where only one thing was wanting--the thing they had in mind.

Berryman Livingstone had, however, much better proof of success than the
mere plaudits of the world. Many men had these who had no real
foundation for their display. For instance, "Meteor" Broome the broker,
had just taken the big house on the corner above him, and had filled his
stable with high-stepping, high-priced horses--much talked of in the
public prints--and his wife wore jewels as handsome as Mrs.
Parke-Rhode's who owned the house and twenty more like it. Colonel
Keightly was one of the largest dealers on 'Change this year and was
advertised in all the papers as having made a cool million and a half in
a single venture out West. Van Diver was always spoken of as the "Grain
King," "Mining King," or some other kind of Royalty, because of his
infallible success, and Midan touch.

But though these and many more like them were said to have made in a
year or two more than Livingstone with all his pains had been able to
accumulate in a score of years of earnest toil and assiduous devotion to
business; were now invited to the same big houses that Livingstone
visited, and were greeted by almost as flattering speeches as Livingstone
received, Livingstone knew of discussions as to these men at Boards
other than the "festal board," and of "stiffer" notes that had been sent
them than those stiff and sealed missives which were left at their front
doors by liveried footmen.

Livingstone, however, though he "kept out of the papers," having a
rooted and growing prejudice against this form of vulgarity, could at
any time, on five minutes' notice, establish the solidity of his
foundation by simply unlocking his safe-deposit boxes. His foundation
was as solid as gold.