enough! Or could you secure them by pledging part of our cash assets

and--

I am coming over, just as soon as I can get the family moved and

settled.

S. L. C.

Two weeks following this letter he could endure the suspense no

longer, and on August 29th sailed once more for America. In New

York, Clemens settled down at the Players Club, where he could live

cheaply, and undertook some literary work while he was casting about

for ways and means to relieve the financial situation. Nothing

promising occurred, until one night at the Murray Hill Hotel he was

introduced by Dr. Clarence C. Rice to Henry H. Rogers, of the

Standard Oil group of financiers. Rogers had a keen sense of humor

and had always been a great admirer of Mark Twain's work. It was a

mirthful evening, and certainly an eventful one in Mark Twain's

life. A day or two later Doctor Rice asked the millionaire to

interest himself a little in Clemens's business affairs, which he

thought a good deal confused. Just what happened is not remembered

now, but from the date of the next letter we realize that a

discussion of the matter by Clemens and Rogers must have followed

pretty promptly.

874

The Letters Of Mark Twain, Complete