o do with
able, clear-headed men, took them into his confidence, and, in order to
excite their hopes and to bind them to him as well, he confided to them
the plot of the forged will, producing the genuine for their inspection.
He assured them that it was a sure and speedy fortune, as the lady was
old and frail in health, and he also promised they should share between
them $100,000, provided they would stand by to give a hand in the
somewhat improbable event of the other heirs disputing the will, but
above all, if they would devise some means to furnish him at once
$10,000, or at least $5,000. Money he must have, and he could no longer
do without it.

The result of our conference in James' office was that the very next day
an office downtown was engaged under a fictitious name, and a simple,
unsuspicious fellow hired as porter and messenger. After some little
negotiation, we obtained particulars of parties banking with the then
great firm of Jay Cooke & Company, corner of Wall and Nassau streets.
Briefly told, the result was that four days later a messenger walked
into their banking house with a check for $20,000, purporting to be
signed by another firm, who banked with them. Along with the check went
a letter bearing a signature well known to the cashier, asking him to
pay the check to bearer. The result of all being that five minutes
thereafter we were walking unconcernedly up Broadway, and sending a
message to James to meet us at Delmonico's, corner of Broadway and
Chambers street, we sat down awaiting his arrival. He had anxiously been
looking for news, and almost before we had seated ourselves he entered,
eager and anxious-looking; but, when he glanced at our faces, a happy
expression came over his own, and without a word he put out his hand.
After a warm greeting, I produced the roll, and, to his delight, I
handed over to James ten five hundreds. On the morrow I went to the
office, and, paying my messenger a week's wages, besides making a small
gift, told him he need not come any more.

With this twenty thousand coup we fondly thought all our troubles and
all our unlawful acts were ended. We now had a few thousands, sufficient
to last until the $5,000 we had invested in the will case should bring
in a dividend that would mean a fortune for us all. So we took things
easy about town, and altogether thought ourselves pretty good fellows,
and this world a very good sort of place to be in.

Thus the Winter passed by