THE PRICE OF BLOOD [Illustration: Upon the last stage of their journey they stopped for dinner at a tavern.] _THE_ PRICE OF BLOOD An Extravaganza of _New York Life_ in 1807 _Written_ in Five Chapters and _Illustrated_ by HOWARD PYLE [Illustration] _Boston_ From the Publishing House of RICHARD G. BADGER & CO. 157 Tremont Street MDCCCXCIX COPYRIGHT 1899 BY RICHARD G. BADGER & CO. _All Rights Reserved_ CONTENTS _INTRODUCTION_ Page 11 _CHAPTER I_ Page 17 THE EXTRAORDINARY AND INITIAL CLIENT OF A YOUNG LAWYER WITHOUT PREVIOUS PRACTICE _CHAPTER II_ Page 39 THE REMARKABLE BEHAVIOR OF THE LAWYER'S SECOND CLIENT _CHAPTER III_ Page 51 THE HORRIFIC EPISODE IN THE COURSE OF WHICH THE LAWYER OBTAINED A THIRD CLIENT _CHAPTER IV_ Page 67 IN WHICH IS RELATED THE REMARKABLE BEQUEST OF THE LAWYER'S FOURTH CLIENT _CHAPTER V_ Page 81 THE CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE YOUNG LAWYER AND HIS FOUR CLIENTS _CONCLUSION_ Page 97 ILLUSTRATIONS "Upon the last stage of their journey they stopped for dinner at a tavern" _frontispiece_ "Bidding his companions to await his return,.... he followed his interlocutor" _facing page 26_ The somewhat peculiar pastime of our hero's second client _facing page 44_ "You next!" _facing page 58_ "It was at this juncture ... that an apologetic knock fell upon the door" _facing page 68_ "The negro advanced to the portmanteau, ... and displayed the contents to his master" _facing page 90_ HERE FOLLOWS THE INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION In the year 1807 New York was grown to be a city of no small pretension to an extremely cosmopolitan cast of society. Being a seaport of considerable importance and of great conveniency to foreign immigration, it had even before this become a favorite haven for itinerant visitors from European countries, who for reasons best known to themselves did not find it to fit their inclinations to remain at home. These people, being received into the society of the most exclusive and particular fashion of the town, soon lent to the community a tone characteristic of the manners and customs of European centres of civilization.