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ated　of　the　outer　world；　but　it　would　never　be　swallowed　by　the　politicians。　　They　knew　better　than　that。

There　was　another　phase　to　this　situation；　however；　that　encouraged　him；　and　that　was　his　knowledge　of　how　city　politics　were　going　in　general。　　It　was　useless　for　any　politician；　however　loftly；　to　take　a　high　and　mighty　tone　in　a　crisis　like　this。　　All　of　them；　great　and　small；　were　profiting　in　one　way　and　another　through　city　privileges。　　　Butler；　Mollenhauer；　and　Simpson；　he　knew；　made　money　out　of　contractslegal　enough；　though　they　might　be　looked　upon　as　rank　favoritismand　also　out　of　vast　sums　of　money　collected　in　the　shape　of　taxesland　taxes；　water　taxes；　etc。which　were　deposited　in　the　various　banks　designated　by　these　men　and　others　as　legal　depositories　for　city　money。　　The　banks　supposedly　carried　the　city's　money　in　their　vaults　as　a　favor；　without　paying　interest　of　any　kind；　and　then　reinvested　itfor　whom？　Cowperwood　had　no　complaint　to　make；　for　he　was　being　well　treated；　but　these　men　could　scarcely　expect　to　monopolize　all　the　city's　benefits。　　He　did　not　know　either　Mollenhauer　or　Simpson　personallybut　he　knew　they　as　well　as　Butler　had　made　money　out　of　his　own　manipulation　of　city　loan。　　Also；　Butler　was　most　friendly　to　him。　　It　was　not　unreasonable　for　him　to　think；　in　a　crisis　like　this；　that　if　worst　came　to　worst；　he　could　make　a　clean　breast　of　it　to　Butler　and　receive　aid。　　In　case　he　could　not　get　through　secretly　with　Stener's　help；　Cowperwood　made　up　his　mind　that　he　would　do　this。

His　first　move；　he　decided；　would　be　to　go　at　once　to　Stener's　house　and　demand　the　loan　of　an　additional　three　or　four　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　Stener　had　always　been　very　tractable；　and　in　this　instance　would　see　how　important　it　was　that　his　shortage　of　half　a　million　should　not　be　made　public。　　Then　he　must　get　as　much　more　as　possible。　　But　where　to　get　it？　Presidents　of　banks　and　trust　companies；　large　stock　jobbers；　and　the　like；　would　have　to　be　seen。　　Then　there　was　a　loan　of　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　he　was　carrying　for　Butler。　　The　old　contractor　might　be　induced　to　leave　that。　　He　hurried　to　his　home；　secured　his　runabout；　and　drove　rapidly　to　Stener's。

As　it　turned　out；　however；　much　to　his　distress　and　confusion；　Stener　was　out　of　towndown　on　the　Chesapeake　with　several　friends　shooting　ducks　and　fishing；　and　was　not　expected　back　for　several　days。　　He　was　in　the　marshes　back　of　some　small　town。　　Cowperwood　sent　an　urgent　wire　to　the　nearest　point　and　then；　to　make　assurance　doubly　sure；　to　several　other　points　in　the　same　neighborhood；　asking　him　to　return　immediately。　　He　was　not　at　all　sure；　however；　that　Stener　would　return　in　time　and　was　greatly　nonplussed　and　uncertain　for　the　moment　as　to　what　his　next　step　would　be。　　Aid　must　be　forthcoming　from　somewhere　and　at　once。

Suddenly　a　helpful　thought　occurred　to　him。　　Butler　and　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　were　long　on　local　street…railways。　　They　must　combine　to　support　the　situation　and　protect　their　interests。　　They　could　see　the　big　bankers；　Drexel　&　Co。　and　Cooke　&　Co。；　and　others　and　urge　them　to　sustain　the　market。　　They　could　strengthen　things　generally　by　organizing　a　buying　ring；　and　under　cover　of　their　support；　if　they　would；　he　might　sell　enough　to　let　him　out；　and　even　permit　him　to　go　short　and　make　somethinga　whole　lot。　　It　was　a　brilliant　thought；　worthy　of　a　greater　situation；　and　its　only　weakness　was　that　it　was　not　absolutely　certain　of　fulfillment。

He　decided　to　go　to　Butler　at　once；　the　only　disturbing　thought　being　that　he　would　now　be　compelled　to　reveal　his　own　and　Stener's　affairs。　　So　reentering　his　runabout　he　drove　swiftly　to　the　Butler　home。

When　he　arrived　there　the　famous　contractor　was　at　dinner。　　He　had　not　heard　the　calling　of　the　extras；　and　of　course；　did　not　understand　as　yet　the　significance　of　the　fire。　　The　servant's　announcement　of　Cowperwood　brought　him　smiling　to　the　door。

〃Won't　you　come　in　and　join　us？　We're　just　havin'　a　light　supper。　Have　a　cup　of　coffee　or　tea；　nowdo。〃

〃I　can't；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Not　to…night；　I'm　in　too　much　of　a　hurry。　　I　want　to　see　you　for　just　a　few　moments；　and　then　I'll　be　off　again。　　I　won't　keep　you　very　long。〃

〃Why；　if　that's　the　case；　I'll　come　right　out。〃　　And　Butler　returned　to　the　dining…room　to　put　down　his　napkin。　　Aileen；　who　was　also　dining；　had　heard　Cowperwood's　voice；　and　was　on　the　qui　vive　to　see　him。　　She　wondered　what　it　was　that　brought　him　at　this　time　of　night　to　see　her　father。　　She　could　not　leave　the　table　at　once；　but　hoped　to　before　he　went。　　Cowperwood　was　thinking　of　her；　even　in　the　face　of　this　impending　storm；　as　he　was　of　his　wife；　and　many　other　things。　　If　his　affairs　came　down　in　a　heap　it　would　go　hard　with　those　attached　to　him。　　In　this　first　clouding　of　disaster；　he　could　not　tell　how　things　would　eventuate。　He　meditated　on　this　desperately；　but　he　was　not　panic…stricken。　His　naturally　even…molded　face　was　set　in　fine；　classic　lines；　his　eyes　were　as　hard　as　chilled　steel。

〃Well；　now；〃　exclaimed　Butler；　returning；　his　countenance　manifesting　a　decidedly　comfortable　relationship　with　the　world　as　at　present　constituted。　　〃What's　up　with　you　to…night？　Nawthin'　wrong；　I　hope。　It's　been　too　fine　a　day。〃

〃Nothing　very　serious；　I　hope　myself；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　〃But　I　want　to　talk　with　you　a　few　minutes；　anyhow。　　Don't　you　think　we　had　better　go　up　to　your　room？〃

〃I　was　just　going　to　say　that；〃　replied　Butler〃the　cigars　are　up　there。〃

They　started　from　the　reception…room　to　the　stairs；　Butler　preceding　and　as　the　contractor　mounted；　Aileen　came　out　from　the　dining…room　in　a　frou…frou　of　silk。　　Her　splendid　hair　was　drawn　up　from　the　base　of　the　neck　and　the　line　of　the　forehead　into　some　quaint　convolutions　which　constituted　a　reddish…gold　crown。　　Her　complexion　was　glowing；　and　her　bare　arms　and　shoulders　shone　white　against　the　dark　red　of　her　evening　gown。　　She　realized　there　was　something　wrong。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Cowperwood；　how　do　you　do？〃　she　exclaimed；　coming　forward　and　holding　out　her　hand　as　her　father　went　on　upstairs。　　She　was　delaying　him　deliberately　in　order　to　have　a　word　with　him　and　this　bold　acting　was　for　the　benefit　of　the　others。

〃What's　the　trouble；　honey？〃　she　whispered；　as　soon　as　her　father　was　out　of　hearing。　　〃You　look　worried。〃

〃Nothing　much；　I　hope；　sweet；〃　he　said。　　〃Chicago　is　burning　up　and　there's　going　to　be　trouble　to…morrow。　　I　have　to　talk　to　your　father。〃

She　had　time　only　for　a　sympathetic；　distressed　〃Oh；〃　before　he　withdrew　his　hand　and　followed　Butler　upstairs。　　She　squeezed　his　arm；　and　went　through　the　reception…room　to　the　parlor。　　She　sat　down；　thinking；　for　never　before　had　she　seen　Cowperwood's　face　wearing　such　an　expression　of　stern；　disturbed　calculation。　　It　was　placid；　like　fine；　white　wax；　and　quite　as　cold；　and　those　deep；　vague；　inscrutable　eyes！　So　Chicago　was　burning。　　What　would　happen　to　him？　Was　he　very　much　involved？　He　had　never　told　her　in　detail　of　his　affairs。　　She　would　not　have　understood　fully　any　more　than　would　have　Mrs。　Cowperwood。　　But　she　was　worried；　nevertheless；　because　it　was　her　Frank；　and　because　she　was　bound　to　him　by　what　to　her　seemed　indissoluble　ties。

Literature；　outside　of　the　masters；　has　given　us　but　one　idea　of　the　mistress；　the　subtle；　calculating　siren　who　delights　to　prey　on　the　souls　of　men。　　The　journalism　and　the　moral　pamphleteering　of　the　time　seem　to　foster　it　with　almost　partisan　zeal。　　It　would　seem　that　a　censorship　of　life　had　been　established　by　divinity；　and　the　care　of　its　execution　given　into　the　hands　of　the　utterly　conservative。　　Yet　there　is　that　other　form　of　liaison　which　has　nothing　to　do　with　conscious　calculation。　　In　the　vast　majority　of　cases　it　is　without　design　or　guile。　　The　average　woman；　controlled　by　her　affections　and　deeply　in　love；　is　no　more　capable　than　a　child　of　anything　save　sacrificial　thoughtthe　desire　to　give；　and　so　long　as　this　state　endures；　she　can　only　do　this。　　She　may　changeHell　hath　no　fury；　etc。but　the　sacrificial；　yielding；　solicitous　attitude　is　more　often　the　outstanding　characteristic　of　the　mistress；　and　it　is　this　very　attitude　in　contradistinction　to　the　grasping　legality　of　established　matrimony　that　has　caused　so　many　wounds　in　the　defenses　of　the　latter。　　The　temperament　of　man；　either　male　or　female；　cannot　help　falling　down　before　and　worshiping　this　nonseeking；　sacrificial　note。　　It　approaches　vast　distinction　in　life。　　It　appears　to　be　related　to　that　last　word　in　art；　that　largeness　of　spirit　which　is　the　first　characteristic　of　the　great　picture；　the　great　building；　the　great　sculpture；　the　great　decorationnamely；　a　giving；　freely　and　without　stint；　of　itself；　of　beauty。　　Hence　the　significance　of　this　particular　mood　in　Aileen。

All　the　subtleties　of　the　present　combination　were　troubling　Cowperwood　as　he　followed　Butler　into　the　room　upstairs。

〃Sit　down；　sit　down。　　You　won't　take　a　little　somethin'？　You　never　do。　　I　remember　now。　　Well；　have　a　cigar；　anyhow。　　Now；　what's　this　that's　troublin'　you　to…night？〃

Voices　could　be　heard　faintly　in　the　distance；　far　off　toward　the　thicker　residential　sections。

〃Extra！　Extra！　All　about　the　b