Destiny

he grilled bronze door which gave entrance to the office building. Burton's eyes were resting on Paul's face, but the pupils were focused for no such circumscribed range. Their vistas were of the futu

orter who fancied himself wise in the lore of the Street, halted to observe, and muttered

emory came flooding the events of another day when this same man, wearing the same smil

e, that Hamilton Burton was drawing his battle-lines and that somewhere his bolt would fall. Because the report was untraceable it was the more disquieting, and the Stock-Exchange is ever ready to rock to an alarm. Yet just now, the man whose sile

sted ready power. The immaculate elegance of his apparel challenged notice by a flawlessness which went beyond the art of the tailor who clothed him and assumed a distinction as though it had been the belted unifo

d him-and these qualities seemed to go like heralds at his front, pr

car turned their heads with a common accord, t

ield is Hamilton Burton." It was enough. It conjured up to memory newspaper stories of a genie to whose wand fabulous tides of gold responded. These sight-seers were beholding a man credited with the power to cause o

nd though he said it with all the arrogant and ruthless spirit of a tyrant who would take no count of razed cities

thoughts. He was still young and before him lay conquests that should dwarf those of the past. Posterity should link his name

y a toy-but some day he must die. Who then, demanded his sublimely arrogant self-appraisement, would carry on the work that had called him on to conquest from hills where

no great cause or motive impelled him forward. Never had a whisper come to his soul that power is a trust which should make its recipient a crusader. The world thought of him as a man of gre

il of it is I don't want any of them." A fresh thought brought to his face an expression a shade saner and less self-centered. "Mary is as beauti

cophants nor fawning suppliants. Each of them held high prominence in the aristocracy of wealth, but Hamilton Burton topped them-and the singular power upon which he had risen was one-half pure charm and hypnotism of personality. Men might swear at the Hamilton Burton who kept them twiddling their thumbs until he came,

scalp. Hamilton Burton's smile died and his face grew for a moment solicitous as he read his father's troubled eyes. Old Thomas Burton was shaven and manicured and betailored into a model of well-nourished-possibly over-nourished-senectitude. His mustaches and beard were waxed and pointed. Once he had deplored the necessity

e son read with a pang of sudden realization the approaching atrophy of age. "I'm sorry to intrude

d to beg for money with the unabashed ease of an aristocratic parasite. While it was in his pocket he could top the extrav

the old gentleman on the shoulder and d

I-er-well, I've had a notice

rton's brow

ent until I arrived? Why didn't you go direct to Corbin? He has ca

urton spoke

ess I was in urgent haste, I'd better wait until you came in.... He reminded me th

his head and his eyes burst i

or is it to be doled out by parsimonious hirelings? Must

urteous," placated the

pproach me only through a cordon of lackeys?" He broke off and started to slam his palm down on a table-bell that should

igger things? You did gamble on me, when a little money was a frail barrier between you and the wolf-you gambled to go stark-broke." He was pacing the room now as he talked, and his voice mounted. "To me money is a passionless slave, the eunuc

thousand for

have to make explanations-or apologies." Then with a r

d at an exact angle. His son accompanied him to the elevator with an arm about his shoulder and as

here and fire him. I think I meant to sack everybody in this damned office-except yourself, Carl. I'm sick of the

-" began the secretary, but H

every day that they need not be so damned economical with my money? Haven't I ordered that my father

ders. Please make it plain beyond cavil that one of my most explicit orders is this: When the Governor c

he was frank and because in his sincere l

no check on disbursements feels the burden of his responsibility. Any item that your father forgot wou

back there close to 'God's immortal granite,' as you so aptly phrased it, you would agree with me that the humor of the situation is worth whatever it costs. He had to count the pennies, Carl, and w

humor as he fished from a desk drawer a thick

represent some of the Governor's expenses. They ar

inquired Carl, and Bu

minent in many orders predicated on ancestors. His mail runs over with epistles beginning, 'Dear Sir and

Standish, but when they had run the Plymouth captain to earth, the trail was hot and their appetites were whetted. They had tasted blue blood. Now they've work

family crest-you may have noticed it on his walking stick. I haven't yet mastered the niceties of heraldry so I can't properly describe it, but, to me, it lo

milton Burton seated himself on the edge of th

bitrarily and of my own unbiased will. I nominated and elected m

There were moments when these two came near forgetting the relationsh

rdensome expenses at the present time," continued the

ourteously vague, and Ham's

a fund for supplying Havana cigars and motor cars to the Idle Rich. Each day finds him waiting for a quorum up at the National Union Club. When enough are gathered together for a rubber he makes it royal and doubles until everyone save his partner feels a warm glow o

s. "Well, if it amuses him, why not?" he demanded, almost as fiercely as though so

es-to try farming with no hardships. He was as much good there as an armless man in a billiard tournament. All his farming had been done with calloused hands o