affairs of the
Hon. James Kenmore, business or otherwise, were always kept entirely
distinct from his political life, and to dismiss him with merely the
courtesy demanded by the unusually strong letters which had introduced
him. But Robert Gorham did not belong to the expected type. There were
no earmarks of the promoter about him, in spite of the fact that the
enterprise of which he stood as the head and front was in reality the
most gigantic piece of promotion engineering the world had seen. On the
contrary, Gorham was the refined man of affairs, confident in himself
and in the certainty of his strength. And as for dismissal, the Senator
realized that his caller had already made himself the dominant power.

"You wish me to subscribe for stock in this corporation to the extent of
a hundred thousand dollars?"

"I am empowered by our directors to offer you the opportunity to
subscribe for that amount."

The Senator passed over the obvious correction.

"Why am I selected by your directors rather than others of my colleagues
whose names I do not observe upon that list?"

"Because we consider your position in the United States Senate to be one
of increasing importance, and of value to the Companies," Gorham
answered, frankly.

"Why has the specific amount of my desired subscription been so
carefully stipulated?"

"Because your investment in the Consolidated Companies must be heavy
enough in its relation to your personal fortune to make the success of
the corporation a matter of real concern to you."

"Are these amounts, then, uniform in size?"

"Not at all. A hundred thousand dollars to you may be no more than five
thousand to some other stockholder, and no less, on the other hand, than
half a million to a third. In every case the amount of the subscription
is carefully considered."

"Your directors have made a preliminary estimate of my financial
standing?"

"Certainly."

Kenmore smiled incredulously. "Would it be asking too much to inquire
what the inventory, made by your experts, shows?"

"One million two hundred thousand," Gorham responded, promptly. "Except
for your unfortunate investment in the Arizona oil-wells a year ago, it
might have been half a million more--a loss which your fortunate
connection during the past three years as a special partner in the
well-known banking-house of Gilroy and Company has more than made up."

The Senator sprang excitedly to his feet. "By George! sir, by what power