zes of the Pacific have blown away all my bad temper," he
wrote, "and I want to say that I was wrong, and regret my original
fault, as well as what it later led me into. You are quite right.
We must continue friends."

Peter wrote a reply, which led to a regular correspondence. He sent Miss
De Voe, also, a line of Christmas greetings, and received a long letter
from her at Nice, which told him something of Watts and Helen:

"She is now well again, but having been six years in Europe, she
and her husband have become wedded to the life. I question if they
ever return. I spoke of you, and they both inquired with great
warmth about you."

Peter replied, sending his "remembrance to Mr. and Mrs. D'Alloi in case
you again meet them." From that time on Miss De Voe and he corresponded,
she telling him of her Italian, Greek and Egyptian wanderings, and he
writing of his doings, especially in regard to a certain savings bank
fund standing in the name of "Peter Stirling, trustee" to which Miss De
Voe had, the winter before, arranged to contribute a thousand dollars
yearly.

As his practice increased he began to indulge himself a little. Through
the instrumentality of Mr. Pell, he was put first into one and later
into a second of the New York clubs, and his dinners became far less
simple in consequence. He used these comforters of men, indeed, almost
wholly for dining, and, though by no means a club-man in other senses,
it was still a tendency to the luxurious. To counteract this danger he
asked Mr. Costell to pick him up a saddle-horse, whereupon that friend
promptly presented him with one. He went regularly now to a good tailor,
which conduct ought to have ruined him with the "b'ys," but it didn't.
He still smoked a pipe occasionally in the saloons or on the doorsteps
of the district, yet candor compels us to add that he now had in his
room a box of cigars labelled "Habana." These were creature pleasures,
however, which he only allowed himself on rare occasions. And most of
these luxuries did not appear till his practice had broadened beyond the
point already noted.

Broaden it did. In time many city cases were thrown in his way. As he
became more and more a factor in politics, the judges began to send him
very profitable referee cases. Presently a great local corporation, with
many damage suits, asked him to accept its work on a yearly salary.

"Of course we shall want you to look out for us at A