might.

The colonel took the document from Dr. Dohl's relaxing hands and shoved
it into a pigeonhole of the big desk.

"You must understand that pipe-lines to lakes cannot be laid in a minute
as a child strings straws, Doctor," admonished the magnate.

"Do you propose to lay lines to the lakes, Colonel? I need to throw a
little sop to my conscience if my report is delayed."

"Everything right will be done in good time, Dr. Dohl. I will proceed as
rapidly as possible, considering that the law, finance, and politics
are all concerned. As you are leaving," he added, giving his visitor the
blunt hint that the interview was over, "I must draw your attention to
the fact that if you bludgeon the Consolidated with a report like this
it may be a long time before we can move in the matter. You'll only
scare the banks and set the cranks to yapping. Just remember that you're
a state officer and have a weighty responsibility to your party and to
financial interests."

Dr. Dohl went away. He sourly realized that he was only a cog in the big
machine; that for a moment he had threatened to develop a rough edge and
start a squeak, but the big file had been used on him. It had been used
on many another of the State House cogs, as he well knew. Responsibility
as to his party! Safety and sanity in regard to financial interests! He
knew that these talismanic words had been used to control even the
lords in national politics. He departed from the Presence, muttering his
rebellion, but fully conscious that a political Samson in modern days
made but a sorry spectacle of himself when he started to pull down the
pillars of the party temple.

He continued to mutter when he walked through the anteroom.

Most of the men who waited there had faces as lowering as the visage
which Dr. Dohl displayed.

The doctor had not lost all faith in his own fearlessness and rectitude
of motive, but he was obliged to acknowledge to himself that just then
he was a rather weak champion.

"However, I'd like to lay eyes on the sort of man who can unjoint this
devilish combination of politics and law and finance," he informed
himself, trying to justify his own retreat.

His eyes, in passing, swept a stranger.

The stranger was a tall young man with wavy hair and brown eyes. He sat
patiently, nursing a broad-brimmed black hat on his knees.

"I'd like to see that man!" repeated Dr. Dohl, mentally, sugar-coating
his disgust at his own weakness.

If mortal