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onal　uprisings　which　so　shocked　the　political　leaders　generallywho　had　to　be　looked　after　in　a　friendly　way。

Desmas　was　quite　aware；　of　course；　of　the　history　of　Cowperwood　and　Stener。　　The　politicians　had　already　given　him　warning　that　Stener；　because　of　his　past　services　to　the　community；　was　to　be　treated　with　special　consideration。　　Not　so　much　was　said　about　Cowperwood；　although　they　did　admit　that　his　lot　was　rather　hard。　Perhaps　he　might　do　a　little　something　for　him　but　at　his　own　risk。

〃Butler　is　down　on　him；〃　Strobik　said　to　Desmas；　on　one　occasion。　〃It's　that　girl　of　his　that's　at　the　bottom　of　it　all。　　If　you　listened　to　Butler　you'd　feed　him　on　bread　and　water；　but　he　isn't　a　bad　fellow。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　if　George　had　had　any　sense　Cowperwood　wouldn't　be　where　he　is　to…day。　　But　the　big　fellows　wouldn't　let　Stener　alone。　　They　wouldn't　let　him　give　Cowperwood　any　money。〃

Although　Strobik　had　been　one　of　those　who；　under　pressure　from　Mollenhauer；　had　advised　Stener　not　to　let　Cowperwood　have　any　more　money；　yet　here　he　was　pointing　out　the　folly　of　the　victim's　course。　　The　thought　of　the　inconsistency　involved　did　not　trouble　him　in　the　least。

Desmas　decided；　therefore；　that　if　Cowperwood　were　persona　non　grata　to　the　〃Big　Three；〃　it　might　be　necessary　to　be　indifferent　to　him；　or　at　least　slow　in　extending　him　any　special　favors。　　For　Stener　a　good　chair；　clean　linen；　special　cutlery　and　dishes；　the　daily　papers；　privileges　in　the　matter　of　mail；　the　visits　of　friends；　and　the　like。　　For　Cowperwoodwell；　he　would　have　to　look　at　Cowperwood　and　see　what　he　thought。　　At　the　same　time；　Steger's　intercessions　were　not　without　their　effect　on　Desmas。　So　the　morning　after　Cowperwood's　entrance　the　warden　received　a　letter　from　Terrence　Relihan；　the　Harrisburg　potentate；　indicating　that　any　kindness　shown　to　Mr。　Cowperwood　would　be　duly　appreciated　by　him。　　Upon　the　receipt　of　this　letter　Desmas　went　up　and　looked　through　Cowperwood's　iron　door。　　On　the　way　he　had　a　brief　talk　with　Chapin；　who　told　him　what　a　nice　man　he　thought　Cowperwood　was。

Desmas　had　never　seen　Cowperwood　before；　but　in　spite　of　the　shabby　uniform；　the　clog　shoes；　the　cheap　shirt；　and　the　wretched　cell；　he　was　impressed。　　Instead　of　the　weak；　anaemic　body　and　the　shifty　eyes　of　the　average　prisoner；　he　saw　a　man　whose　face　and　form　blazed　energy　and　power；　and　whose　vigorous　erectness　no　wretched　clothes　or　conditions　could　demean。　　He　lifted　his　head　when　Desmas　appeared；　glad　that　any　form　should　have　appeared　at　his　door；　and　looked　at　him　with　large；　clear；　examining　eyesthose　eyes　that　in　the　past　had　inspired　so　much　confidence　and　surety　in　all　those　who　had　known　him。　　Desmas　was　stirred。　　Compared　with　Stener；　whom　he　knew　in　the　past　and　whom　he　had　met　on　his　entry；　this　man　was　a　force。　　Say　what　you　will；　one　vigorous　man　inherently　respects　another。　　And　Desmas　was　vigorous　physically。　　He　eyed　Cowperwood　and　Cowperwood　eyed　him。　　Instinctly　Desmas　liked　him。　He　was　like　one　tiger　looking　at　another。

Instinctively　Cowperwood　knew　that　he　was　the　warden。　　This　is　Mr。　Desmas；　isn't　it？〃　he　asked；　courteously　and　pleasantly。

〃Yes；　sir；　I'm　the　man；〃　replied　Desmas　interestedly。　　〃These　rooms　are　not　as　comfortable　as　they　might　be；　are　they？〃　The　warden's　even　teeth　showed　in　a　friendly；　yet　wolfish；　way。

〃They　certainly　are　not；　Mr。　Desmas；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　standing　very　erect　and　soldier…like。　　〃I　didn't　imagine　I　was　coming　to　a　hotel；　however。〃　　He　smiled。

〃There　isn't　anything　special　I　can　do　for　you；　is　there；　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃　began　Desmas　curiously；　for　he　was　moved　by　a　thought　that　at　some　time　or　other　a　man　such　as　this　might　be　of　service　to　him。　　〃I've　been　talking　to　your　lawyer。〃　　Cowperwood　was　intensely　gratified　by　the　Mr。　　So　that　was　the　way　the　wind　was　blowing。　　Well；　then；　within　reason；　things　might　not　prove　so　bad　here。　　He　would　see。　　He　would　sound　this　man　out。

〃I　don't　want　to　be　asking　anything；　Warden；　which　you　cannot　reasonably　give；〃　he　now　returned　politely。　　〃But　there　are　a　few　things；　of　course；　that　I　would　change　if　I　could。　　I　wish　I　might　have　sheets　for　my　bed；　and　I　could　afford　better　underwear　if　you　would　let　me　wear　it。　　This　that　I　have　on　annoys　me　a　great　deal。〃

〃They're　not　the　best　wool；　that's　true　enough；〃　replied　Desmas；　solemnly。　　〃They're　made　for　the　State　out　here　in　Pennsylvania　somewhere。　　I　suppose　there's　no　objection　to　your　wearing　your　own　underwear　if　you　want　to。　　I'll　see　about　that。　　And　the　sheets；　too。　　We　might　let　you　use　them　if　you　have　them。　　We'll　have　to　go　a　little　slow　about　this。　　There　are　a　lot　of　people　that　take　a　special　interest　in　showing　the　warden　how　to　tend　to　his　business。〃

〃I　can　readily　understand　that；　Warden；〃　went　on　Cowperwood　briskly；　〃and　I'm　certainly　very　much　obliged　to　you。　　You　may　be　sure　that　anything　you　do　for　me　here　will　be　appreciated；　and　not　misused；　and　that　I　have　friends　on　the　outside　who　can　reciprocate　for　me　in　the　course　of　time。〃　　He　talked　slowly　and　emphatically；　looking　Desmas　directly　in　the　eye　all　of　the　time。　　Desmas　was　very　much　impressed。

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said；　now　that　he　had　gone　so　far　as　to　be　friendly。　　〃I　can't　promise　much。　　Prison　rules　are　prison　rules。　But　there　are　some　things　that　can　be　done；　because　it's　the　rule　to　do　them　for　other　men　when　they　behave　themselves。　　You　can　have　a　better　chair　than　that；　if　you　want　it；　and　something　to　read　too。　　If　you're　in　business　yet；　I　wouldn't　want　to　do　anything　to　stop　that。　　We　can't　have　people　running　in　and　out　of　here　every　fifteen　minutes；　and　you　can't　turn　a　cell　into　a　business　office　that's　not　possible。　　It　would　break　up　the　order　of　the　place。　Still；　there's　no　reason　why　you　shouldn't　see　some　of　your　friends　now　and　then。　　As　for　your　mailwell；　that　will　have　to　be　opened　in　the　ordinary　way　for　the　time　being；　anyhow。　　I'll　have　to　see　about　that。　　I　can't　promise　too　much。　　You'll　have　to　wait　until　you　come　out　of　this　block　and　down…stairs。　　Some　of　the　cells　have　a　yard　there；　if　there　are　any　empty〃　The　warden　cocked　his　eye　wisely；　and　Cowperwood　saw　that　his　tot　was　not　to　be　as　bad　as　he　had　anticipatedthough　bad　enough。　　The　warden　spoke　to　him　about　the　different　trades　he　might　follow；　and　asked　him　to　think　about　the　one　he　would　prefer。　　〃You　want　to　have　something　to　keep　your　hands　busy；　whatever　else　you　want。　　You'll　find　you'll　need　that。　　Everybody　here　wants　to　work　after　a　time。　　I　notice　that。〃

Cowperwood　understood　and　thanked　Desmas　profusely。　　The　horror　of　idleness　in　silence　and　in　a　cell　scarcely　large　enough　to　turn　around　in　comfortably　had　already　begun　to　creep　over　him；　and　the　thought　of　being　able　to　see　Wingate　and　Steger　frequently；　and　to　have　his　mail　reach　him；　after　a　time；　untampered　with；　was　a　great　relief。　　He　was　to　have　his　own　underwear；　silk　and　wool　thank　God！and　perhaps　they　would　let　him　take　off　these　shoes　after　a　while。　　With　these　modifications　and　a　trade；　and　perhaps　the　little　yard　which　Desmas　had　referred　to；　his　life　would　be；　if　not　ideal；　at　least　tolerable。　　The　prison　was　still　a　prison；　but　it　looked　as　though　it　might　not　be　so　much　of　a　terror　to　him　as　obviously　it　must　be　to　many。

During　the　two　weeks　in　which　Cowperwood　was　in　the　〃manners　squad；〃　in　care　of　Chapin；　he　learned　nearly　as　much　as　he　ever　learned　of　the　general　nature　of　prison　life；　for　this　was　not　an　ordinary　penitentiary　in　the　sense　that　the　prison　yard；　the　prison　squad；　the　prison　lock…step；　the　prison　dining…room；　and　prison　associated　labor　make　the　ordinary　penitentiary。　　There　was；　for　him　and　for　most　of　those　confined　there；　no　general　prison　life　whatsoever。　The　large　majority　were　supposed　to　work　silently　in　their　cells　at　the　particular　tasks　assigned　them；　and　not　to　know　anything　of　the　remainder　of　the　life　which　went　on　around　them；　the　rule　of　this　prison　being　solitary　confinement；　and　few　being　permitted　to　work　at　the　limited　number　of　outside　menial　tasks　provided。　Indeed；　as　he　sensed　and　as　old　Chapin　soon　informed　him；　not　more　than　seventy…five　of　the　four　hundred　prisoners　confined　here　were　so　employed；　and　not　all　of　these　regularlycooking；　gardening　in　season；　milling；　and　general　cleaning　being　the　only　avenues　of　escape　from　solitude。　　Even　those　who　so　worked　were　strictly　forbidden　to　talk；　and　although　they　did　not　have　to　wear　the　objectionable　hood　when　actually　employed；　they　were　supposed　to　wear　it　in　going　to　and　from　their　work。　　Cowperwood　saw　them　occasionally　tramping　by　his　cell　door；　and　it　struck　him　as　strange；　uncanny；　grim。　　He　wished　sincerely　at　times　since　old　Chapin　was　so　genial　and　talkative　that　he　were　to　be　under　him　permanently；　but　it　was　not　to　be。

His　two　weeks　soon　passeddrearily　enough　in　all　conscience　but　they　passed；　interlaced　with　his　few　commonplace　tasks　of　bed…making；　floor…sweeping；　dressing；　eating；　undressing；　rising　at　five…thirty；　and　retiring　at　nine；　washing　his　several　dishes　after　each　meal；　etc。　　He　thought　he　would　never　get　used　to　the　food。　　Breakfast；　as　has　been　said；　was　at　six…thirty；　and　consisted　of　coarse　black　bread　made　of　bran　and　some　white　flo