The Spider's Web

nfidels the modern Holy City of God. He had graduated from the Harvard Law-School in the previous June. Now the Republican brother-in-law of one of his classmates, having

the country, and Luke, as his assistant, was to aid in restorin

born without the original sin of superstition, but what he saw seemed to him almost a favorable omen. He had come down early, because he disliked to prolong the good-bys of his mother and sister, and because he felt that even the walk to the station was an important advance in the quest which he was so eager to begin. When he arrived beside the railway tracks and allowed his father, the Congressman, to see to the checking of the baggage-a concession that Luke made to his parent's desire for some part in the great adventure-the entire river was hidden from view by a thick dun curtain: one could see nothing beyond the point by the shore where the black arms of a derrick, at

ortion to his height, came puffing back from the baggage-room.

and here's your pass. I forgot to

the proffe

that the Interstate Comm

interrupted with

ur conscience worry you about that. This is fo

man to abuse privilege in large matters, and would be only hurt by a refusal in the present trivial affair. Luke put the pass in the cuff of his overcoat and silently decided to pay his

ressman as, through a cautiously unbuttoned ov

me correct?

onds a week in ten years

ncealed tears at parting; the elder, granted political favors rather because of his personal popularity and pliant good-nature than for any ability at t

was besieged by the newsboys, who knelt about him, striking their rolls of newspapers on t

, Mr.

erican or

dge

d up, flourish

older lad, elbowing the rest. "Her

ge from whatever quarter; but he bought a paper from each boy,

m. "Hello!" he commented, his lips immediately pursing themselves as if to whistle. As Luke took its fellows, the Congressman folded this paper with the sudden skill of the confirmed newspaper-reader, who can hand

too busy preparing for his bar-examina

Big Man?"

er raised his

stry, but one that had, by "editing" money and combinations of money much in that manner in which a news-desk copy-reader edits the reporters' "copy," made himse

een saying?"

questions about cam

e Demo

n was reluctant. "It seems

col

of course any party is bound to have some bad lots among its small fry, but I do wish ou

two had not seen much of each other for many years; but since the younger had come home this last time, he had given frequent expression to sentime

ut talking that way. This contribution went to the

t belie

the te

n's swearing to that so as t

ing but a lot of unfounded gossip printed in papers that want him to come over to their side. Why shouldn't he help our party? I do know something about him. I've never met him, but I know the whole story of his career-know it intimately-and I tell

mbling over the last span of the river-bridge when h

d extended the other in farewell. Une

by," h

redescended upon him. "You've-I know you're all right, Lu

n't f

od, hand

crier" was calling in

, Downington, Philadelphy, and N

, Lu

, fa

rges when you d

a weakness that

conjured

and, the elder man patted the younger's shoulder. "Stick to your book

nod

ss?-and the checks?-I'll be running over occasionally, I

er as the engine began to snort. He paid his fare to the conductor, and, when Americus was well behind him, he

o Boston after his vacations; it wakened in him the dreams of the day which should light him into the city, there to work for its salvation and the nation's. His youthful dreams were still with him, and, since the moment when the sun had rent the Susquehanna mists, he was looking fo

ble, the mists had again descended. They had deepened. All that Luke, with straining eyes, could see were a fe

s advice, Huber had written to engage two small rooms and bath. It was Jack Porcellis (his real name was John Jay Porcellis) who had Di

amily, who was at home in every sort of society, had gone to law-school as an intellectual diversion and now spent most of

hich was dry and hot from the steam radiators and smelled as all steam-heated houses smell. The elevator-b

the boy a tip and dismissed him. "It's not so big as our

opened from it, was an alcove; the front window gave upon the busy street, with a bit of

e failed to account for his friend's tone by the fact th

soft

m sure this will do splendidly. After

e for anything else. Well, you'll probably get over that before you

it? You see, I don't k

w-and by way of a beginning I've brought you a ready-made engagement for to-night. We'll dine at

n for work," chuckled Luke; "but, t

mustache had been a year ago, but where, because mustaches had since become unfashion

nd was everywhere known as the worthy representative of a Dutch New York name long eminent in the country's history. The family

said to be among the heaviest real-e

lis la

. I doubt if even they do. They leave their estate to their agents to

re was any story

rtune buying condemned muskets from the British garrisons just before the Revolution and selling them as good arms to the Continental

true?" a

lis sh

r guess they were worth more than a million. Besides, Charley-that's my Wall Street cousin-says they've somehow

extremel

he wondered

an of whom Luke's father had spoken so highly t

hed forwa

one question more. You've been all over the map. You've got

any difference what I think of him." He lit the cigarette. "But I'm quite sure," he present

other-in-law had accepted, to aid his election, money from a power that could not but be interested in the official actions

rs every morning. That's greatness. What I think is that Old

l of him as that!

th good or bad, or only accidentally. The greatest national figure a country produces is the figure that most intensely and

peare!" la

we conceive finance intellectually; we're working with figures and dollar-marks and differentials and compound interest and dividends as complicated as an astronomer's calculations. Well, this little old man in Wall Street can see those figures before they happen; he can make them come to life out of n

osite Porcellis. He could wit

it out at last-"those c

lis was sc

"You'll have to ask Brou

n, until they reached a cross-street in the early Fifties. Then their car darted from the parade and plunged through a dark thoroughfare to Fifth Avenue. They drew up before a house where Luke could at first s

he place?"

llis

g with it. "That's a Ruysdael way: they maintain the old tradition of severe exteriors; they don't believ

he faint illumination of a street-lamp that sputtered bluely at the corner, the only scintillations visible were two thin lines of radiance, one along the pavement, at the bottom of the entrance-tent, and a corresponding one above, between the walls of the tent and the loose overha

rner there to await their recall, while their drivers gossiped in the darkness or drank beer at a convenient bar. Thus, with st

cent lamps had been hung in this corridor-it was the light from these lamps which crept from above and below the walls-and a thick carpet covered the pavement. Along it they

is, "you see what I

lic buildings. Pillars held the distant ceiling; the staircase rose in a pentagonal tower, a copy, Porcellis explained, of that in the Francis First wing of the Chateau of Blois; the light, although

iew of the hall, and were directed to the men's room, where three valets were in attendance. Against the walls of

both amazed and amused, "whether I'm in a belle's

tone that disregarded the fluttering attendants. He picked up a g

ch had a way of standing upright, and a tug at his t

s case. He removed its lid and sniffed at t

said Po

his room was for

n the corners of h

" he sa

toward the

aire, stood splendidly against the crush about the doorway. He bent to each newcomer and secured a name, w

odded to hi

ing, James

orcellis. And the ot

Porcellis with car

head toward the crowd

and then, as if it were a

ly reassured Luke. "Nobody pays the

rag-time, but distinct from its impudence, there rose from all these people the noise of shoe-leather dragged over parquette flooring, the composite of laughter in many keys and the perplexed buzz of small-talk. The moving figures of the women, over whom countless aigrettes quivered, had a kaleidoscopic effect, curiously unreal: an effect of flashing colors-crimson, ivory, blues, greens, and pinks-splashing against white breasts and backs, falling away from dazzling shoulders, the waves mounting in oily satin, feline velvet, or clinging pea

ried, for the unaccustomed mind to

rs. Ru

ess to meet her guests at

ver, did not wh

e doesn't care for late hours and sometimes leaves after the thi

ron, a string of dowagers with marriageable daughters (Luke danced with each daughter and liked her), an artist, a scientis

ater so highly extolled. The Ambassador said that this man had, by lending or withholding tremendous sums, preserved the peace of nations; the artist praised him as the only true patron of art in America;

g from a thread of gold about her neck and fell above her beautiful bust. She was a girl with the face of one of those It

ween a white thumb and forefinger and l

e it?" s

's wonderfu

e on my last birthday. It used to be in a heathen g

ose it to you," said Luke, "even

ghed prettily. "That's half the charm of it.

cellis again, he as

w forehead," he inquired, "and the

orcellis; "that's one of the

her u

r. Her uncle is the man I call the American Shakespeare. She'll

here hi

ort of fellow that the niece introduced you to-that's young Hallett she's

nanciers whose name was most frequently associated with

tish Ambassador? Oh, don't be alarmed: they're probably not talking about anything more important tha

eople, however they came by their money, and that he had certainly j

t them to was an endeavor to learn what he could of the city of which he had seen so little before he came to live there. He saw what, considered of itself, was a great deal, but what, considered as a part of New York, was minute; and at m

aken through a cancer hospital, where mesothorium, which cost about $52,000 a grain, and radium at $64,000, had been bought and were kept and used without charge in the treatment of poor patients-where physicians and surgeons of international repute were engaged to spend all their

at at dinner in the latter's club. They had been talking of m

ous place, full of treasure-trove that would make a scholar think he was in heaven-and the librarian pointed him o

oth la

e. I don't know whether he's a good Jove or a bad one, but I

were beginning to realize that he was a living man and not a force of nature. For a quarter of a century he had been the greatest individual power in the United States, and for all that time he had remained hidden. He had been doing daily tremendous things, things that were epic in their sweep and yet affected every ma

he's just what we all are when his genius isn't at work. Wh

such a man is too great; it's dangerous.

advantages if they pass laws that suit him. The big politicians can give the little politicians certain lesser advantages if they furnish the votes. The lesser po

if the right laws were passed and enforced. Wait till your brother-in-law gets the D

darkened, the back rooms were all alight. The doors to these back rooms were forever swinging to the entrance and exit of unmistakable customers, many o

amed prints in high colors, advertisements of various brands of beer and whisky. All a

nd no password: the door hung free; but now his startled eye could not s

fifty years old. There was a mangy peacock feather in her straw

id. "Come over here a minut

mebody else command

ay. He had a puffed face, red from liquor and blue from an unshaven beard; his coat, once black,

repeated. "Y

the accusation was fervent; she returned her attention t

," said the man, addressing Luke,

uysdael had shown. The woman that had invited him did not look his way; even the man that had invited him remained for some time silent. Luke ordered a glas

ith me?" Luke inquired o

ticed that, though he did no

ve thei

riend would have on

ised his r

t fr

at spoke to me

I never saw her

nd the men drank for

aft?" asked the

rst proud of the answer and then ash

him dreamily thr

in'," he prese

ot kid

e a la

es

n; his seamed throat swelled; sounds that, because they were n

s came, I'm ju

money an' I ha

lyah, I'm

olyah, b

oolyah,

tly. "I'm sorry

e sentiment of that song as horr

in' can tie me. You fellers is in jail all the time an' don't know i

er mistaken in his deductions, had seen quite as much of

ums' joint?"

osopher

ss for me. This bunch"-he included the entire company with a wide gesture-"

granted; "but they seem to get around the laws

with two drinks on his tray. "Them's for the cop on this beat, an' a vice-squad cop 'at's with him. I'm wi

is man's mind, "the Mayor or the District-Attorney will get proof of that sor

lip's cracked. The Mayor and the District-Attorney'

suppo

t-Attorneys ain't got no easy thing of it, neither. Votes costs money. They've got to get the money from the money-guys, the candidates do, an'

nted to an

ogether, "there's only two sorts o' men that ain't tied up. One sort's me that knows things an' ain't afraid to starve (there's lots

repeated Luk

elict gave it: the answer was the man that P

h Street that night, Luke's feet were poundi

lyah, I'm

olyah, b