y a group of flatterers who
laughed at his jokes, repeated them to the public, humored his caprices,
and lived upon his hospitalities. The plain "Colonel Belcher" of his
first few months in New York, grew into the "General," so that Wall
street knew him, at last, by that title, without the speaking of his
name. All made way for "the General" whenever he appeared. "The General"
was "bulling" this stock, and "bearing" that. All this was honey to his
palate, and he was enabled to forget something of his desire for show in
his love of glory. Power was sweet, as well as display.

Of course, "the General" had forsaken, somewhat, his orderly habits of
life--those which kept him sound and strong in his old country home. He
spent few evenings with his family. There was so genuine a passion in
his heart for Mrs. Dillingham, that he went into few excesses which
compromised a fair degree of truthfulness to her; but he was in the
theaters, in the resorts of fast men, among the clubs, and always late
in his bed. Phipps had a hard time in looking after and waiting upon
him, but had a kind of sympathetic enjoyment in it all, because he knew
there was more or less of wickedness connected with it.

Mr. Belcher's nights began to tell upon his days. It became hard for him
to rise at his old hours; so, after a while, he received the calls of
his brokers in bed. From nine to ten, Mr. Belcher, in his embroidered
dressing-gown, with his breakfast at his side, gave his orders for the
operations of the day. The bedroom became the General's headquarters,
and there his staff gathered around him. Half a dozen cabs and carriages
at his door in the morning became a daily recurring vision to residents
and habitual passengers.

Mr. Talbot, not a regular visitor at this hour, sometimes mingled with
the brokers, though he usually came late for the purpose of a private
interview. He had managed to retain the General's favor, and to be of
such use to him that that gentleman, in his remarkable prosperity, had
given up the idea of reducing his factor's profits.

One morning, after the brokers and the General's lawyer were gone,
Talbot entered, and found his principal still in bed.

"Toll, it's a big thing," said Mr. Belcher.

"I believe you."

"Toll, what did I tell you? I've always worked to a programme, and
exactly this was my programme when I came here. How's your wife?"

"Quite well."

"Why don't we see more of her?"

"Well, Mrs. Talbot is a