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ness　judgment　to　approach　him。

During　his　incarceration　Cowperwood　had　been　slowly　accumulating　a　little　money　through　Wingate。　　He　had　paid　Steger　considerable　sums　from　time　to　time；　until　that　worthy　finally　decided　that　it　would　not　be　fair　to　take　any　more。

〃If　ever　you　get　on　your　feet；　Frank；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　remember　me　if　you　want　to；　but　I　don't　think　you'll　want　to。　　It's　been　nothing　but　lose；　lose；　lose　for　you　through　me。　　I'll　undertake　this　matter　of　getting　that　appeal　to　the　Governor　without　any　charge　on　my　part。　　Anything　I　can　do　for　you　from　now　on　is　free　gratis　for　nothing。〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　nonsense；　Harper；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃I　don't　know　of　anybody　that　could　have　done　better　with　my　case。　　Certainly　there　isn't　anybody　that　I　would　have　trusted　as　much。　　I　don't　like　lawyers　you　know。〃

〃Yeswell；〃　said　Steger；　〃they've　got　nothing　on　financiers；　so　we'll　call　it　even。〃　　And　they　shook　hands。

So　when　it　was　finally　decided　to　pardon　Stener；　which　was　in　the　early　part　of　March；　1873Cowperwood's　pardon　was　necessarily　but　gingerly　included。　　A　delegation；　consisting　of　Strobik；　Harmon；　and　Winpenny；　representing；　as　it　was　intended　to　appear；　the　unanimous　wishes　of　the　council　and　the　city　administration；　and　speaking　for　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson；　who　had　given　their　consent；　visited　the　Governor　at　Harrisburg　and　made　the　necessary　formal　representations　which　were　intended　to　impress　the　public。　　At　the　same　time；　through　the　agency　of　Steger；　Davison；　and　Walter　Leigh；　the　appeal　in　behalf　of　Cowperwood　was　made。　　The　Governor；　who　had　had　instructions　beforehand　from　sources　quite　superior　to　this　committee；　was　very　solemn　about　the　whole　procedure。　　He　would　take　the　matter　under　advisement。　　He　would　look　into　the　history　of　the　crimes　and　the　records　of　the　two　men。　　He　could　make　no　promiseshe　would　see。　　But　in　ten　days；　after　allowing　the　petitions　to　gather　considerable　dust　in　one　of　his　pigeonholes　and　doing　absolutely　nothing　toward　investigating　anything；　he　issued　two　separate　pardons　in　writing。　　One；　as　a　matter　of　courtesy；　he　gave　into　the　hands　of　Messrs。　Strobik；　Harmon；　and　Winpenny；　to　bear　personally　to　Mr。　Stener；　as　they　desired　that　he　should。　　The　other；　on　Steger's　request；　he　gave　to　him。　　The　two　committees　which　had　called　to　receive　them　then　departed；　and　the　afternoon　of　that　same　day　saw　Strobik；　Harmon；　and　Winpenny　arrive　in　one　group；　and　Steger；　Wingate；　and　Walter　Leigh　in　another；　at　the　prison　gate；　but　at　different　hours。





Chapter　LVIII




This　matter　of　the　pardon　of　Cowperwood；　the　exact　time　of　it；　was　kept　a　secret　from　him；　though　the　fact　that　he　was　to　be　pardoned　soon；　or　that　he　had　a　very　excellent　chance　of　being；　had　not　been　deniedrather　had　been　made　much　of　from　time　to　time。　　Wingate　had　kept　him　accurately　informed　as　to　the　progress　being　made；　as　had　Steger；　but　when　it　was　actually　ascertained；　from　the　Governor's　private　secretary；　that　a　certain　day　would　see　the　pardon　handed　over　to　them；　Steger；　Wingate；　and　Walter　Leigh　had　agreed　between　themselves　that　they　would　say　nothing；　taking　Cowperwood　by　surprise。　　They　even　went　so　farthat　is；　Steger　and　Wingate　didas　to　indicate　to　Cowperwood　that　there　was　some　hitch　to　the　proceedings　and　that　he　might　not　now　get　out　so　soon。　　Cowperwood　was　somewhat　depressed；　but　properly　stoical；　he　assured　himself　that　he　could　wait；　and　that　he　would　be　all　right　sometime。　　He　was　rather　surprised　therefore；　one　Friday　afternoon；　to　see　Wingate；　Steger；　and　Leigh　appear　at　his　cell　door；　accompanied　by　Warden　Desmas。

The　warden　was　quite　pleased　to　think　that　Cowperwood　should　finally　be　going　outhe　admired　him　so　muchand　decided　to　come　along　to　the　cell；　to　see　how　he　would　take　his　liberation。　　On　the　way　Desmas　commented　on　the　fact　that　he　had　always　been　a　model　prisoner。　〃He　kept　a　little　garden　out　there　in　that　yard　of　his；〃　he　confided　to　Walter　Leigh。　　〃He　had　violets　and　pansies　and　geraniums　out　there；　and　they　did　very　well；　too。〃

Leigh　smiled。　　It　was　like　Cowperwood　to　be　industrious　and　tasteful；　even　in　prison。　　Such　a　man　could　not　be　conquered。　　〃A　very　remarkable　man；　that；〃　he　remarked　to　Desmas。

〃Very；〃　replied　the　warden。　　〃You　can　tell　that　by　looking　at　him。〃

The　four　looked　in　through　the　barred　door　where　he　was　working；　without　being　observed；　having　come　up　quite　silently。

〃Hard　at　it；　Frank？〃　asked　Steger。

Cowperwood　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　got　up。　　He　had　been　thinking；　as　always　these　days；　of　what　he　would　do　when　he　did　get　out。

〃What　is　this；〃　he　asked〃a　political　delegation？〃　He　suspected　something　on　the　instant。　　All　four　smiled　cheeringly；　and　Bonhag　unlocked　the　door　for　the　warden。

〃Nothing　very　much；　Frank；〃　replied　Stager；　gleefully；　〃only　you're　a　free　man。　　You　can　gather　up　your　traps　and　come　right　along；　if　you　wish。〃

Cowperwood　surveyed　his　friends　with　a　level　gaze。　　He　had　not　expected　this　so　soon　after　what　had　been　told　him。　　He　was　not　one　to　be　very　much　interested　in　the　practical　joke　or　the　surprise；　but　this　pleased　himthe　sudden　realization　that　he　was　free。　Still；　he　had　anticipated　it　so　long　that　the　charm　of　it　had　been　discounted　to　a　certain　extent。　　He　had　been　unhappy　here；　and　he　had　not。　　The　shame　and　humiliation　of　it；　to　begin　with；　had　been　much。　　Latterly；　as　he　had　become　inured　to　it　all；　the　sense　of　narrowness　and　humiliation　had　worn　off。　　Only　the　consciousness　of　incarceration　and　delay　irked　him。　　Barring　his　intense　desire　for　certain　thingssuccess　and　vindication；　principallyhe　found　that　he　could　live　in　his　narrow　cell　and　be　fairly　comfortable。　He　had　long　since　become　used　to　the　limy　smell　（used　to　defeat　a　more　sickening　one）；　and　to　the　numerous　rats　which　he　quite　regularly　trapped。　　He　had　learned　to　take　an　interest　in　chair…caning；　having　become　so　proficient　that　he　could　seat　twenty　in　a　day　if　he　chose；　and　in　working　in　the　little　garden　in　spring；　summer；　and　fall。　　Every　evening　he　had　studied　the　sky　from　his　narrow　yard；　which　resulted　curiously　in　the　gift　in　later　years　of　a　great　reflecting　telescope　to　a　famous　university。　　He　had　not　looked　upon　himself　as　an　ordinary　prisoner；　by　any　meanshad　not　felt　himself　to　be　sufficiently　punished　if　a　real　crime　had　been　involved。　　From　Bonhag　he　had　learned　the　history　of　many　criminals　here　incarcerated；　from　murderers　up　and　down；　and　many　had　been　pointed　out　to　him　from　time　to　time。　　He　had　been　escorted　into　the　general　yard　by　Bonhag；　had　seen　the　general　food　of　the　place　being　prepared；　had　heard　of　Stener's　modified　life　here；　and　so　forth。　　It　had　finally　struck　him　that　it　was　not　so　bad；　only　that　the　delay　to　an　individual　like　himself　was　wasteful。　He　could　do　so　much　now　if　he　were　out　and　did　not　have　to　fight　court　proceedings。　　Courts　and　jails！　He　shook　his　head　when　he　thought　of　the　waste　involved　in　them。

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said；　looking　around　him　in　an　uncertain　way。　　〃I'm　ready。〃

He　stepped　out　into　the　hall；　with　scarcely　a　farewell　glance；　and　to　Bonhag；　who　was　grieving　greatly　over　the　loss　of　so　profitable　a　customer；　he　said：　〃I　wish　you　would　see　that　some　of　these　things　are　sent　over　to　my　house；　Walter。　　You're　welcome　to　the　chair；　that　clock；　this　mirror；　those　picturesall　of　these　things　in　fact；　except　my　linen；　razors；　and　so　forth。〃

The　last　little　act　of　beneficence　soothed　Bonhag's　lacerated　soul　a　little。　　They　went　out　into　the　receiving　overseer's　office；　where　Cowperwood　laid　aside　his　prison　suit　and　the　soft　shirt　with　a　considerable　sense　of　relief。　　The　clog　shoes　had　long　since　been　replaced　by　a　better　pair　of　his　own。　　He　put　on　the　derby　hat　and　gray　overcoat　he　had　worn　the　year　before；　on　entering；　and　expressed　himself　as　ready。　　At　the　entrance　of　the　prison　he　turned　and　looked　backone　last　glanceat　the　iron　door　leading　into　the　garden。

〃You　don't　regret　leaving　that；　do　you；　Frank？〃　asked　Steger；　curiously。

〃I　do　not；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃It　wasn't　that　I　was　thinking　of。　　It　was　just　the　appearance　of　it；　that's　all。〃

In　another　minute　they　were　at　the　outer　gate；　where　Cowperwood　shook　the　warden　finally　by　the　hand。　　Then　entering　a　carriage　outside　the　large；　impressive；　Gothic　entrance；　the　gates　were　locked　behind　them　and　they　were　driven　away。

〃Well；　there's　an　end　of　that；　Frank；〃　observed　Steger；　gayly；　〃that　will　never　bother　you　any　more。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃It's　worse　to　see　it　coming　than　going。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　we　ought　to　celebrate　this　occasion　in　some　way；〃　observed　Walter　Leigh。　　〃It　won't　do　just　to　take　Frank　home。　Why　don't　we　all　go　down　to　Green's？　That's　a　good　idea。〃

〃I'd　rather　not；　if　you　don't　mind；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　feelingly。　〃I'll　get　together　with　you　all；　later。　　Just　now　I'd　like　to　go　home　and　change　these　clothes。〃

He　was　thinking　of　Aileen　and　his　children　and　his　mother　and　father　and　of　his　whole　future。　　Life　was　going　to　broaden　out　for　him　considerably　from　now　on；　he　was　sure　of　it。　　He　had　learned　so　much　about　taking　care　of　himself　in　those　thirteen　months。　　He　was　going　to　see　Aileen；　and　find　how　she　felt　about　things　in　gener