ver two thousand a share. I had a few
shares of that stock myself. But I held until it broke."

Ames smiled knowingly. "Sorry I didn't know about it," he said. "I
could have saved you. I didn't own a dollar's worth of South Ohio. Oh,
yes," he added, as he saw Lafelle's eyes widening in surprise, "I
pushed the market up until a certain lady, whom you and I both know,
thought it unwise to go further, and then I sprung the sudden
discovery of Colombian oil fields on them; and the market crashed
like a burst balloon. The lady cleared some two millions on the rig.
No, I didn't have a drop of Colombian oil to grease the chute. It was
American nerve, that's all."

"Well!" ejaculated Lafelle. "If you had lived in the Middle Ages you'd
have been burnt for possessing a devil!"

"On the contrary," quickly amended Ames, his eyes twinkling, "I'd have
been made a Cardinal."

Both men laughed over the retort; and then Ames summoned the valet to
set in motion the great electrical pipe-organ, and to bring the
whiskey and soda.

For the next hour the two men gave themselves up to the supreme luxury
of their magnificent environment, the stimulation of their beverage
and cigars, and the soothing effect of the soft music, combined with
the gentle movement of the boat. Then Ames took his guest into the
smoking room proper, and drew up chairs before a small table, on which
were various papers and writing materials.

"Now," he began, "referring to your telephone message of this morning,
what is it that you want me to do for you? Is it the old question of
establishing a nunciature at Washington?"

Lafelle had been impatiently awaiting this moment. He therefore
plunged eagerly into his subject. "Mr. Ames," said he, "I know you to
have great influence at the Capital. In the interests of humanity, I
ask you to use that influence to prevent the passage of the
immigration bill which provides for a literacy test."

Ames smiled inwardly. There was no need of this request; for, in the
interests, not of humanity, but of his own steamship companies, he
intended that there should be no restriction imposed upon immigration.
But the Church was again playing into his hands, coming to him for
favors. And the Church always paid heavily for his support. "Well!
well!" he exclaimed with an assumption of interest, "so you ask me to
impugn my own patriotism!"

Lafelle looked perplexed. "I don't quite understand," he said.

"Why," Ames explained, "how l