Peter went back to New York that night, feeling hopeful, yet doubtful.  It almost seemed impossible that he had succeeded, yet at twenty-three, failure is hard to believe in.  So he waited, hoping to see some move on the part of the State, and dreaming of nothing better.  But better came, for only five days after his return his mail brought him a large envelope, and inside that envelope was a special commission, which made Peter a deputy of the Attorney-General, to prosecute in the Court of Sessions, the case of “The People of the State of New York versus James Goldman.”  If any one could have seen Peter’s face, as he read the purely formal instrument, he would not have called it dull or heavy.  For Peter knew that he had won; that in place of justice blocking and hindering him, every barrier was crushed down; that this prosecution rested with no officials, but was for him to push; that that little piece of parchment bound every court to support him; that if necessary fifty thousand troops would enforce the power which granted it.  Within three hours, the first formal steps to place the case in the courts had been taken, and Peter was working at the evidence and law in the matter.

These steps produced a prompt call from Dummer, who showed considerably less assurance than hitherto, even though he tried to take Peter’s success jauntily.  He wanted Peter to drop the whole thing, and hinted at large sums of money, but Peter at first did not notice his hints, and finally told him that the case should be tried.  Then Dummer pleaded for delay.  Peter was equally obdurate.  Later they had a contest in the court over this.  But Peter argued in a quiet way, which nevertheless caught the attention of the judge, who ended the dispute by refusing to postpone.  The judge hadn’t intended to act in this way, and was rather surprised at his own conduct.  The defendant’s lawyer was furious.

No stone was left unturned, however, to prevent the case going to trial.  Pressure of the sharpest and closest kind was brought to bear on the Governor himself—­pressure which required backbone to resist.  But he stood by his act:  perhaps because he belonged to a different party than that in control of the city government; perhaps because of Peter’s account, and the truthfulness in his face as he told it; perhaps because the Attorney-General had found it legal; perhaps because of his wife; perhaps it was a blending of all these.  Certain it is, that all attempts to block failed, and in the last week in August it came before the court.

Peter had kept his clients informed as to his struggles, and they were tremendously proud of the big battle and ultimate success, as indeed were the residents of the whole district, who felt that it was really their own case.  Then the politicians were furious and excited over it, while the almost unexampled act of the Governor had created a good deal of public interest in the case.  So the court was packed