terrible series of tragedies in
which he has been innocently concerned. I herewith append the text in
full:

It was in August, 1899, just after my return from my summer vacation,
that the blow fell. We did not know it at the time; we had not yet
learned to school our minds to such awful possibilities. Mr. Hale opened
the letter, read it, and tossed it upon my desk with a laugh. When I had
looked it over, I also laughed, saying, "Some ghastly joke, Mr. Hale,
and one in very poor taste." Find here, my dear John, an exact duplicate
of the letter in question.

OFFICE OF THE M. OF M. August 17, 1899.

MR. EBEN HALE, Money Baron:

Dear Sir,--We desire you to realize upon whatever portion of your vast
holdings is necessary to obtain, IN CASH, twenty millions of dollars.
This sum we require you to pay over to us, or to our agents. You will
note we do not specify any given time, for it is not our wish to hurry
you in this matter. You may even, if it be easier for you, pay us
in ten, fifteen, or twenty instalments; but we will accept no single
instalment of less than a million.

Believe us, dear Mr. Hale, when we say that we embark upon this course
of action utterly devoid of animus. We are members of that intellectual
proletariat, the increasing numbers of which mark in red lettering the
last days of the nineteenth century. We have, from a thorough study
of economics, decided to enter upon this business. It has many merits,
chief among which may be noted that we can indulge in large and
lucrative operations without capital. So far, we have been fairly
successful, and we hope our dealings with you may be pleasant and
satisfactory.

Pray attend while we explain our views more fully. At the base of the
present system of society is to be found the property right. And this
right of the individual to hold property is demonstrated, in the last
analysis, to rest solely and wholly upon MIGHT. The mailed gentlemen of
William the Conqueror divided and apportioned England amongst themselves
with the naked sword. This, we are sure you will grant, is true of
all feudal possessions. With the invention of steam and the Industrial
Revolution there came into existence the Capitalist Class, in the modern
sense of the word. These capitalists quickly towered above the ancient
nobility. The captains of industry have virtually dispossessed the
descendants of the captains of war. Mind, and not muscle, wins in
to-day's struggle for existence. B