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Yet； on the whole； I felt a certain complacency about it all； I knew that
suffering was disagreeable； I had learned how to avoid it； and I may have
had； deep within me； a feeling that I might marry her after all。
Meanwhile my life was full； and gave promise of becoming even fuller；
more absorbing and exciting in the immediate future。
One of the most fascinating figures； to me； of that Order being woven；
like a cloth of gold； out of our hitherto drab civilization；an Order
into which I was ready and eager to be initiated；was that of Adolf
Scherer； the giant German immigrant at the head of the Boyne Iron Works。
His life would easily lend itself to riotous romance。 In the old
country； in a valley below the castle perched on the rack above； he had
begun life by tending his father's geese。 What a contrast to 〃Steeltown〃
with its smells and sickening summer heat； to the shanty where Mrs。
Scherer took boarders and bent over the wash…tub！ She； too； was an
immigrant； but lived to hear her native Wagner from her own box at Covent
Garden； and he to explain； on the deck of an imperial yacht； to the man
who might have been his sovereign certain processes in the manufacture of
steel hitherto untried on that side of the Atlantic。 In comparison with
Adolf Scherer； citizen of a once despised democracy； the minor prince in
whose dominions he had once tended geese was of small account indeed！
The Adolf Scherer of that daythough it is not so long ago as time flies
was even more solid and impressive than the man he afterwards became；
when he reached the dizzier heights from which he delivered to an eager
press opinions on politics and war； eugenics and woman's suffrage and
other subjects that are the despair of specialists。 Had he stuck to
steel； he would have remained invulnerable。 But even then he was
beginning to abandon the field of production for that of exploitation：
figuratively speaking； he had taken to soap； which with the aid of water
may be blown into beautiful； iridescent bubbles to charm the eye。 Much
good soap； apparently； has gone that way； never to be recovered。
Everybody who was anybody began to blow bubbles about that time； and the
bigger the bubble the greater its attraction for investors of hard…earned
savings。 Outside of this love for financial iridescence； let it be
called； Mr。 Scherer seemed to care little then for glitter of any sort。
Shortly after his elevation to the presidency of the Boyne Iron Works he
had been elected a member of the Boyne Club；an honour of which； some
thought； he should have been more sensible； but generally； when in town；
he preferred to lunch at a little German restaurant annexed to a saloon；
where I used often to find him literally towering above the cloth；for
he was a giant with short legs；his napkin tucked into his shirt front；
engaged in lively conversation with the ministering Heinrich。 The chef
at the club； Mr。 Scherer insisted； could produce nothing equal to
Heinrich's sauer…kraut and sausage。 My earliest relationship with Mr。
Scherer was that of an errand boy； of bringing to him for his approval
papers which might not be intrusted to a common messenger。 His gruffness
and brevity disturbed me more than I cared to confess。 I was pretty sure
that he eyed me with the disposition of the self…made to believe that
college educations and good tailors were the heaviest handicaps with
which a young man could be burdened： and I suspected him of an inimical
attitude toward the older families of the city。 Certain men possessed
his confidence； and he had built； as it were； a stockade about them；
sternly keeping the rest of the world outside。 In Theodore Watling he
had a childlike faith。
Thus I studied him； with a deliberation which it is the purpose of these
chapters to confess； though he little knew that he was being made the
subject of analysis。 Nor did I ever venture to talk with him； but held
strictly to my role of errand boy；even after the conviction came over
me that he was no longer indifferent to my presence。 The day arrived；
after some years； when he suddenly thrust toward me a big； hairy hand
that held the document he was examining。
〃Who drew this； Mr。 Paret！〃 he demanded。
Mr。 Ripon； I told him。
The Boyne Works were buying up coal…mines； and this was a contract
looking to the purchase of one in Putman County； provided； after a
certain period of working； the yield and quality should come up to
specifications。 Mr。 Scherer requested me to read one of the sections；
which puzzled him。 And in explaining it an idea flashed over me。
〃Do you mind my making a suggestion； Mr。 Scherer？〃 I ventured。
〃What is it？〃 he asked brusquely。
I showed him how； by the alteration of a few words； the difficulty to
which he had referred could not only be eliminated； but that certain
possible penalties might be evaded； while the apparent meaning of the
section remained unchanged。 In other words； it gave the Boyne Iron Works
an advantage that was not contemplated。 He seized the paper； stared at
what I had written in pencil on the margin； and then stared at me。
Abruptly； he began to laugh。
〃Ask Mr。 Wading what he thinks of it？〃
〃I intended to； provided it had your approval； sir；〃 I replied。
〃You have my approval； Mr。 Paret；〃 he declared； rather cryptically； and
with the slight German hardening of the v's into which he relapsed at
times。 〃Bring it to the Works this afternoon。〃
Mr。 Wading agreed to the alteration。 He looked at me amusedly。
〃Yes； I think that's an improvement； Hugh；〃 he said。 I had a feeling
that I had gained ground； and from this time on I thought I detected a
change in his attitude toward me； there could be no doubt about the new
attitude of Mr。 Scherer； who would often greet me now with a smile and a
joke； and sometimes went so far as to ask my opinions。。。。 Then； about
six months later； came the famous Ribblevale case that aroused the moral
indignation of so many persons； among whom was Perry Blackwood。
〃You know as well as I do； Hugh； how this thing is being manipulated；〃 he
declared at Tom's one Sunday evening； 〃there was nothing the matter with
the Ribblevale Steel Companyit was as right as rain before Leonard
Dickinson and Grierson and Scherer and that crowd you train with began to
talk it down at the Club。 Oh； they're very compassionate。 I've heard
'em。 Dickinson； privately； doesn't think much of Ribblevale paper； and
Pugh〃 （the president of the Ribblevale） 〃seems worried and looks badly。
It's all very clever； but I'd hate to tell you in plain words what I'd
call it。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 I challenged him audaciously。 〃You haven't any proof that
the Ribblevale wasn't in trouble。〃
〃I heard Mr。 Pugh tell my father the other day it was a dd outrage。 He
couldn't catch up with these rumours； and some of his stockholders were
liquidating。〃
〃You； don't suppose Pugh would want to admit his situation； do you？〃 I
asked。
〃Pugh's a straight man；〃 retorted Perry。 〃That's more than I can say for
any of the other gang； saving your presence。 The unpleasant truth is
that Scherer and the Boyne people want the Ribblevale； and you ought to
know it if you don't。〃