strong for a direct battle, a skilful
tactician will sometimes weaken the enemy's strength by a rear attack.
Covington was a skilful tactician, and in the present crisis the
affidavits he had stored away in his safe-deposit drawer tempted him
sorely. He had never expected to use them, he told himself. He had never
expected to be placed in opposition to Mr. Gorham. With the family
alliance he contemplated, there would seem to be no occasion for
conflicting interests to exist between them. But if Gorham insisted on
making a fool of himself, there was really no good reason why Covington
should allow himself to be dragged down with him. It was infinitely
wiser to be in the position of "heads I win, tails you lose." Surely he
could not be accused of selfishness in the matter, when, if Mr. Gorham
were eventually dethroned by the directors, and he, Covington, crowned
in his place, it would simply result in keeping the Consolidated
Companies still in the family. And as for Gorham's silly threat to
disintegrate the corporation--that was too absurd to be considered
seriously.

So Covington again inspected the papers which Levy had secured for him.
The one which related to Mrs. Buckner and the prospector he laid aside
at once as too contemptible to be considered, but the other interested
him. Gorham was setting himself above other men who held enviable
positions in the business and social world. If this affidavit was
true--and Covington saw no reason to doubt its authenticity--this
demigod might hesitate to emphasize his superiority. With the legality
of his marriage questioned, his Czarship might be weakened; and this,
as Covington saw it, meant advantage to himself in the Consolidated
Companies, and an insurance against any attitude Gorham might take
against him. With Brady vowing vengeance, his part in unloading the
railways stock on Alice might at any time be uncovered. With the present
strained relations between Gorham and the Executive Committee, his
confidential relations with both sides might prove disagreeable. But
with Gorham himself entangled in a domestic complication, serious
consequences to himself from such a catastrophe might be averted, or, at
least, mitigated. And, best of all, Levy was quite ready to proceed in
the matter with Buckner as his client. Surely Opportunity never offered
herself with more brazen coquetry to any one than she did to John
Covington.

All this resulted in a busy afternoon for Lawyer Le