Broaden it did.  In time many city cases were thrown in his way.  As he became more and more a factor in politics, the judges began to send him very profitable referee cases.  Presently a great local corporation, with many damage suits, asked him to accept its work on a yearly salary.

“Of course we shall want you to look out for us at Albany,” it was added.

“I’ll do what I can to prevent unfair legislation.  That must be all, though.  As for the practice, you must let me settle every case where I think the right is with the plaintiff.”  This caused demur at first, but eventually he was employed, and it was found that money was saved in the long run, for Peter was very successful in getting people to settle out of court.

Then the savings bank, for which Peter had done his best (not merely as recorded, but at other times), turned over its law business to him, giving him many real estate transactions to look into, besides papers to draw.  “He brings us a good many depositors,” Mr. Lapham told his trustees, “and is getting to be a large depositor himself.”

Peter began to find help necessary, and took a partner.  He did this at the suggestion of Ogden Ogden, who had concluded his clerkship, and who said to Peter: 

“I have a lot of friends who promise me their work.  I don’t know how much it will be, but I should like to try it with you.  Of course, yours is the bigger practice, but we can arrange that.”

So after considerable discussion, the sign on Peter’s door became “Stirling and Ogden,” and the firm blossomed out with an office boy—­one of Peter’s original “angle” friends, now six years older than when Peter and he had first met.

Ogden’s friends did materialize, and brought good paying cases.  As the city, referee, corporation and bank work increased, their joint practice needed more help, and Ray Rivington was, on Ogden’s request, taken in.

“He doesn’t get on with his law studies, though he pretends to work over them hard.  In fact he’ll never be a good lawyer.  He hasn’t a legal mind.  But he’ll bring cases, for he’s very popular in society, and he’ll do all the palavering and running round very well.  He’s just the fellow to please people.”  This was what Ogden urged, adding, “I might as well tell you that I’m interested for another reason, too.  He and Dorothy will marry, if he can ever get to the marrying point.  This, of course, is to be between us.”

“I’ll be very glad to have him, both for his own sake, and for what you’ve just told me,” said Peter.

Thus it was that the firm again changed its name, becoming “Stirling, Ogden and Rivington,” and actually spread into two other rooms, Peter’s original little “ten by twelve” being left to the possession of the office boy.  That functionary gazed long hours at the map of Italy on the blank wall, but it did not trouble him.  He only whistled and sang street songs at it.  As for Peter, he was too busy to need blank walls.  He had fought two great opponents.  The world and himself.  He had conquered them both.