f his success. I spoke to him once of a rather
curious line of argument, as it seemed to me, which he was taking in a
case, and he said: 'Ogden, I take that course because it is the way
Judge Potter's mind acts. If you want to convince yourself, take the
arguments which do that best, but when you have to deal with judges or
juries, take the lines which fit their capacities. People talk about my
unusual success in winning cases. It's simply because I am not certain
that my way and my argument are the only way and the only argument. I've
studied the judges closely, so that I know what lines to take, and I
always notice what seems to interest the jury most, in each case. But,
more important than this study, is the fact that I can comprehend about
how the average man will look at a certain thing. You see I am the son
of plain people. Then I am meeting all grades of mankind, and hearing
what they say, and getting their points of view. I have never sat in a
closet out of touch with the world and decided what is right for others,
and then spent time trying to prove it to them. In other words, I have
succeeded, because I am merely the normal or average man, and therefore
am understood by normal or average people, or by majorities, to put it
in another way.'"

"But Mr. Stirling isn't a commonplace man," said another of the
charmingly dressed girls. "He is very silent, and what he says isn't at
all clever, but he's very unusual and interesting."

"Nevertheless," said Ogden, "I believe he was right. He has a way of
knowing what the majority of people think or feel about things. And that
is the secret of his success, and not his possession or lack of
feeling."

"You none of you have got at the true secret of Peter's success," said
Ray. "It was his wonderful capacity for work. To a lazy beggar like
myself it is marvellous. I've known that man to work from nine in the
morning till one at night, merely stopping for meals."

"Yet he did not seem an ambitious man," said Le Grand. "He cared nothing
for social success, he never has accepted office till now, and he has
refused over and over again law work which meant big money."

"No," said Ray. "Peter worked hard in law and politics. Yet he didn't
want office or money. He could more than once have been a judge, and
Costell wanted him governor six years ago. He took the nomination this
year against his own wishes. He cared as little for money or reputation
in law, as he cared for soci