"Public opinion and the press be d----d. Who cares for public
opinion? What is public opinion, anyhow? This road can manage its
own affairs or it can't. If it can't I for one quit railroading.
The press! Pshaw! It's all graft, I tell you. It's nothing but a
strike! I never knew one of these virtuous outbursts that wasn't.
First the newspapers bark ferociously to advertise themselves;
then they crawl round and whine like a cur. And it usually costs
something to fix matters."

The senator smiled grimly.

"No, no, Grimsby--not this time. It's more serious than that.
Hitherto the road has been unusually lucky in its bench
decisions--"

The senator gave a covert glance round to see if any long ears
were listening. Then he added:

"We can't expect always to get a favourable decision like that in
the Cartwright case, when franchise rights valued at nearly five
millions were at stake. Judge Stollmann proved himself a true
friend in that affair."

Grimsby made a wry grimace as he retorted:

"Yes, and it was worth it to him. A Supreme Court judge don't get
a cheque for $20,000 every day. That represents two years' pay."

"It might represent two years in jail if it were found out," said
the senator with a forced laugh,

Grimsby saw an opportunity, and he could not resist the
temptation. Bluntly he said:

"As far as jail's concerned, others might be getting their deserts
there too."

The senator looked keenly at Grimsby from under his white
eyebrows. Then in a calm, decisive tone he replied:

"It's no question of a cheque this time. The road could not buy
Judge Rossmore with $200,000. He is absolutely unapproachable in
that way."

The apoplectic face of Mr. Grimsby looked incredulous.

It was hard for these men who plotted in the dark, and cheated the
widow and the orphan for love of the dollar, to understand that
there were in the world, breathing the same air as they, men who
put honour, truth and justice above mere money-getting. With a
slight tinge of sarcasm he asked:

"Is there any man in our public life who is unapproachable from
some direction or other?"

"Yes, Judge Rossmore is such a man. He is one of the few men in
American public life who takes his duties seriously. In the
strictest sense of the term, he serves his country instead of
serving himself. I am no friend of his, but I must do him that
justice."

He spoke sharply, in an irritated tone, as if resenting the
insinuation of this vulgari