From the beginning Mr.Van Torp had been certain that the campaign of defamation had not been begun by the Unions, and by its nature it could have no connection with the legal aspect of his position.

It was therefore clear that war had been declared upon him by one or more individuals on purely personal grounds, and that Mr.Feist was but the chief instrument in the hands of an unknown enemy.
But at first sight it did not look as if his assailant were Isidore Bamberger.

The violent attack on him might not affect the credit of the Nickel Trust, but it was certainly not likely to improve it and Mr.Van Torp believed that if his partner had a grudge against him, any attempt at revenge would be made in a shape that would not affect the Trust's finances.

Bamberger was a resentful sort of man, but on the other hand he was a man of business, and his fortune depended on that of his great partner.
Mr.Van Torp walked every morning in the park, thinking over these things, and little Ida tripped along beside him watching the squirrels and the birds, and not saying much; but now and then, when she felt the gentle pressure of his hand on hers, which usually meant that he was going to speak to her, she looked up to watch his lips, and they did not move; only his eyes met hers, and the faint smile that came into his face then was not at all like the one which most people saw there.

So she smiled back, happily, and looked at the squirrels again, sure that a rabbit would soon make a dash over the open and cross the road, and hoping for the rare delight of seeing a hare.