there would be a catastrophe beyond descrip 
 tion, and those who had escaped the ruin would never 
 again build with the black metal we have learnt to call 
 wealth. Let it touch one end of a railway line and ties 
 only would be found on the roadbed. It is a terrible 
 
256 The Mechanic 
 
 power of which to be the custodian, so I shall lock for 
 mula No. 1506 here in my strong box." 
 
 "But I, too, have the combination." 
 
 " Yes, Tyndale, but I trust, in event of my death, that 
 you will destroy 1506." 
 
 Stirring scenes and his own excessive work in fighting 
 Playfellow soon drove from Tyndale's mind this great 
 discovery of Worth's. But when he was in his office on 
 Monday morning this liquid demonstration came back 
 to him with startling force, and with a bound he was out 
 of his chair, walking up and down the room like a caged 
 animal. His arms were folded and his head was almost 
 buried in his raised shoulders. Halting at last, he took 
 a key from his desk and in a moment was in the laboratory. 
 
 Going quickly to John's strong box, he easily found 
 formula 1506; his eyes glistened and a smile played upon 
 his strong, Indian-like features. Putting on his hat, he 
 visited three large chemists, and to each he gave a part 
 of the recipe and learned that he could get five gallons 
 of the liquid in six weeks. Then he went back to his 
 office, full of suppressed excitement. 
 
 After attending to his mail and other routine work, he 
 went to Radley's office with a number of letters and said, 
 " The steamship companies will, of course, think now that 
 we will not be able to deliver the oil contracted for, so I 
 have here a notice in writing which I want you to sign. 
 See if my letter states clearly that we hold them to their 
 agreements." 
 
 After reading, Willie answered, "They are all right, 
 and I'll sign and enclose first check on account." 
 
 "But here is a letter for you which Mr. Worth gave 
 me just as he was leaving." 
 
 Breaking the seal, Willie read "Personal," under- 
 
Formula 1506 257 
 
 scored, and, "Give Tyndale checks to hold steamers. 
 I'm going to make the delivery of oil as mentioned in our 
 contracts. John." 
 
 After reading John's letter Willie was more mystified 
 than ever, as he wondered how his friend was going to 
 deliver that which was nominated in the bond deodor 
 ized oil. But he did not voice his thoughts, and Tyndale 
 cried, "He is as deep as the Pacific; but listen to me 
 and I think I'll astonish you." 
 
 Using a map to illustrate his points, Tyndale talked 
 earnestly, going fully into the details of his project. And 
 when the lawyer had finished, his soul on fire with the 
 greatness of Tyndale's scheme, Willie cried: 
 
 "That at any rate is not obscure, and great heavens, 
 how it will surprise them, eh?" Tyndale chuckled and 
 Willie continued, "I like your idea of hitting back and 
 your way of planning ahead, but I like best the liquid's 
 death-like silence. I also think that you will thereby 
 pull us out of a very unpleasant predicament." Again 
 Willie read John's letter, but only to shake his head. 
 
 "I'll have everything in perfect readiness. Did you 
 notice Playfellow's wail for help in this morning's papers, 
 and he has only felt the velvet glove so far. When I 
 deliver this weird blow he will realize what he's up 
 against. Up to the present he has held a monopoly on 
 certain lines," and Tyndale, laughing, continued, "I'll 
 wager he is so encrusted with his own infallibility that 
 he doesn't even think that we contemplate injuring him." 
 
 " If there's a museum in hell, and there must be such 
 a place to divert its denizens, Playfellow will wallow in 
 slime, always an object of great interest and respect to 
 ordinary scoundrels," remarked Willie, vindictively, and 
 then the door closed on Tyndale. 
 
258 The Mechanic 
 
 Radley sat for a time in deep thought, weighing the 
 consequences of the deadly blow which was to be struck 
 at Playfellow. Then calling himself a coward for waver 
 ing, and with Tyndale's strong figure in his mind, he 
 turned to his desk and drafted a letter to the manager of 
 the Midland Bank. This read: 
 
 "What amount of money will you loan on our steel, 
 printing, and copper works ? I attach the statement of 
 earnings of all three. The first two mentioned have, as 
 you will see, made big money. The copper mill has 
 just started, but I draw your attention to the amount that 
 we paid for the property. I also call your earnest atten 
 tion to the report of our manager who gives the quantity 
 of ore in sight and in the dump, which shows clearly that 
 there is a great future for the property. 
 
 " I desire you to consider the matter of a large loan. 
 When you have looked over our securities, I will call 
 and fully explain our needs. Please telephone an 
 appointment." 
 
 Willie looked this over carefully, and was about to ring 
 for his typewriter to transcribe it, when a boy came in 
 with a bit of paper folded at the corner, and said, " A 
 lady to see you, sir." Opening the paper, he saw a name 
 that made his heart beat, for on the paper was written, 
 "Polly." 
 
 "Show the lady in," he ordered; and going towards 
 the door as it was opened, he cried, " I am very glad to 
 see you, Miss Platt, and how are you, anyway ? " 
 
 " I am very well, thank you, Willie." 
 
 After Miss Platt was seated, she said, "What a nice 
 office, and how large and roomy ! I don't suppose you 
 ever do any work, though." 
 
 Willie smiled expansively. " Not much the mahog- 
 
Formula 1506 259 
 
 any, the pictures, and the rug are here merely to house me 
 comfortably and pleasantly for a few hours each day." 
 
 * That's it, I'm sure." Polly laughed nervously. * At 
 any rate, cousin Neil never does anything but smoke." 
 
 In studying his beloved visitor after his first sweeping 
 look, Willie noticed that her gaiety was forced, that her 
 face was very pale, and that she was extremely nervous, 
 and he wondered what was troubling her. As he was 
 very fond of Mrs. Platt, he thought perhaps that she 
 might be ill, and asked, " Every one at home well, Polly ? " 
 Looking at him, with eyes humid with love and entreaty, 
 she answered, "Oh, yes, we are all quite well." Then, 
 her mood changing, as she glared angrily at him for not 
 realizing what her presence meant, she burst out, "You 
 are the stupidest man I know." 
 
 Willie was amazed and, going up to Polly, said, "I 
 am in the dumps and can't quarrel to-day, so tell me, 
 what it is. I see something is wrong and, well, I'm 
 stupid, I suppose." 
 
 Polly noted the deep lines in Willie's face and a hunted 
 look in his eyes, so, changing again, and gazing at him 
 archly from the corner of her eyes, in a bird-like voice 
 she said, " Where is that little book ? " 
 
 " Oh, that is put away," replied Willie, with a flush. 
 
 "But I want to see it," asserted Polly, very firmly. 
 
 Going to his desk, Willie, smiling sadly, found the 
 book and gave it to Polly. 
 
 "But it is sealed up with stamps," she cried, "and I 
 want to see inside." 
 
 " What's the use ? Those stamps are its winding sheet." 
 
 Polly, stamping her foot, exclaimed, "Please break 
 those seals." 
 
 Willie did as requested and gave her the book, which 
 
260 The Mechanic 
 
 she opened at the place where there was a marker. But 
 her eyes did not see that which she sought; instead, in 
 one quick glance, she saw the names of Worth, King, 
 Lurgan, and The Duffer. Opposite each name she saw 
 a row of figures ; a very large row followed the first three, 
 but a small one was attached to The Duffer. 
 
 " This is not the page I want, and who is The Duffer, 
 anyway ? " 
 
 Willie looked across and saw the page. " I don't know, 
 of course, what you want to find in the book, and " 
 
 " I have it. I have it," cried Polly, flaunting the page 
 at W T illie. Look, you have asked me to marry you thirty- 
 three times, Willie ! Willie," and now Polly came closer 
 and looked at him in a way that made him almost suffo 
 cate with happiness, " make it thirty-four ? " 
 
 Looking at her desperately, and with a note of real 
 pain in his voice, he cried, " I love you, dear, but I can't 
 ask you to marry me now. I was rich in those days, or, 
 at any rate, on the road to great wealth; now I'm a beggar, 
 or will be soon." 
 
 The girl, seeing that she was still loved, said archly, 
 "Oh, Willie, make it thirty-four just for fun. I don't 
 like thirty-three; it's such an unlucky number!" Now 
 driving away his gloom, and playing the game that he 
 had often played before, Willie said, " Polly, let's get 
 married this evening!" 
 
 "If you kiss me, I'll consent," answered Polly, putting 
 her hands in his. 
 
 Willie could not resist the red lips and rosy face, so he 
 kissed Polly, not once but many times, and then he said 
 contritely, "I should not have done that, Polly; it was 
 unmanly and unfair." 
 
 * But, Willie, we are engaged now." 
 
Formula 1506 261 
 
 "But that was only play." 
 
 "Oh, but it wasn't, unless, of course, you don't love 
 me." 
 
 "You know I love you, Polly; still, I am not going to 
 hold you to an engagement." 
 
 "Look here, Willie, what is wrong, anyway? You 
 don't seem the least bit natural." 
 
 " Polly, to make you understand, I will trust you with 
 a secret. When John made his speech the other night 
 to his workmen, I said that we had plenty of money ; but 
 as a matter of fact, we are broke. King has no more money, 
 and Lurgan, who has put in more than any one, has 
 reached his end, and of course all John's money is gone. 
 This is the actual situation. Do you see it ? " 
 
 "Yes, dear; but tell me, who is The Duffer?" 
 
 "lam." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Because I own a fifth of this bank and consequently 
 of everything else that John has built, and my earnings 
 have been small compared to others, and hence my 
 assistance to carry on the fight has been merely that of a 
 helper. So I call myself The Duffer." 
 
 " But if you have no more money, how can you carry 
 on the fight ? " 
 
 "Read that"; and Willie gave Polly the letter which 
 he intended sending to the manager of the Midland. 
 
 " Oh, but they will let you have all you want, Willie, 
 so why bother ? " 
 
 "I must tell you more before you will understand. 
 We have already drawn a great quantity of money from 
 this bank, and the securities I am going to offer the Mid 
 land belong as of right to our depositors. Do you see 
 now, Polly ? " 
 
262 The Mechanic 
 
 "I see; and you are doing this for Mr. King, Mr. 
 Lurgan, and John?" 
 
 "No, dear, I am doing it for John only. By helping 
 him, I of course help the others, but naturally I would 
 not put my soul in shame for Lurgan and King." 
 
 "You love John, Willie?" 
 
 "Yes, dear." 
 
 "Above honor?" 
 
 " As you see, above honor." 
 
 Polly walked over to Willie and, putting her cheek 
 against his, said, "What a strong man you are! You 
 seem to be another person to-day, and I like your love 
 for Mr. Worth. Does he know of this this contem 
 plated loan?" 
 
 "No, sweet." 
 
 " But when he finds out, what then ? " 
 
 " If we weather the storm he will never know. If we 
 don't well, take another look in my desk and you'll 
 see that I have thought of that eventuality, too." 
 
 Willie's words made Polly feel cold with fear, for she 
 thought she understood his allusion. Still with her face 
 against his, she said, "You would like the money and 
 honor as well?" 
 
 " Of course, dear, but why dream ? " 
 
 " You know that my mother was a Carpenter ? " 
 
 Not seeing the drift of the remark, Willie answered, 
 "Of course, every one knows that." 
 
 " Then we will be married at once, Willie, and she will 
 give you what you want. I'm afraid she is very, very 
 rich." 
 
 "That's impossible, dear little heart," cried Willie, 
 flushing. 
 
 " I appreciate now why you told me your secret," said 
 
Formula 1506 263 
 
 Polly, softly, "but even if you did this act which you 
 think distasteful" 
 
 " Dishonorable is the right word," broke in Willie. 
 
 "I should still be willing to marry you, for I seem to 
 have found your strong side this morning. Would it not 
 be better every way if you came with me at once and 
 explained matters to mother ? Think before you answer. 
 Come now and there is no ghost to haunt you. I am 
 talking business to you, Willie," and she kissed the white, 
 drawn face of the man, and then added, "I nearly 
 cried my eyes out yesterday after I had read about 
 the fire, and the big frightful headlines of this morning, 
 that the John Worth Bank could not weather the storm 
 and would go broke within the week. Then I saw men 
 tion of those contracts with England and read that besides 
 losing the oil you would have to pay millions in penalties. 
 It was like a horrid dream, and then mother, who likes 
 you, said, 'Be nice to him/ I thought and thought, and 
 here I am proposing to you. Do do come with me, 
 Willie ! Think of the John whom you love, the Catherine 
 whom we all love, and come." 
 
 " I'll go, dear heart, and tell the story to your mother," 
 cried Willie, reaching for his hat, "you are a rare 
 jewel, Polly. But I'm afraid your mother won't like the 
 idea." 
 
 Polly smiled brightly. "Never figure women in your 
 balance sheets, Willie; we are not items." 
 
 " You are fascinating, at any rate, and I want just one 
 more." 
 
 "Only a tiny one." 
 
 Going to the table she picked up the letter to the 
 Midland Bank and tore it up, saying nothing, because 
 she knew after talking with her mother, Willie would 
 
264 The Mechanic 
 
 secure from her all the financial aid he needed. The 
 night before she had confessed her love to her mother, 
 who had answered, " Of course, Polly, I always knew 
 you cared for him. At first I did not quite like 
 the idea, but when Mr. Lurgan told me who he was, 
 and of his manliness and cleverness, and as I also saw 
 that my chick," and the good mother patted Polly's 
 bowed head, " was growing fond of his society, I decided 
 that he was a nice boy. Then one day I heard from 
 your lips that he wasn't coming any more, and I felt 
 sorry. Now, dear, listen to me carefully; we want to 
 help Mr. Lurgan and the Worths in their dire extremity, 
 but it's hard to get at them. They belong to the kind 
 who won't ask for personal assistance ; and, so, go to your 
 Willie this morning and bring him to me. He is fond of 
 John Worth and has as well a business head on his 
 shoulders, and with these to work on, I see a way to help." 
 
 Throwing her arms about her mother, Polly had cried, 
 "You are so good." 
 
 " It's justice, child, and I may be also a trifle affected 
 by the strong, sterling personality of Mr. Snowman"; 
 and Polly's mother smiled and added, "That was the 
 name Percy used when I first met him, and when I heard 
 the whole story and then saw his way of life afterwards, 
 I, too, agreed with my son that he belongs to that class 
 of men who make history, and I also see the strong love 
 for humanity that he possesses," 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 BEFORE noon on Tuesday, Willie was in King's office, 
 and after the usual greeting said, "I have just placed a 
 lot of money to your credit at Lurgan's, and " 
 
 "Has it been raining gold?" interrupted King, in a 
 happy voice. 
 
 " Yes " ; and Willie, in a very joyous mood, looking in 
 fancy with full confidence at John's letter, continued, 
 " I suggest that you buy oil stock a lot of it, and I'll 
 give you the tip when to sell it. How much has it gone 
 up?" 
 
 "Twenty points." 
 
 " I heard you say to John one day that you had brokers 
 who ' leaked.' " King was now looking directly at Willie, 
 with his strong, piercing eyes. "Buy all the shares you 
 can through your regular brokers first. Then give the leaky 
 ones an order. If possible, tell them your whole order." 
 
 King walked to his ticker and, speaking to the instru 
 ment, said in a hushed voice, "Then there is a screw 
 loose in the English and European contracts ? " 
 
 Willie's homely face expanded into a grin as he an 
 swered, " I suspect that there will be several screws tight 
 ened when our oil is delivered." 
 
 With this vague statement he vanished and King began 
 buying oil stock. And as there was plenty of it for sale, 
 he had no difficulty getting all he wanted; then he sent 
 for another firm of brokers and gave them an order. 
 
 265 
 
266 The Mechanic 
 
 In ten minutes Playfellow knew that King was a heavy 
 buyer of his stock, and in the press the following morning 
 it was stated that the King-Lurgan combination were 
 trying to get control of Oil. This item was given to the 
 papers by Playfellow and made his stock very firm. " I 
 see their little game," asserted Playfellow to Bethune, 
 "and one day soon they will be up here to arrange a 
 settlement." 
 
 "Do you suppose," asked Bethune, three weeks later, 
 when Playfellow's stock had gone up to one hundred 
 and fifty, "that they know that you are behind the big 
 European purchases?" 
 
 " As they are dealing through a bank and with regular 
 organized companies, I don't see why they should suspect 
 me, though I admit the publicity these orders have re 
 ceived lately may turn their eyes in my direction. But 
 I don't care now what they know or what they suspect." 
 
 "Still they show most extraordinary means for men 
 that are supposed to be broke ; look at the Meadows, they 
 have a regular beehive of workmen rebuilding. And 
 frankly, Mr. Playfellow, I am amazed at their silence ; for 
 if ever a company was implicated in anything, we are 
 that company. I am thinking of the Hodges confession. 
 I can only attribute their inaction to one cause, and that 
 is, that they mean to retaliate in some terrible manner, 
 so I advise you to look out." 
 
 "Pooh-pooh," answered Playfellow. "They won't 
 bother me, and how can they hurt me, anyway? I tell 
 you that they are broke broke." 
 
 The astute lawyer said no more, but he was infected 
 with the belief, as was every one else, that John Worth 
 would answer the fire by another of greater magnitude. 
 
 The following day the Italian shipment of oil was 
 
To-morrow at Six 267 
 
 started, and the press noted this as if it were a big battle 
 between contending armies. Newspapers all over the 
 country sent special correspondents to Europe to report 
 the opening of the barrels, which was to take place in 
 less than six weeks. 
 
 All of Worth's contracts had been given to the public 
 prints, and it was well known that storage and docks had 
 to be provided by the European concerns. Worth had 
 merely to deliver at Genoa harbor for Italy, Hamburg for 
 Germany and Austria, Cherbourg for France, and Liver 
 pool for England. It was noticed, too, that the prices 
 ran from one dollar and a quarter a barrel to three dollars 
 and a quarter. The great difference in price was ex 
 plained by the fact that in order to meet their agreements 
 the steamship companies had to carry oil on their passen 
 ger ships, and hence the extra charge per barrel. Now 
 that the first consignment had gone forward, all were 
 greatly concerned, because it was well known that the 
 shipped oil had never been near a deodorizing mill, and 
 if it had not been refined it must necessarily be crude 
 oil and not as stipulated in the contracts. 
 
 Playfellow arranged to send experts to each and every 
 port, in addition to those who were to be on the ground 
 to look after the housing of the oil. So far Tyndale had 
 not engaged any one outside of the official examiners, nor 
 did he intend to, as he was satisfied with the men appointed. 
 He did not hear the great, anxious voice of the multitude, 
 for he was working night and day on his own project, 
 which, judging from the deep smile that played upon his 
 features, must have been moving along satisfactorily. 
 
 Two days after the first steamer left New Orelans for 
 Genoa with its load, he called on Willie. " If it is agree 
 able to you, Radley, I'll begin operations. I have every- 
 
268 The Mechanic 
 
 thing in perfect working order. As you know through 
 the Midland Bank, I sent a man to Europe to find out 
 about the companies that we are dealing with, and of 
 course I heard by cable that Playfellow, under cover of 
 Marsh, his London agent, is back of all this. I did not 
 learn anything new, as we suspected all this before; still 
 it was worth finding out positively. But he sent on one 
 bit of information that's important; he learned that the 
 Bank of England has accepted Playfellow's note for a 
 very large amount, with all his pipe lines as part security. 
 Now we can harass Playfellow a good deal by getting 
 busy at once, as immediate action will make the English 
 bank collect its loan now instead of after the oil is deliv 
 ered. And perhaps we will, as well, pull John out of a 
 hole, for I don't see how he can deliver deodorized oil. 
 This last is the important point. We must pull John out 
 of a hole and put Playfellow in one. What do you say ? " 
 
 "You have it," cried Willie, jumping up. "Now is 
 the time, of course. But is everything ready absolutely 
 so?" 
 
 And Tyndale, smiling, made answer, " I am more than 
 satisfied with the men I have secured, and I have located 
 one at each of Oil's important centers. I tell you that 
 it is the most gigantic blow ever aimed at any one. I 
 have tried the liquid and it works to perfection, and now, 
 by God, Playfellow pays, and pays hard." 
 
 "How you hate him, Mr. Tyndale!" 
 
 "Hate him! I can see my little sister's last look 
 before she vanished into the unknown, and by her dead 
 body I swore to be revenged. I was going to shoot, as 
 that is our Western habit, but John Worth said, * That's 
 nothing; not even a momentary pang. My way is best.' 
 So I followed him and have grown to love him and his 
 
To-morrow at Six 269 
 
 relentless method of warfare. I suppose you have sus 
 pected that I killed Hodges. I did that deed and the 
 Oil men know it. I wouldn't have killed him but for 
 Mrs. Worth and little Jo. I foresaw the end of John's 
 speech and realized what he intended doing, so I sent 
 the men at the back of the house away, and they went 
 willingly when I told them why. I hate him and his 
 cursed work!" Tyndale laughed harshly and cried as 
 Jie was at the door, " To-morrow at six." 
 
 When he had gone, Willie thought of his own grievance 
 against Playfellow, and was glad that their retort to the 
 fire was now ready for fulfilment. 
 
 When Tyndale reached his own room he pulled out of 
 a drawer a number of telegrams reading, " To-morrow at 
 six P.M." and, taking them to the telegraph ofice, sent 
 them with a feeling of deep pleasure. 
 
 In the meantime Willie called King on the telephone 
 and said, "Before market closes to-morrow, sell every 
 share of oil stock you possess." 
 
 "What will it be worth to-morrow at closing?" asked 
 King, curiously. 
 
 "Nothing." 
 
 There was a pleasant smile on King's face when he pro 
 ceeded to unload his holdings; then he began to sell short. 
 Willie called on Lurgan and asked if he had any prop 
 erties that would be affected by Oil's smashing up, and 
 the old man answered that he had not, but wished to 
 know what was in the wind. 
 
 " Tyndale and I, in John's absence, have worked up a 
 little event." 
 
 "And that is?" 
 
 "The destruction of all Playfellow's pipe lines." 
 
 "But, Willie, that will take hundreds of men." 
 
270 The Mechanic 
 
 " On the contrary, it will only take twenty." 
 
 The banker showed his great astonishment, and, with 
 wide-open eyes, cried, "Explain." 
 
 "It's perfectly stupendous!" Lurgan gasped after 
 Willie had given him an account of the project. 
 
 The old man sat looking out the window for a time, 
 his mind dazed by the magnitude of the scheme. At 
 last, turning about, he said, " Give me a few more details, 
 I can't grasp it. Willie, where does John's power end ? " 
 
 " I don't know, Governor," answered Radley, solemnly. 
 
 " Does he know what Tyndale is doing with this liquid ? " 
 
 "Not a word. You see, Governor, Playfellow was 
 considerate enough to make my father suffer the slow 
 torture undergone by a man who watches his family 
 starving, so I listened to this scheme, which belongs to 
 Tyndale, with growing affection, if I may put it that way. 
 And the necessary men were ready to his hand, for the 
 burning of our refineries put our people in just the right 
 humor to listen closely to our lawyer. Well, he and 
 Bidding had the twenty men in three days and, as we 
 know all about their pipe lines and pumping stations, it 
 was merely a question of detail, and we are strong on 
 detail in our shop. But it was decided that John should 
 remain in ignorance." 
 
 "I see, and I think you are right; and again, he is 
 overworked. We must ship him off somewhere after 
 that damned oil is delivered. By the way, Willie, who 
 is going to pay for that oil, if it is crude ? " 
 
 "Mrs. Radley." 
 
 " Your mother, Willie ? I did not know she was rich. " 
 
 "My wife, Governor." 
 
 " Willie, you red-headed imp of Satan what do you 
 mean?" 
 
To-morrow at Six 271 
 
 "It's still a secret, for business reasons," asserted 
 Willie. " You see, Neil Mannering thought that it would 
 be a pity to let Playfellow know what he was up against." 
 
 " Willie, I'll throw this chair at you if you don't begin 
 at the beginning." 
 
 "It's Polly, Governor!" 
 
 Rushing to Willie, the old man caught his hand and 
 cried, " You are splendid, and I congratulate you a thou 
 sand times." Lurgan was brimming over with joy, 
 because he saw what the marriage meant to the John 
 Worth Bank and its schemes, so he went on, "I won't 
 tell a soul, Willie; now give me the details." 
 
 " There is so little to tell ; but first I want to thank you 
 for telling Mrs. Platt who I am. I fancy you helped me 
 quite a bit, for family means a lot to those people." 
 
 Flushing with pleasure, Lurgan said, "Don't bother 
 about that little matter. I couldn't do less than put you 
 'right' when I saw that you were in love with Polly. 
 Talk business, Willie." 
 
 " When I told Mrs. Platt how things stood, she called 
 a meeting of the clan and told them that we intended to 
 be married at once. In solemn conclave it was decided 
 that it would never do to make the wedding public, and 
 we were married privately. Then I was put in full 
 control of Polly's fortune, so now you know where the 
 sinews of war are coming from." 
 
 " Then we can pay for that European oil and continue 
 the fight as well. But is that fair to you, Willie ? " 
 
 "Don't, Governor," Willie cried, with moist eyes. 
 "You, King, and John have always put up without a 
 murmur or a look in my direction, and it's my turn now." 
 After a few seconds of silence, he continued, " I gave 
 Tyndale carte blanche as to men, and as he has a head 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 for organization, and is impelled by the right motives, 
 you will see a smash that will make our fire look like a 
 two-spot. And there's no fire in our scheme, Governor, 
 and consequently no loss of life." 
 
 " It's magnificent, Willie. Does King know ? " 
 " I thought perhaps you would like to tell him." 
 "Thanks, Willie, I should. To-morrow at six, you 
 say?" 
 
 "Yes, Governor, orders have gone out." 
 Lurgan watched Willie depart, sure now of his bank 
 and of his fortune, for something in the little man's words 
 told him that great success was coming with the morrow. 
 He remembered with joy that Tyndale's blow carried 
 with it no danger to human life, and so King could say, 
 " Yes yes and what are you going to do about it, 
 anyway ? " 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 ASHES TO ASHES 
 
 AT five o'clock on the fateful evening, Harold Tyndale 
 rode silently out of Jersey City on horseback. An hour 
 later he crossed a low field to a continuous mound which 
 he recognized as the pipe line, and, tethering his horse to 
 a fence, soon had the earth removed from the iron tube 
 that carried Playfellow's oil. Then taking his knife, he 
 carefully scraped the rust and dirt from a small part of 
 the surface. When he had secured a dull shining space 
 an inch square, he uncorked his glass bottle and allowed 
 three drops to fall upon the cleared iron; then corking 
 the bottle carefully, he sat upon the mound to await 
 developments. 
 
 It was still light and he watched the bared iron with 
 intense interest. In a few moments the gloss which he 
 had made turned gray, but no further change was appar 
 ent, and for a moment his heart stood still and he feared 
 that the liquid had undergone some chemical action. 
 Excited by this thought, he picked up a small stone and 
 threw it at the iron pipe, hitting it a few inches from the 
 point at which he had aimed. And what he saw filled 
 his soul with gladness, for the stone apparently was not 
 stopped at all, but went directly through the pipe, shat 
 tering the entire surface which had been uncovered. 
 
 The oil immediately began to flow into the field, and 
 Tyndale, jumping on his horse, rode hard for a half mile, 
 
 273 
 
274 The Mechanic 
 
 in the direction of the North River. Making another 
 cleared surface, he did as before, only now he rapped the 
 iron easily, immediately after pouring a few drops of the 
 liquid upon it, and it broke at once. Then he poured 
 into the aperture the contents of a small bottle. Doubling 
 back on his route, he saw that the pipe line was leak 
 ing in many places, and when he reached the low 
 field it was well covered with oil. Riding hard toward 
 the west, he tapped the line again and then made a long 
 stretch to a pumping station. Going beyond this a half 
 mile, he gave the pipe line an application and, after 
 resting his animal, rode eastward, arriving in New York 
 on one of the early morning boats. Reaching his apart 
 ment, he tubbed, breakfasted, and then went to his office. 
 
 Sleep was beyond him, as his whole system was held 
 alert with his terrible revenge. The others interested, 
 Lurgan, King, and Radley, had not slept, and very early 
 all were at the bank to hear from Tyndale's own lips his 
 story of the night. And when he had told it, he said, 
 " Now allow your minds to dwell upon this calamity, and 
 also the added disasters to follow, for in less than a week 
 Playfellow will also have on his hands a great many 
 damage suits, since the oil will spread everywhere." 
 
 For a time no word was spoken. They were not think 
 ing of the deep-eyed Tyndale and his merciless passion 
 for vengeance, for their minds were turned for the first time 
 to the awful destructive potentiality which John's force 
 germ possessed. They speculated no further than the de 
 stroyed pipe lines, however; they were yet to hear of the 
 crumbling pumping stations and iron tanks where Play 
 fellow stored his oil, for the force germ went with the oil 
 and it disintegrated all iron with which it came in contact. 
 
 After a few moments of deep silence, King said, "It 
 
Ashes to Ashes 275 
 
 will be very interesting to follow what the wise ones have 
 to say, so I hope, merely for my own personal amusement, 
 that none of our men are discovered." 
 
 "All the men on this work have been selected with 
 great care by Bidding, who is very clever, and remember, 
 they leave no trail behind, for the overflowing oil will 
 eradicate their first work of removing the earth," answered 
 Tyndale, in a voice that carried conviction. " The effect 
 of to-night's work will be partially lost if the mystery is 
 removed, and I have taken every precaution ; at any rate, 
 I feel convinced that my part will not be known nor 
 will our men be discovered in any act, as time and place 
 were chosen to suit each individual. Oh, what a joy it 
 was to chart the routes and select the spots ! Of course, I 
 stand ready to confess it as all mine, but I hope that will 
 not be necessary. It is the silent things that hurt, and 
 to-day Playfellow's soul begins its fight with hell, or I am 
 very much mistaken." 
 
 Lurgan, liking Tyndale's intention to assume all blame, 
 said, " If it comes out we shall assume responsibility as 
 an institution. What do you say, Jim ? " 
 
 "That's right," replied King, firmly. 
 
 "You can't have all the honor, Tyndale, as the John 
 Worth Bank pays the men you engaged," asserted Willie, 
 with a smile, "and this bank will never abandon its 
 recently adopted motto of * Taking care of its own." 3 
 
 Tyndale, smiling, voiced his thanks and, after a mo 
 ment, exclaimed, "It's the most wonderful and deadly 
 germ ever discovered, and it is going to stump the scientific 
 people, for of course Playfellow will try to find out what 
 power has destroyed his works. But the liquid will 
 balk investigation, for it leaves no trace other than a 
 substance which looks like ashes. But what I like best 
 
276 The Mechanic 
 
 about this blow is its mysterious side, for those who are 
 asked by Playfellow what it is, can only answer by a 
 shake of the head." 
 
 "How long will it take the others to do their part," 
 asked King. 
 
 " I had each one take up a district which he could cover 
 in six hours, and at this moment each ought to be traveling 
 toward New York." 
 
 "Suppose," said Lurgan, looking at King, "that we 
 meet here at four this afternoon." Then addressing 
 Tyndale, " You will have some information by that time ? " 
 
 "Yes; I shall have heard from all before that." 
 
 King and Lurgan walked toward Wall Street ; after they 
 had gone some distance in silence, Lurgan exclaimed, 
 "It's magnificent, Jim!" 
 
 "I find the manufacturing business extremely inter 
 esting and exciting. I thought at one time that Wall 
 Street and racing included everything blood-stirring, but 
 I was wrong, it would seem." 
 
 " You see what the force-germ is going to do for us, as, 
 frankly, I did not like the idea of going broke ? " 
 
 " I see that side too, and of course, I'm rather pleased 
 this morning that I don't have to worry about my funeral 
 expenses." 
 
 " But say, Jim, what do you make of John in connection 
 with the European contracts? Look at the water front 
 this minute; it's choked with barrels ready for shipment. 
 I confess I'm at a loss." 
 
 "You will remember that I once told you that I did 
 not always understand John," and here King smiled 
 reminiscently, " and I do not pretend to understand him 
 now. But I'll put up my best horse against a dinner 
 that he delivers deodorized oil." 
 
Ashes to Ashes 277 
 
 With surprise, Lurgan cried, " But, Jim, how can he ? " 
 
 "Look at the power of that liquid that Tyndale knew 
 about. How do you or I know but what John possesses 
 another * something ' that can do the work of the mill ? " 
 
 "That's so," murmured Lurgan, and the old man 
 walked on in silence for a bit. He was thinking deeply; 
 his strong, red face and brown eyes were aglow with 
 the surging thoughts that thronged his subtle brain. 
 Turning to King he said, " I love him love him as 
 much as I do Catherine." 
 
 King, finding Lurgan's hand with his, squeezed it. 
 " We are two lucky old men, for he is neither trickster 
 nor charlatan and he will carry us to honored graves." 
 
 "And he doesn't know how to quit; just doesn't know 
 how," Lurgan laughed joyously. 
 
 The two men then and there resigned their fate, as 
 they had their wealth, to John Worth. At the corner of 
 the street, where they separated, King said, "They," 
 meaning Oil, " must be getting wise by now ? " 
 
 " Or foolish ! " cried Lurgan. 
 
 In the Oil Building, even at this early hour, for it was 
 shortly after nine o'clock, every one was more or less 
 stunned; the manager of their Jersey works had come 
 over to tell his distressing story. At daylight he had 
 been sent for by the night watch, and when he arrived at 
 the works, he found all the machinery in ashes and the 
 yards and roads awash with oil. Going at once to the 
 immense tanks, he saw a round hole in the earth where 
 they had been buried, and in some cases the oil slowly 
 percolating into the ground. Rather dazed he went back 
 to the refinery, only to find that it was all too true every 
 bit of machinery had dissolved. 
 
 He followed the pipe line for a mile or two and found 
 
278 The Mechanic 
 
 that it, too, was gone, and then he said to the gaping men 
 who had followed him, " I'll go over to the Oil Building, 
 for they couldn't understand this story if telephoned." 
 
 Shortly afterward he was in Playfellow's large office 
 building recounting to a secretary what had happened. 
 The man at first merely smiled, concluding that the man 
 ager was off his head from some liquid other than oil. 
 But a call on the telephone from Pittsburg, followed 
 by much the same story, made the secretary more 
 considerate, so that when Playfellow arrived, the man 
 ager was at once ushered into the august presence, and 
 again told what he had seen. Almost immediately, tele 
 phone messages telling the same story in other words, 
 came in from Syracuse and Boston, and Playfellow felt 
 a great terror taking possession of him, and said to his 
 Jersey manager, "I'll go with you at once and look at 
 this myself, for it's impossible to believe everything you 
 tell me. There must be some mistake." 
 
 " I wish, sir, I were dreaming ; but it's too true, I assure 
 you." 
 
 They departed in a tug for Jersey City. In less than 
 an hour Playfellow saw the destruction, not only of his 
 works, but of the oil tanks and pipe lines, and when these 
 startling facts reached a common center in his brain and 
 diffused a definite thought as to his great property else 
 where, he grew cold and palsied. "Take me back to 
 New York," he cried hoarsely. When he reached his 
 office he found Bethune, Whitehead, and others in his 
 room, all discussing the awful catastrophe. It was now 
 known, by telephone and telegrams, that every tank, pipe 
 line, and pumping station had suffered the same mysterious 
 blight. 
 
 When these facts were communicated to Playfellow he 
 
Ashes to Ashes 279 
 
 fell weakly into his chair and mopped the perspiration 
 from his brow. In a few minutes he recovered himself 
 and rose. " Who will deliver this fellow Worth to me so 
 that I may kill him ? " he hissed. The humor of his ques 
 tion did not strike him, but wily Bethune turned around 
 and smiled at the wall. 
 
 Playfellow, becoming more excited, cried, " It was he 
 who did this," and his eyes issued a challenge to those 
 about him, but no one answered; and then he went on, 
 "Bethune, write telegrams at once to all our companies 
 to arrest those pipe breakers and I will sign them." And 
 to the Jersey manager he said, "I have been betrayed. 
 Notwithstanding what the night watchmen say, I believe 
 acid has been poured on all our machinery, and of course 
 their silence has been bought. Now hurry back to the 
 works and arrest our men, and notify the police as well. 
 We must find these miscreants." 
 
 The telegrams were sent, and Pentner, the manager, 
 departed; not, however, to swear out warrants against his 
 own men, for he believed their story, as he also believed 
 that other story that was insinuating itself into the souls 
 of many, that John Worth was not altogether human. 
 For had he not met Hiram Bidding the night before at 
 the union on a discussion of wages, and afterwards had 
 not Bidding said in his New England way, "I tell you 
 what, Pentner, he is not of our stuff, no, not of the same 
 material. Now, frankly, we wanted to burn your place, 
 just to show there wasn't any hard feelings, but he didn't 
 cotton to that notion. Said it was old, or something like 
 that, and then he wouldn't talk any more; just smiled 
 pleasantly, but somehow I felt relieved when I saw him 
 smile, and I told the other boys not to worry, for John 
 would fix things a new way, and I calculate he will one 
 
280 The Mechanic 
 
 day soon yes, that's how I sensed it and it wouldn't 
 surprise me a bit to wake up some morning and find your 
 works gone, and without there being a fire either. Just 
 gone, is how I figure it. I tell you what, he is not alto 
 gether of this world. When he wants machinery to do a 
 bit of work, why, he gets it out of his head ; but those are 
 little things. 
 
 "Look at steel, copper, and oil, the world's greatest 
 products, all his. Aye, Pentner, if I were you I'd quit 
 Playfellow, for he and all his works are doomed. How 
 do I know ? I don't know, but I feel it, as all the others 
 do; we are sure that Playfellow has run his cursed 
 course." 
 
 Pentner hurried to Jersey, firm in the belief that, with 
 the aid of some invisible power, Worth had crushed Oil 
 by one staggering blow. Questioning all the night watch 
 only made Bidding's words stand out in greater relief, 
 for the men said in tones that could not be doubted, 
 "No one was here, not a living soul, but ourselves." 
 When Pentner was called on the telephone at one o'clock 
 to give an account of his work since morning, he answered, 
 " I have notified the police and they are investigating. 
 I have not sworn out warrants against our men, because 
 I believe their story; if you find anything wrong in this 
 statement I am willing to quit now." 
 
 "Hold the wire," the secretary replied, and going to 
 Playfellow he reported what Pentner had said, and Play 
 fellow, flushing angrily, cried, "Discharge the fellow at 
 once." 
 
 Later in the day Pentner went to Bidding and said, 
 "I'm bounced. Can I get connected with Worth, for 
 you know I'm pretty well up on oil and its by-products ? " 
 
 Bidding, knowing that Pentner would sooner or later 
 
Ashes to Ashes 281 
 
 find out about the men sent out by Tyndale, replied, " I 
 will see Radley to-day and, though I can't promise, yet 
 I sort o' think you will be on our pay-rolls to-morrow." 
 
 This dismissal of Pentner received the attention of the 
 newspapers with the news of the destruction of Play 
 fellow's Jersey property, for when he was discharged 
 there were many reporters viewing the havoc, and one of 
 them interviewed him. What Bidding had said about 
 John was featured and went the round of the press, and 
 the keynote of this particular story was superstition. 
 
 When Lurgan and King arrived at the John Worth 
 Bank at four o'clock the papers did not have the complete 
 story of the wreck; that was to come later. Both of 
 John's partners were anxious to hear the inside facts, 
 and when they were seated in the board room, which 
 was also Willie's office, Tyndale was sent for and at 
 once he began to read his cypher messages. After these 
 were all explained, Lurgan cried, "Do I understand 
 that everything came off without a hitch ? " 
 
 "No hitch anywhere, and all gone to ashes," replied 
 Tyndale, with a smile. "It's beautiful and very satis 
 factory. Oh, yes, Mr. Bethune called this afternoon for 
 the amiable purpose of telling me that he was going to 
 bring an action for millions against Worth, and would I, as 
 Worth was absent, accept service. It was wholly undig 
 nified and unprofessional, but I had to laugh at him, and 
 I am afraid I annoyed him greatly by looking at his 
 proposed action as a joke." 
 
 King, who was afraid of the law, said, " But isn't that 
 serious ? " 
 
 " Not at all. I showed the clever Bethune very clearly 
 that, by evidence in our possession, we could put Play 
 fellow behind the bars for life. I also intimated that we 
 
282 The Mechanic 
 
 could end his own career as a lawyer. Playfellow is just 
 rattled and excited. It is his first knockout blow and he 
 doesn't like it. Of course you know," addressing Mr. 
 King, "that my work has mainly been to follow up the 
 Pike diary, and through it I can prove that Playfellow is 
 the greatest scoundrel that ever lived." 
 
 When Bethune had told Playfellow of his talk with 
 Tyndale, the old man protested, "But I always worked 
 for the good of the country, and in doing my appointed 
 tasks, which were always approved by the Almighty, I 
 had to do things that common mortals didn't understand ! " 
 
 Bethune smarted from the sneer in Tyndale's words, 
 and when he had said, "And you look out, also, Mr. 
 Bethune, as we are powerful enough to have the bar 
 association look into the Utah land deal and how the 
 squatters were sworn or not sworn, whichever you like 
 best." Though very clever, Bethune was a coward and 
 he had made no retort to Tyndale. Now looking at 
 Playfellow he said impressively, "If you insist on an 
 action, you must get some one else." 
 
 "I have summoned three experts to meet me here at 
 five," Playfellow replied quietly, " and they are here now. 
 Come and hear what they have to say, and afterwards 
 we can reach a decision." 
 
 "Well, gentlemen, what have you made of it?" ner 
 vously asked the man of Oil on entering the board-room, 
 where Professors Stevens and Emerson, and Charles 
 Graub, the iron expert, were awaiting him. 
 
 "Mystery!" answered Graub. "Every pound of iron 
 is gone from the whole system and nothing left but dirt 
 tunnels where the pipes ran. Tanks, too. Read these 
 telegrams which your secretary gave me." 
 
 " Yes, and my private ones are the same ! It's awful, 
 
Ashes to Ashes 283 
 
 awful ! It cannot be nature or God," he added fear 
 fully. " He wouldn't do that to me. What an unmerited 
 blow ! What do you make of it, Professor Stevens ? " 
 
 "My colleague and I cannot agree, Mr. Playfellow. 
 The specimens of earth that we have been permitted to 
 examine show strong traces of iron salts and a great deal 
 of carbon, but in weight they are far below that of the 
 iron that Professor Emerson believes them to have ab 
 sorbed. On the other hand, the escaped oil is reddish in 
 color and gives clearly an iron reaction, which confirms 
 me in the theory that some sudden change in the earth's 
 oil pockets has given the oil a corrosive property which, 
 coupled with an appetite for the resulting product, has 
 annihilated your pipe lines." 
 
 " Yes yes ; but surely such a change would be uni 
 versal, and not a single pipe of the Independent Kansas 
 system has been touched. No, it isn't nature; I know it's 
 an enemy." 
 
 " But, my dear Mr. Playfellow, there is no known sub 
 stance, no force within all the range of the knowledge of 
 man, that could be used to work such havoc. My con 
 frere, Professor Stevens, has defined his theory, with 
 which I disagree, but has not fully set forth mine, which 
 I must now hesitate to give, if you are correctly informed 
 regarding the immunity of the Kansas lines." 
 
 "Yes, Professor Emerson, my information is correct 
 and, moreover, I have reason to believe that every foot 
 of Independent pipe line in the country has been spared, 
 while every inch of mine is gone. It is terrible ter 
 rible ! There is but one who would adopt such a desperate 
 revenge. Worth would, had he the power!" 
 
 "But, Mr. Playfellow," cried Graub, "he is a strange 
 man and master of many secrets. We, of the steel busi- 
 
284 The Mechanic 
 
 ness have found that out. Watch him. I say he is the 
 very devil in handling metals." 
 
 "This is all very well, gentlemen, but you haven't 
 told me how I am to get my pipe lines back, nor how I 
 am to save the ocean of oil that has flooded the country. 
 As a matter of fact, not a single scientist consulted this 
 day has been able to suggest anything of the slightest 
 value to me. Good day, gentlemen. By the way, when 
 you go out, please say that I grieve deeply for the poor 
 who must suffer because of the forced closing of our 
 works. The public will now see to what length un 
 scrupulous business methods are carried against our 
 company." 
 
 When they had departed, Bethune said, " You see how 
 futile it would be to begin a lawsuit, and if my opinion is 
 worth anything, I urge strongly that you abandon that 
 idea." 
 
 But Playfellow only shook his head, as he still felt 
 that some one would be captured who could bring home 
 the destruction of his property to John Worth, and he 
 remained at his office until late, hoping to receive word 
 from some one of his numerous subsidiary companies 
 that they had discovered a pipe wrecker. But the hours 
 wore on, bringing nothing but the tale of disaster, told 
 even more definitely. 
 
 The following morning the newspapers had the com 
 plete story of the dissolution, and the public marveled as 
 it read, for beyond the bare story of the utter annihi 
 lation, nothing was known. Many journals contained 
 interviews with scientific men, but out of the ocean of 
 words nothing was gained, for nothing definite was placed 
 alongside of the word destruction made reality. And 
 now the people read what Pentner had said, and the name 
 
Ashes to Ashes 285 
 
 of John Worth was in every paper and each wrote in its 
 own way of his wonderful attainments. They all knew, 
 however, that Worth was in Texas, busy shipping oil to 
 Europe, and apparently had no more to do with the wiping 
 out of Playfellow's property than any man in the Street. 
 Surely it was a strange and appalling situation, and 
 perhaps it was little wonder that the people were dis 
 turbed. Every element of mystery seemed to exist in 
 the situation, as every one appeared satisfied that some 
 means beyond the ordinary had been employed. 
 
 By evening, a discussion such as had never been known 
 before was precipitated; it revolved in small circles at 
 first, and afterwards extended until it embraced the nation, 
 and out of it rose the name of Worth, endued with un 
 known powers. The gist of it was, "He has suffered 
 through these people; they robbed him of father, mother, 
 and uncle, and then they burnt his mills and his people. 
 He is now retaliating, and on the morrow of some day, 
 he will reach out for others that kill and bribe, for did he 
 not promise such reward ? " 
 
 As well as their awe for his infallibility, for that is the 
 word which was used in connection with his name, men 
 gave him their esteem for his character, because, without 
 the ability to bring it about, they had always looked 
 forward to the cleanliness which he was now introduc 
 ing into the business world. 
 
 During this period, so short in hours, Playfellow learned 
 that his little brief authority had passed and gone. No 
 more sanctimonious appeal to and verbose patronage of 
 God would be tolerated, while he was starving thousands 
 and ruining countless industries. The great Money-King 
 of America had been deposed. He had been made to 
 realize how weakly human he was when brought face to 
 
286 The Mechanic 
 
 face with powers beyond his ken, and this feeling was 
 even more strongly forced home to him by a cable from 
 Marsh, which read, " Bank served notice to-day would 
 foreclose in three days if notes were not paid." 
 
 On receipt of this cablegram, Playfellow saw a number 
 of bank managers, but they all refused to aid him with a 
 loan now that his pipe lines were destroyed. It was a 
 situation that was indeed desperate. To Bethune he 
 said, " We must raise the money somehow, as we can pay 
 it all back in ten days when Worth's oil is opened." 
 Bethune answered that he would try, but his efforts were 
 unavailing. 
 
 Two of the three days had passed when Willie heard 
 of Playfellow's attempt to provide funds to meet the note. 
 He jumped into a cab and in a few moments was closeted 
 with Neil Mannering, who finally said, "It's a bet on 
 John's ability on your part, as of course the Midland 
 doesn't stand to lose anything. I'll tell Low to buy the 
 notes through the Island Bank. But are you right ? " 
 
 " Absolutely. Listen. John shipped east a lot of that 
 cleansing water for no other purpose than to wash the 
 new barrels he bought on the outside. Now," and here 
 Willie read again John's letter which had come through 
 Tyndale, "he undoubtedly has a way of painting, if I 
 may so express it, each barrel, and this paint deodorizes 
 the oil. He is altogether too clever a man not to say 
 beaten, if he were beaten. He wouldn't mislead us and 
 so I am positively certain that he will deliver that which 
 the contracts call for, and I want those notes so as to drive 
 Playfellow to the wall. I haven't forgotten what he did 
 to my father and John, and I also want all the property 
 that the notes cover, for Playfellow has put up everything 
 he owns both here and in Europe." 
 
Ashes to Ashes 287 
 
 "All right, Willie, go ahead; I'll telephone Low to 
 attend to the details, and the notes ought to be in our 
 possession within an hour or two." 
 
 Strangely elated, Willie went back to his bank and told 
 Tyndale what he had done, and then he said, " Will you 
 go to Europe ? " 
 
 "No, Radley, my work is about through, and this is 
 only a large detail matter anyway. Send Nichols; he is 
 young, clever, and a hard worker." 
 
 " All right, post him in his duties ; but say, what do you 
 think of it?" 
 
 "It's great, and I'll watch with pleasure how you 
 pound him, for I'm sure, after the force-germ episode, 
 that John knows his business and that he will deliver to 
 my friend, Mr. Playfellow, the oil that he wanted so 
 badly." Tyndale laughed harshly and then added, 
 " With those notes he gets it from all sides. It's a lovely 
 business situation, full of human possibilities, and I 
 think, Radley, that you're good at driving." 
 
CHAPTER XXVI 
 
 CUPS OF GOLD 
 
 TUESDAY Lurgan received a telegram from John dated 
 Galveston, which made it necessary for him to do con 
 siderable hustling to comply with its orders. The mes 
 sage read, "The Eddy broken down; secure Cunarder. 
 Also see Cassman about running barrels from South 
 passenger time." Knowing how important the matter 
 was, Lurgan went to the cable office and arranged to 
 connect with the Cunard Company in Liverpool through 
 their New York agents. Then going to Orchid Brothers, 
 the representative of the Cunard Company, he told them 
 what he had done and what he wanted. 
 
 In answer, the senior member of the firm exclaimed, 
 " But that's our new turbine vessel, the greyhound of the 
 seas." 
 
 "That's why I want her, and I'll pay you any price 
 you ask." 
 
 "Of course. Mr. Lurgan, we are hauling a great deal 
 of that oil and, like every one else, we are excited as to 
 the opening of the barrels, so I will do what I can for 
 you. How long will it take the cable people to arrange 
 their connections ? " 
 
 " They said twenty minutes." 
 
 "You are certainly in a hurry," answered Orchid, 
 smiling. 
 
 Two hours later Lurgan had secured the Turbina, and 
 
 288 
 
Cups of Gold 289 
 
 then he called up Cassman and put the matter before 
 him. 
 
 " I am anxious to place our road right in Worth's eyes," 
 replied Cassman, "and you may depend on me to have 
 that oil on our North River docks by Saturday evening. 
 I suggest that you place the Turbina in one of our slips, 
 to facilitate loading. I'll have the first train here by 
 day after to-morrow, and then they will arrive every hour 
 until the oil is all in New York. How is that ? " 
 
 " Splendid splendid." 
 
 "Have your oil men ready to load the vessel and she 
 will get off in plenty of time to make your contract good. 
 
 Lurgan telegraphed John what he had accomplished, 
 and was in great good humor when he saw Willie, and to 
 him he said with lively satisfaction, "It takes the old 
 men to do things, after all." 
 
 "Right you are, Governor," replied Willie, smiling 
 fondly at the banker. 
 
 On Saturday there was great excitement about the 
 docks, and every one was watching the loading of the 
 giant Turbina, whose captain had told John not to rush 
 as he could make Liverpool in less than five days. And 
 when the vessel backed out into North River and 
 started majestically on her course, she was wished success 
 by a great cheer and by the whistle of every boat in the 
 harbor. 
 
 At the end of the dock, John saw the vessel disappear 
 and then strode toward the train shed. He had arrived 
 in the city with the last load of oil, and was met by 
 Willie, who, after seeing him, had very little to say. 
 John's appearance recalled to him his friend's look when 
 they had met at The Frenchman, where Tony was told to 
 clean the East side of Playfellow's sleuths. 
 
290 The Mechanic 
 
 Suspecting that John was worried about European oil, 
 Willie said, " I have plenty of money at hand, old chap ; 
 so don't let the thing trouble you." 
 
 Passing his hand over his brow, John smiled sadly and 
 answered, " Oh, the oil is deodorized all right, Willie." 
 
 Then, after shaking hands with Lurgan and King, he 
 hurried to the Newark local, and still Willie was at a loss 
 to explain the trouble. He was very glad to hear 
 definitely that the oil would meet the requirements, but 
 he was bothered about John. He spoke of it to Lurgan 
 and King, but they could give no explanation. 
 
 When John neared his home, he saw Catherine and Jo 
 coming to meet him, and was overcome with a feeling of 
 abject shame at meeting his wife. Catherine, who had 
 not heard from her husband for two weeks, had wondered 
 at his failure to write, but had attributed his silence to 
 constant work. The papers had reported him as toiling 
 night and day. Now, as she saw him, her heart was 
 struck with fear, for his eyes looked at her with a strange, 
 wild stare. 
 
 When they were alone in her bedchamber, he remarked, 
 with great restraint, "I'm afraid I haven't always been 
 kind to you, Catherine, and I'm very sorry." 
 
 "But, John, you have been kindness itself! What 
 is wrong ? " 
 
 " I married you, dear, to hurt your father," he answered, 
 " and it only came home to me a few days ago how cow 
 ardly I was. For you don't fashion well with the word 
 * revenge,' and see what I have done for you." 
 
 Taking a slip of paper from his pocket he read to her 
 a paragraph, stating that John Worth had taken Miss 
 Lurgan to a hotel, where they had remained together for 
 the two days before Dr. Sawyer married them. 
 
Cups of Gold 291 
 
 Seeing the look of blank hopelessness on her husband's 
 face, Catherine cried, " John John ! Dr. Sawyer nailed 
 that lie in a sermon wherein he set forth the truth. I 
 heard from Polly that the story was started by the Play 
 fellows. Believe me, that wicked story is dead and it 
 did not hurt me anyway." Still seeing his misery, she 
 went on, "Dr. Sawyer told me the day before we were 
 married that you didn't love me; in fact, he hinted about 
 the revenge of which you speak. But I loved you, John, 
 and I knew you loved me, so that began and ended the 
 matter for me." 
 
 John shook his head and cried, "Catherine, you are a 
 noble girl, but your words humiliate me, as I did marry 
 you for revenge. And lately, when your father spoke to 
 me about my not loving you, my reply was cut short on 
 account of Tyndale's coming into the room. Then I 
 received that paper and my life has been a hell ever since. 
 For the lie brought home to me how basely I had treated 
 you." 
 
 " But you gave me my honor, John." 
 
 "That has nothing to do with it." 
 
 " But it has ! Don't you see that making me holy was 
 hardly an act to put beside revenge ? What is it, John ? 
 You haven't yet laid bare your heart, or what's troubling 
 you ? " 
 
 With knitted brow Catherine looked at her husband, 
 trying to pierce his soul, for she laid no weight upon the 
 revenge idea. Long ago she had settled that, and her 
 confidence had never since been betrayed or alarmed by 
 a suspicious thought, and yet here was the man of her 
 soul looking at her hungrily. Her thoughts went back 
 to the day of her wedding, and quickly spanned the years, 
 but she could see no shadow or act that would help her 
 
The Mechanic 
 
 toward a solution ; all was clear as a bright summer's day. 
 John had worked too hard, perhaps; was it that? But 
 no, there was the stalwart form, robust and strong, 
 obviously waiting for condemnation. The burning 
 thought in Catherine's brain was, "How can I bring 
 him rest from this nightmare this weird ghost that is 
 tormenting him ? " 
 
 John broke into her thoughts by saying, "Come, 
 Catherine, give me straight words, for you well know that 
 I haven't been honest with you. Dr. Sawyer did not tell 
 you all. Haven't you wondered why he has never come 
 to our house ? Listen. He told me that he would never 
 take me by the hand if I insisted upon marrying you for 
 revenge, and I could not gainsay his words nor did I 
 hesitate in marrying. Come, come, Catherine, you know 
 I acted the part of a coward." 
 
 As he spoke, a ray of light came to Catherine, and she 
 answered : 
 
 "Let us go back. You know when you kissed your 
 'picture,' John, and then you kissed me again, and 
 I realized that you were lord of my soul, and that," 
 and Catherine's face took on a rosier hue, " I was life of 
 your life to you. I realized by many, so many of your 
 acts, that I was your ideal of womanhood. Many times 
 at night when you thought I was asleep you have kissed 
 your * picture,' and your shoulder has always been my 
 pillow. Often you have drawn me to you with those 
 strong arms of yours, and my heart has overflowed with 
 great joy. I have said, ' God is good to give me so much 
 love.' Then came the big business enterprises, and at 
 night you would tell me of your hopes, and in your hopes 
 I read your love for others for those who worked hard 
 for their living wage and I would say, ' God is good to 
 
Cups of Gold 293 
 
 give me such a man.' Then came the steel suit, and 
 afterwards, when father relented, and you, keeping my 
 wish ever before you, drew him back to the road of 
 strong men, I cried, 'God is indeed good to me.' Then 
 came the little amber-colored pool and our promise to 
 keep its secret for Jo, that he might use it as a lever for 
 those who could not struggle themselves, and again I said, 
 ' God is good.' 
 
 " Beyond all things I prize our walks in the great woods 
 by the little pool, for there you would carry me over the 
 rough spots, and at night, when I rested beside you in the 
 grim silence, I could fully grasp the beauty of your love. 
 To please you I went into society, and liked it only 
 because you found in my dresses so many pictures to 
 wonder at lovingly. And always, always, I said, ' God is 
 good to give me so much love.' " 
 
 Looking at the loved face, Catherine saw the eyes 
 become clear and the hopeless expression give way to 
 one of wonder, and she realized that she was opening 
 her way through John's brain to his heart, and she con 
 tinued, "And when Jo came, I was the very happiest 
 woman in the world, as I have been since and always 
 will be. You are so true, John, and your love is so strong ! 
 To me you are the symbol of love, as to your men you are 
 the symbol of hope. 
 
 "When I thought of what good old Dr. Sawyer said, 
 I smiled because in my heart there was another, yours, and 
 in yours I see mine," and Catherine, twining her arms 
 about John's neck, and gazing into his soul, cried, " You 
 owe the doctor an apology for telling a story, for you loved 
 me then, John, as madly as I loved you." Her lips touched 
 his and she whispered, " You know it now, don't you ? " 
 
 And he crushed her to him, saying, "That's it; I love 
 
294 The Mechanic 
 
 you so madly, Catherine, that I was afraid, from what 
 your father said, that " 
 
 "That I had complained, not by words, but by little 
 things, eh?" 
 
 " God is good to me, too, dear," he exclaimed, kissing 
 her again and again. 
 
 " John, I have often been amused at father's watching 
 your every act at home. He does not know, dear, how 
 reserved you are before others, and I could not lay bare 
 to him that your treatment of me " and Catherine 
 stopped and thought for a moment, till, with his eyes on 
 hers, she continued, "was so holy that I still think of 
 myself as a virgin." 
 
 "You are one, my love." 
 
 "It is that which makes life so beautiful." 
 
 And John pressed his wife to him and said, " You are 
 a wonderful flower, and it's new life to my soul that you 
 won't see the ugly mind that tried to warp a heart that 
 has always loved you. I suppose I thought too much of 
 my wrongs, but that is all past now. That is, the disease 
 of the mind has passed, for it only dawned on my thinking 
 brain on my last trip how precious you were to me, and 
 that in you I possessed the magic of the world. I shall 
 drop in on Dr. Sawyer to-morrow," laughed John, " and, 
 after confession, I'll ask him to dinner." 
 
 Later, when they went downstairs to find Jo and his 
 grandfather, to satisfy the old man, John picked his wife 
 up and kissed her lovingly. Lurgan started and an 
 astonished smile broke over his face. Catherine, blush 
 ing, went to her father and whispered, " He has loved me 
 always, father." 
 
 Later, after explaining the circumstances, Lurgan said 
 to King, "I am an old fool." 
 
Cups of Gold 295 
 
 " He is a quaint kind of devil, and she is wholly lovable," 
 answered King. 
 
 When John reached his office the next day, Willie saw 
 again the man he knew and loved, and John's happy 
 blue eyes made him say, "What was wrong with you 
 yesterday ? " 
 
 " Sleeplessness, I suppose. At any rate, it was good to 
 get home; but say, Willie, what is this I hear about you 
 and Polly?" 
 
 After that story was told they began to talk business, 
 and it was planned that Independent refineries were to 
 be established in nine of the large cities of America, and 
 six in Europe. As he departed, John said, " When you 
 have the figures ready, call a meeting and we will talk 
 this matter over with Lurgan and King." 
 
 Tyndale was entering the building as John went out. 
 And he afterwards confessed to Willie that he was 
 horribly afraid until John said pleasantly, "It came up 
 to your expectations, perhaps ? " 
 
 "Realized every wish!" responded Tyndale, gaily. 
 
 When barrel day came around, Playfellow was in his 
 office, and with him were his numerous retainers. All 
 were anxious over the outcome, though each was bolstering 
 up his courage with words. The belief of the man on the 
 street, that John Worth was delivering deodorized oil, 
 had somehow permeated the brain of each and would 
 not be gainsaid. And soon the cables began to deliver 
 their messages, and all told of deodorized oil as per con 
 tract. They varied only in wording and, with the last 
 one, Playfellow knew that he was broken. But the worst 
 blow came the following morning in a letter from the 
 John Worth Bank, which stated that they held his note 
 and that if it were not paid in three days they would 
 
296 The Mechanic 
 
 foreclose. After a sleepless, haunted night, this seemed 
 to break Playfellow absolutely. His frame shook with 
 weak sobs and he fell in a shuddering heap. 
 
 The next day he had revived sufficiently to accost 
 Lurgan on the street and whine, "You must provide 
 for me; I have not a penny. God will bless you." 
 
 Lurgan flushed with anger at being stopped, but a note 
 in Playfellow's voice held the angry words that rose to 
 his lips, and he said instead, "Write the John Worth 
 Bank," and then strode on. 
 
 At the meeting, which was held to decide as to their 
 future policy, after explaining about the Independents, 
 John said, "These will be supplied with our deodorized 
 oil, which is now at its old price of two dollars a barrel 
 to the public, but the important point is that with the 
 establishment of these Independents our income will 
 never go beyond a certain fixed amount. You see, then, 
 that my plan doesn't mean great riches for us, such as 
 Playfellow possessed at one time. Now what do you 
 say?" 
 
 The others were in accord with John's scheme and 
 frankly expressed their approval of it. The speaker, 
 turning to Tyndale said, " I ask again if you will manage 
 our oil for the Northwest ? " 
 
 " I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Worth, but as I told 
 you before, I'm going back to law." 
 
 "Is there anything else?" asked John. 
 
 Willie, handing John a paper, with a peculiar emphasis 
 said, "Only this." 
 
 After looking at the paper, John read it aloud. It 
 was the Playfellow application for help. And Lurgan, 
 who was watching his son-in-law closely, saw a subtle 
 hardening change take place in his features. King, 
 
Cups of Gold 297 
 
 who knew John better than Lurgan, noted the iron set 
 of the body and, rising from his chair, walked towards 
 the window. All smiled, for there was no ticker in the 
 John Worth Bank, and when the old man appreciated 
 the force of his habit, he returned to his chair smiling too, 
 and in his velvety voice declared: 
 
 "All these works are yours, John, I am merely an 
 attachment, so I will vote with you on Playfellow's 
 appeal." 
 
 John looked at Lurgan, who, moved resistlessly by the 
 appeal in John's eyes, said, " I'll join in." 
 
 "My father called on Playfellow, and then wrote him 
 from this very street asking for help. And a secretary 
 curtly replied that his application was filed." And then 
 looking at John, Willie said, in a hard, snarling voice, 
 "I vote against giving him any help." 
 
 "I promised to destroy this man Playfellow," said 
 John, " and of course I mean to keep my word. I should 
 have killed him long since, but that way is meaningless. 
 I shall now see that he is made to understand what 
 starvation means, and he will also find the narrow boun 
 daries attached to a lost soul. I suspect he would like it 
 if we arrested him for murder, as in the four walls of jail 
 he would be free from the jeers of the people. But I 
 purpose seeing that he walks on the street where he will 
 find the life that he has given to many." Then John 
 wrote across the application, "Refused," and handing the 
 paper to Willie, said, "I think you ought to mail this 
 back to him together with the reply to your father's 
 letter asking for help." 
 
 Later that day, in a Pullman car, Tyndale drew from 
 his pocket a photograph of his sister and, looking at the 
 dear features, said, "At last I am satisfied." 
 
298 The Mechanic 
 
 After the old men left the bank they walked toward 
 North River on their way to Catherine, and Lurgan said, 
 "He is hard, Jim." 
 
 "He is just, you mean," corrected King. "See what 
 his action means to the other bribers. Look again at 
 John Worth as a principle. I tell you what, Jo, I like 
 his way of destroying the Red Prince of Bribery, as I like 
 his way of giving the wage-earners a chance. Again I say, 
 he is merely just and logical." 
 
 Lurgan, who had put forward his observation merely 
 to draw out King, said happily, " At any rate I love him, 
 and yes, he has brought business to straight paths. And 
 say, it's going to be great fun showing him Europe ! We 
 are to be away for a whole year, and you and Willie will 
 have to run things." 
 
 "Nowadays I find business very interesting, and en 
 gaging." 
 
 A few days later King bade the Worths and Lurgan 
 good-by and with Willie walked to the bank. As they 
 entered the board-room he asked, " What do we do ? " 
 
 "Until John returns let us mark time, and just keep 
 things moving. He is my inspiration." 
 
 And the old man, flicking the ash from his cigar, said 
 quietly, " And mine." 
 
 #*-**#-*-3-3f; 
 
 A pedestrian slowly mounted a foot-hill in Southern 
 California, and turning an angle of the road, his eyes 
 were held by a beautiful valley dotted with great trees, 
 and below him he heard the murmur of a brook. Resting 
 a moment on a mossy bank to grasp the full beauty of 
 the scene, he noted a house painted white, with green 
 shutters and a deep veranda. As he looked more care 
 fully he saw children playing. "How beautiful!" he 
 
Cups of Gold 299 
 
 exclaimed aloud. " And there should be hospitality, too, 
 where nature and man live in such an exquisite set- 
 ting." 
 
 On coming nearer to the house he was amazed to see 
 a number of small fields filled with California "poppies." 
 Here was a veritable field of the cloth of gold, glimmering 
 and glinting in the breeze. In one of these patches of 
 "harmless gold" he saw, busily engaged, a tall, stooped 
 man with a beatific look upon his face. Thinking that 
 he was the owner, the stranger said, " May I rest and eat 
 in your house ? " 
 
 The gardener, whose face now seemed strangely vacant, 
 loudly cried, " See my acres of gold ! gold ! " but the laugh 
 which accompanied this accorded illy with the outlook 
 of the old man. 
 
 With pity in his heart, the stranger went on to the 
 house, and in answer to his summons a kind-looking 
 woman came to the door and said, "Come in and rest; 
 this is a 'Home' for a tired soul, and all are wel 
 come." 
 
 The stranger, looking back at the man in the field, said, 
 " Is that the tired soul ? And what glorious flowers ! " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Ah, all should be happy here." 
 
 " Oh, he is not of this world, and always, always grows 
 his gold, the escholtzias, or poppies, make his day a joy 
 ous one. You know the Spaniards named them, 'cupos 
 de oro,' which means, cups of gold. They are that to 
 him." 
 
 " May I ask his name ? " 
 
 " I do not know it." 
 
 "How beautiful this place is, yet the toiler makes me 
 sad; and doesn't he know his name?" 
 
300 The Mechanic 
 
 And the woman, again smiling pleasantly, replied, 
 "No." 
 
 When the stranger was leaving, he said to his hostess, 
 "And who keeps him so beautifully housed?" 
 
 "I once heard at the bank in Los Angeles that Mrs. 
 Worth, Lurgan's daughter, pays all our bills." 
 
 THE END 
 
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