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[Illustration: Frontispiece]






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                                  BY

                           ELLERY H. CLARK




                        WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

                           F. GRAHAM COOTES




                             INDIANAPOLIS
                      THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY
                              PUBLISHERS






                            Copyright 1909

                      The Bobbs-Merrill Company

                              *   *   *

                                March





                               PRESS OF
                           BRAUNWORTH & CO.
                       BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS
                            BROOKLYN, N.Y.





                                  TO
                              MY FATHER






                               CONTENTS


                         PART I. THE FOOTHOLD

       CHAPTER

       I A Game of Bridge at the Federal.

      II A Little Dinner at the Albemarle.

     III The Flatfoot.

      IV The Essex Handicap.

       V The Trap is Baited.

      VI Country Cousins.

     VII The Trap is Sprung.

    VIII Gordon Prevents a Scandal.

      IX Palmer Has a Visitor.

       X The Crisis.

      XI In the Firelight.

     XII The Final Obstacle.


                          PART II. THE GAME

       I An Ambition is Attained.

      II The Ethel Claim.

     III The Return of Mr. Frost.

      IV Gordon Plays to the Gallery.

       V A Question of Finance.

      VI The Spinning of the Web.

     VII A Double Blow.

    VIII The Case for the Prosecution.

      IX The Public Eye.

       X Ethel Mason Decides.

      XI The Launching of the Konahassett.

     XII Gordon Listens to Good Advice.

    XIII In the Track of the Storm.

     XIV Gordon Engages a Political Lieutenant.

      XV The Voice of the People.


                       PART III. THE RECKONING

       I The Hazard of the Die.

      II The Hand of Man.

     III The Hand of God.






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                                PART I

                             THE FOOTHOLD




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                              CHAPTER I

                   A GAME OF BRIDGE AT THE FEDERAL


Half-way up the <DW72> of the tall hill, beyond the park, looking far
out over the city to where, in the distance, the broad blue waters of
the bay sparkle and gleam in the sunshine, stands the Federal Club.

Serenely it has held its place there for more than half a century,
alike undaunted by winter snows and unmoved by all the beauty of
springtime's bud and blossom, by the cloudless blue of summer skies
and the lingering glory of autumn's scarlet and gold. And ever, year
by year, with tolerant interest, it has watched the great, new, busy
city beneath it grow and grow, stretching always farther and farther
away to north and south and east and west in eager, resistless
advance. Regret and compassion and longing for the old, pleasant
days of its youth, all of these the club has known, as it has seen
green field and swamp and meadow vanish for ever, and crowded
office-building and mill and factory spring up and reign in their
stead. And thus it stands there to-day, looking quietly on at the
rushing tide of life below, a type of the life of the older city,
aristocratic, dignified and reserved.

The year was 1904; the month, August; the time, late evening. The
long, low-ceilinged card room was all but deserted, the shades drawn,
the lights turned low. The round, green-topped tables, appearing to
the eye like some field of giant mushrooms, stood in orderly rows,
their outlines blending faintly with the dark oak paneling in the
gloom. In the far distance, at the end of the room, a waiter,
white-aproned, napkin on arm, hovered expectantly, for generous
winners did not always heed the club's injunction regarding tips. Thus
he made a pretense of dusting the tables, and waited, biding his time.

Over by the window, where the faint cooling breeze from the bay stole
softly in, four men were finishing their rubber of bridge. Vanulm, the
portly brewer, prosperous, kindly, slow of speech, resolute of
purpose, saying