"That’s a nice way to come back at a man—your own brother. Haven’t you heard me say that there is something higher than a desire for office? Hah, haven’t you heard me say that?" "Yes, there is something higher—the roof of the board of trade." "John, that is an unfair thrust at my speculations. But, sir, at one time I could have closed out for millions. Do you understand, for millions." "Why didn’t you?" "Now, just listen to that. Reproaches me for not being a money grabber, for not joining the robbers to crush the weaklings. I have suffered a good deal at your hands lately, but I didn’t expect that stab. It wounds me here." He halted, and placed his hand on his breast. But he went in to breakfast and ate with the appetite of a man who, if wounded, must have marvelously recovered; he joked with Agnes about the preacher; he told her that it would be her duty to take care of his numerous slippers, presented by women. "And when you have a pound party at your house I will contribute a—" "Senator," said Howard. "Oh, so you have broken out, have you? I thought you were too deep in the study of French literature to pay any attention to such trifles. And you have got on a reddish necktie. You’ll be an anarchist the first thing you know." "He is going away, William," said Mrs. Elbridge, and the Judge did not look up. The sadness of her voice stirred William to repentance. "Going away? I don’t see how we can get along without him. He and I joke, but we understand each other, don’t we, Howard?" "Perfectly, Uncle William; and when I open my ranch out West, you may look on it as your home." "Thank you, my boy; but I don’t care to go out there again. I was once a power there, but the country is now overrun with a lesser breed, and I am afraid that I might not get along with them. I want men, such as there used to be. Man will soon be a thing of the past. The scorcher is running over him—and I want to say right here, that if one of those fellows ever runs over me, he’ll get a bullet just about the size of a—a—about the size of that." He held up his thumb and measured off the missile intended for the scorcher. "You hear what I say. Why, confound ’em, if they see a man, a real man, they bow their necks and make at him, but if one of them ever runs into me, the coroner will have a job." Howard and Bodney went down town together and opened the office, as usual, for clients who did not come, and who, if they had come, would have shaken their heads and gone away. "Howard," said Bodney, "I told you that I was financially ruined." "Yes, I remember, but afterward you said that everything was all right, that your fit had passed. Has it come again?" "It didn’t go away. A sort of drunkenness made it appear so. The fact is, I am in need of ten dollars, to pay a man I owe. He keeps harassing me." "I need every cent I’ve got, old man, but here’s ten."