"'Say, though. You're by way of being a desperate character, anyhow, reckon?' and added, dropping the words as if what he said was of no particular importance, 'Lookin' out for employment, likely?'
"It seemed kindly meant, though crudely put; the conjecture was correct. Before I could enlarge upon the extent and nature of my qualifications he cut me short again.
"'Drop round on me at two o'clock to-morrow afternoon, and we'll fit up a deal right there. Here is my card. Now, as it's getting late, I'll say "Good-night" to you and get on the car. Glad to have made your acquaintance. Hope to renew it in the morning.'
"He shook my hand and hurried off. I examined his card and found it thus inscribed—
HIRAM P. VAN SCHUYLER,
115, Broadway.
It was a name that I knew—a name that everybody knew. Hiram P. Van Schuyler was a millionaire—a railroad king. It puzzled me to think what he could want in seeking the acquaintance of a revolutionist. Did he desire to buy me over to constitutional causes? If so——
"'There is some mystery here,' I said to myself, 'and I will probe it to the bottom.'
"So out of curiosity, rather than from any higher motive, I decided to keep the appointment which Mr. Van Schuyler had made.
"His offices occupied the whole of an enormous block of buildings; his own private room was on the highest floor. An elevator carried me up to it, a clerk showed me in, and Mr. Van Schuyler shook me warmly by the hand.
"'Glad to see you. Take a seat, Mr.——'