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care。
‘‘Most complete； Mr。 Travis；'' was his comment。 ‘‘You've done a
good piece of work。'' He sat silent； drumming noiselessly on the table
with his stumpy； hairy； fat fingers。 At last he began： ‘‘It ought to be
worth at least twenty thousand。 Do you know Ganser？''
‘‘Just a speaking acquaintance。''
‘‘Excellent。 What kind of a man is he？''
‘‘Stupid and ignorant； but not without a certain cunning。 We can get
at him all right； though。 He's deadly afraid of social scandal。 Wants to
get into the German Club and become a howling swell。 But he don't
stand a chance； though he don't know it。''
‘‘You'd better go to see him yourself；'' said Loeb。
‘‘I'll be glad to do it； Mr。 Loeb。 Isn't your manthis Feuersteina
good bit to the queer？''
‘‘A dead beatone of the worst kindthe born gentleman。 You've
noticed； perhaps； that where a man or woman has been brought up to live
without work； to live off other people's work； there's nothing they
wouldn't stoop to； to keep on living that way。 As for this chap； if he had
got started right； he'd be operating up in the Fifth Avenue district。 He
used to have a wife。 He SAYS he's divorced。''
Loeb and Travis looked each at the other significantly。 ‘‘I see；'' said
Travis。
‘‘Neither side wants scandal。 Still； I think you're right； that Ganser's
good for twenty thousand。''
‘‘You can judge better after you've felt him；'' replied Loeb。 ‘‘You'd
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better go at once。 Give him the tip that Feuerstein's about to force him to
produce his daughter in court。 But you understand。 Try to induce him
to go to Beck。'' Travis grinned and Loeb's eyes twinkled。 ‘‘You might
lay it on strong about Feuerstein's actor…craze for getting into the papers。''
‘‘That's a grand idea；'' exclaimed Travis。 ‘‘I don't think I'll suggest
any sum if he agrees to go to Beck。 Beck can get at least five thousand
more out of him than any other lawyer in town。''
‘‘Beck's the wonder；'' said Loeb。
‘‘LOEB and Beck；'' corrected Travis in a flattering tone。
Loeb waved his hot； fat head gently to and fro as if a pleasant cooling
stream were being played upon it。 ‘‘I think I have got a ‘pretty good nut
on me；' as John L。 used to say；'' he replied。 ‘‘I think I do know a little
about the law。 And now hustle yourself； my boy。 This case must be
pushed。 The less time Ganser has to look about； the better forour
client。''
Travis found Ganser in his office at the brewery。 The old man's face
was red and troubled。
‘‘I've come on very unpleasant business； Mr。 Ganser；'' said Travis with
deference。 ‘‘As you know； I am with Loeb； Lynn； Levy and
McCafferty。 Our client； Mr。 Feuerstein''
Ganser leaped to his feet； apoplectic。
‘‘Get out！'' he shouted； ‘‘I don't speak with you！''
‘‘As an officer of the court； Mr。 Ganser；'' said Travis suavely； ‘‘it is my
painful duty to insist upon a hearing。 We lawyers can't select our clients。
We must do our best for all comers。 Our firm has sent me out of kindly
feeling for you。 We are all men of family； like yourself； and； when the
case was forced on us； we at once tried to think how we could be of
service to youof course； while doing our full legal duty by our client。
I've come in the hope of helping you to avoid the disgrace of publicity。''
‘‘Get out！'' growled Peter。 ‘‘I know lawyersthey're all thieves。
Get out！'' But Travis knew that Peter wished him to stay。
‘‘I needn't enlarge on our clientMr。 Feuerstein。 You know he's an
actor。 You know how they crave notoriety。 You know how eager the
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
newspapers are to take up and make a noise about matters of this kind。''
Peter was sweating profusely； and had to seat himself。 ‘‘It's
outrageous！'' he groaned in German。
‘‘Feuerstein has ordered us to have your daughter brought into court at
onceto…morrow。 He's your daughter's lawful husband and she's well
beyond the legal age。 Of course； he can't compel her to live with him or
you to support him。 But he can force the courts to inquire publicly。
And I'm sorry to say we'll not be able to restrain him or the press； once he
gets the ball to rolling。''
Peter felt it rolling over him； tons heavy。 ‘‘What you talk about？'' he
said； on his guard but eager。
‘‘It's an outrage that honest men should be thus laid open to attack；''
continued Travis in a sympathetic tone。 ‘‘But if the law permits these
outrages； it also provides remedies。 Your daughter's mistake may cost
you a little something； but there need be no scandal。''
‘‘What do you mean by that？'' asked Ganser。 ‘‘Really； I've talked too
much already； Mr。 Ganser。 I almost forgot； for the moment； that I'm
representing Mr。 Feuerstein。 But； as between friends； I'd advise you to
go to some good divorce lawyersa firm that is reputable but understands
the ins and outs of the business； some firm like Beck and Brown。 They
can tell you exactly what to do。''
Ganser regarded his ‘‘friend'' suspiciously but credulously。 ‘‘I'll see；''
he said。 ‘‘But I won't pay a cent。''
‘‘Right you are； sir！ And there may be a way out of it without paying。
But Beck can tell you。'' Travis made a motion toward the inside pocket
of his coat； then pretended to change his mind。 ‘‘I came here to serve the
papers on you；'' he said apologetically。 ‘‘But I'll take the responsibility of
delayingit can't make Feuerstein any less married； and your daughter's
certainly safe in her father's care。 I'll wait in the hope that YOU'LL take
the first step。''
Ganser lost no time in going to his own lawyersFisher； Windisch and
Carteret； in the Postal Telegraph Building。 He told Windisch the whole
story。 ‘‘And；'' he