“But Ross went with him like a lamb, and they say he’s turned over all his investments to rearrange everything on an honest basis.”

“Honest basis!” Drake snorted. “What is an honest basis?”

“You ought to know,” Carter said sharply.

Drake laughed as he reached out for the brandy. “Well, I do know. And as long as you are here, I don’t give it away. But as soon as Mrs. Drake comes in, we’ll frame up that invitation and get the Person to come this week. Don’t make any other engagements. We need you here to watch him and find out some of his secrets. I’d like mighty well myself to know how he does the camera trick.”

Carter moved restlessly in his chair. “Suppose you just ask him how he does it?”

“I’m perfectly willing,” said Drake coolly. “You editors are too proverbially modest and diffident about such matters.”

When Mrs. Drake and her two daughters appeared, Drake brought up the proposed invitation, and Mrs. Drake at once acquiesced.

Mrs. Drake agreed with her husband that the Person would be an interesting individual to meet. Besides, as Mrs. Drake could not help saying to herself, he was evidently gaining great influence in the city. No such celebrity had been known for years. The papers were agreed that he was really extraordinary. It would gratify a reasonable curiosity to have him at their table, and other reasons were given by the daughters as well.

Two days later, Drake announced to Carter that the invitation had been accepted. “We made it Wednesday night. I’ve asked Burrage and his wife and son, and Judge Crawford and Howard Rider and Mr. and Mrs. Silvester. They’re old friends of Mrs. Drake, and they’ll help to keep up the conversation if it gets out of our depth.”

Carter said nothing for a while. Then, “What is your real object in asking him?”

“Well, I’ll be honest with you, Carter. My real object is nothing but sheer curiosity to get nearer to him and learn something of his power. Power is my hobby. According to the New York papers, there is no more powerful person in the city right now than this one. I want to know why.”

“Have you heard him preach?”

“No, but they say he is great. To tell the truth, I haven’t been in a church for years. I was saying to Mrs. Drake the other day we ought to go and hear him next Sunday. He’ll be preaching in Beecher’s old church, I understand.”

“I heard him at the Tabernacle Congregational last week,” said Carter shortly.

“Yes, that roused my curiosity. If an old sinner like you can go to church once in ten years, I guess I can brace up and do the same. My curiosity is roused to find out what his power is.”

“You’re daft on power,” Carter exclaimed.