Perhaps," suggested Philip, "it was effected on what the insurance

companies call the 'endowment,' or the 'paid up' plan, by which a policy

is secured after a certain time without further payment."

"You think then," said Mr. Bolton smiling, "that a liberal and sagacious

politician might own a legislature after a time, and not be bothered with

keeping up his payments?"

"Whatever it is," interrupted Mr. Bigler, "it's devilish ingenious and

goes ahead of my calculations; it's cleaned me out, when I thought we had

a dead sure thing. I tell you what it is, gentlemen, I shall go in for

reform. Things have got pretty mixed when a legislature will give away a

United States senatorship."

It was melancholy, but Mr. Bigler was not a man to be crushed by one

misfortune, or to lose his confidence in human nature, on one exhibition

of apparent honesty. He was already on his feet again, or would be if

Mr. Bolton could tide him over shoal water for ninety days.

We've got something with money in it," he explained to Mr. Bolton,

got hold of it by good luck. We've got the entire contract for Dobson's

Patent Pavement for the city of Mobile. See here."

Mr. Bigler made some figures; contract so; much, cost of work and

materials so much, profits so much. At the end of three months the city

513

The Gilded Age