Chapter II

To earn the highest wages possible, Joseph drives the "death wagons" at the mine. After a close call with the explosion of a wagon carrying nitroglycerin, Joseph goes into business with Ed at Healey Oil. He begins to quietly buy oil land options with Harry Zieff acting as his agent under his own company name, Xavier Oil. Living in Ed's mansion, Joseph begins a love affair with Ed's housekeeper Martinique. He convinces Ed to invest in the refinery business and Ed involves him in a gun-running scheme that ends badly. Joseph meets Ed's daughter, Elizabeth and is warned that she is off limits for any type of relationship. Joseph gives his promise that he will not get involved with her and he keeps it. Harry has fallen in love with Ed's mistress Emmy and an incident at the house when he is caught with her in Joseph's room, results in the death of Ed's bodyguard.