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　prepared　to　desert　him。　　He　was　now　going　to　see　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　as　much　to　save　Cowperwood　really　as　the　party　and　his　own　affairs。　　And　yet　a　scandal。　　He　did　not　like　thatresented　it。　　This　young　scalawag！　To　think　he　should　be　so　sly。　　None　the　less　he　still　liked　him；　even　here　and　now；　and　was　feeling　that　he　ought　to　do　something　to　help　the　young　man；　if　anything　could　help　him。　　He　might　even　leave　his　hundred…thousand…dollar　loan　with　him　until　the　last　hour；　as　Cowperwood　had　requested；　if　the　others　were　friendly。

〃Well；　father；〃　said　Owen；　after　a　time；　〃I　don't　see　why　you　need　to　worry　any　more　than　Mollenhauer　or　Simpson。　　If　you　three　want　to　help　him　out；　you　can；　but　for　the　life　of　me　I　don't　see　why　you　should。　　I　know　this　thing　will　have　a　bad　effect　on　the　election；　if　it　comes　out　before　then；　but　it　could　be　hushed　up　until　then；　couldn't　it？　Anyhow；　your　street…railway　holdings　are　more　important　than　this　election；　and　if　you　can　see　your　way　clear　to　getting　the　street…railway　lines　in　your　hands　you　won't　need　to　worry　about　any　elections。　　My　advice　to　you　is　to　call　that　one…hundred…thousand…dollar　loan　of　yours　in　the　morning；　and　meet　the　drop　in　your　stocks　that　way。　　It　may　make　Cowperwood　fail；　but　that　won't　hurt　you　any。　　You　can　go　into　the　market　and　buy　his　stocks。　　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　he　would　run　to　you　and　ask　you　to　take　them。　　You　ought　to　get　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　to　scare　Stener　so　that　he　won't　loan　Cowperwood　any　more　money。　　If　you　don't；　Cowperwood　will　run　there　and　get　more。　Stener's　in　too　far　now。　　If　Cowperwood　won't　sell　out；　well　and　good；　the　chances　are　he　will　bust；　anyhow；　and　then　you　can　pick　up　as　much　on　the　market　as　any　one　else。　　I　think　he'll　sell。　You　can't　afford　to　worry　about　Stener's　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　No　one　told　him　to　loan　it。　　Let　him　look　out　for　himself。　It　may　hurt　the　party；　but　you　can　look　after　that　later。　　You　and　Mollenhauer　can　fix　the　newspapers　so　they　won't　talk　about　it　till　after　election。〃

〃Aisy！　Aisy！〃　was　all　the　old　contractor　would　say。　　He　was　thinking　hard。





Chapter　XXV




The　residence　of　Henry　A。　Mollenhauer　was；　at　that　time；　in　a　section　of　the　city　which　was　almost　as　new　as　that　in　which　Butler　was　living。　　It　was　on　South　Broad　Street；　near　a　handsome　library　building　which　had　been　recently　erected。　　It　was　a　spacious　house　of　the　type　usually　affected　by　men　of　new　wealth　in　those　daysa　structure　four　stories　in　height　of　yellow　brick　and　white　stone　built　after　no　school　which　one　could　readily　identify；　but　not　unattractive　in　its　architectural　composition。　　A　broad　flight　of　steps　leading　to　a　wide　veranda　gave　into　a　decidedly　ornate　door；　which　was　set　on　either　side　by　narrow　windows　and　ornamented　to　the　right　and　left　with　pale…blue　jardinieres　of　considerable　charm　of　outline。　　The　interior；　divided　into　twenty　rooms；　was　paneled　and　parqueted　in　the　most　expensive　manner　for　homes　of　that　day。　　There　was　a　great　reception…hall；　a　large　parlor　or　drawing…room；　a　dining…room　at　least　thirty　feet　square　paneled　in　oak；　and　on　the　second　floor　were　a　music…room　devoted　to　the　talents　of　Mollenhauer's　three　ambitious　daughters；　a　library　and　private　office　for　himself；　a　boudoir　and　bath　for　his　wife；　and　a　conservatory。

Mollenhauer　was；　and　felt　himself　to　be；　a　very　important　man。　　His　financial　and　political　judgment　was　exceedingly　keen。　　Although　he　was　a　German；　or　rather　an　American　of　German　parentage；　he　was　a　man　of　a　rather　impressive　American　presence。　　He　was　tall　and　heavy　and　shrewd　and　cold。　　His　large　chest　and　wide　shoulders　supported　a　head　of　distinguished　proportions；　both　round　and　long　when　seen　from　different　angles。　　The　frontal　bone　descended　in　a　protruding　curve　over　the　nose；　and　projected　solemnly　over　the　eyes；　which　burned　with　a　shrewd；　inquiring　gaze。　　And　the　nose　and　mouth　and　chin　below；　as　well　as　his　smooth；　hard　cheeks；　confirmed　the　impression　that　he　knew　very　well　what　he　wished　in　this　world；　and　was　very　able　without　regard　to　let　or　hindrance　to　get　it。　　It　was　a　big　face；　impressive；　well　modeled。　　He　was　an　excellent　friend　of　Edward　Malia　Butler's；　as　such　friendships　go；　and　his　regard　for　Mark　Simpson　was　as　sincere　as　that　of　one　tiger　for　another。　　He　respected　ability；　he　was　willing　to　play　fair　when　fair　was　the　game。　　When　it　was　not；　the　reach　of　his　cunning　was　not　easily　measured。

When　Edward　Butler　and　his　son　arrived　on　this　Sunday　evening；　this　distinguished　representative　of　one…third　of　the　city's　interests　was　not　expecting　them。　　He　was　in　his　library　reading　and　listening　to　one　of　his　daughters　playing　the　piano。　　His　wife　and　his　other　two　daughters　had　gone　to　church。　　He　was　of　a　domestic　turn　of　mind。　　Still；　Sunday　evening　being　an　excellent　one　for　conference　purposes　generally　in　the　world　of　politics；　he　was　not　without　the　thought　that　some　one　or　other　of　his　distinguished　confreres　might　call；　and　when　the　combination　footman　and　butler　announced　the　presence　of　Butler　and　his　son；　he　was　well　pleased。

〃So　there　you　are；〃　he　remarked　to　Butler；　genially；　extending　his　hand。　　〃I'm　certainly　glad　to　see　you。　　And　Owen！　How　are　you；　Owen？　What　will　you　gentlemen　have　to　drink；　and　what　will　you　smoke？　I　know　you'll　have　something。　　John〃to　the　servitor…〃see　if　you　can　find　something　for　these　gentlemen。　　I　have　just　been　listening　to　Caroline　play；　but　I　think　you've　frightened　her　off　for　the　time　being。〃

He　moved　a　chair　into　position　for　Butler；　and　indicated　to　Owen　another　on　the　other　side　of　the　table。　　In　a　moment　his　servant　had　returned　with　a　silver　tray　of　elaborate　design；　carrying　whiskies　and　wines　of　various　dates　and　cigars　in　profusion。　　Owen　was　the　new　type　of　young　financier　who　neither　smoked　nor　drank。　His　father　temperately　did　both。

〃It's　a　comfortable　place　you　have　here；〃　said　Butler；　without　any　indication　of　the　important　mission　that　had　brought　him。　　〃I　don't　wonder　you　stay　at　home　Sunday　evenings。　　What's　new　in　the　city？〃

〃Nothing　much；　so　far　as　I　can　see；〃　replied　Mollenhauer；　pacifically。　〃Things　seem　to　be　running　smooth　enough。　　You　don't　know　anything　that　we　ought　to　worry　about；　do　you？〃

〃Well；　yes；〃　said　Butler；　draining　off　the　remainder　of　a　brandy　and　soda　that　had　been　prepared　for　him。　　〃One　thing。　　You　haven't　seen　an　avenin'　paper；　have　you？〃

〃No；　I　haven't；〃　said　Mollenhauer；　straightening　up。　　〃Is　there　one　out？　What's　the　trouble　anyhow？〃

〃Nothingexcept　Chicago's　burning；　and　it　looks　as　though　we'd　have　a　little　money…storm　here　in　the　morning。〃

〃You　don't　say！　I　didn't　hear　that。　　There's　a　paper　out；　is　there？　Well；　wellis　it　much　of　a　fire？〃

〃The　city　is　burning　down；　so　they　say；〃　put　in　Owen；　who　was　watching　the　face　of　the　distinguished　politician　with　considerable　interest。

〃Well；　that　is　news。　　I　must　send　out　and　get　a　paper。　　John！〃　he　called。　　His　man…servant　appeared。　　〃See　if　you　can　get　me　a　paper　somewhere。〃　　The　servant　disappeared。　　〃What　makes　you　think　that　would　have　anything　to　do　with　us？〃　observed　Mollenhauer；　returning　to　Butler。

〃Well；　there's　one　thing　that　goes　with　that　that　I　didn't　know　till　a　little　while　ago　and　that　is　that　our　man　Stener　is　apt　to　be　short　in　his　accounts；　unless　things　come　out　better　than　some　people　seem　to　think；〃　suggested　Butler；　calmly。　　〃That　might　not　look　so　well　before　election；　would　it？〃　His　shrewd　gray　Irish　eyes　looked　into　Mollenhauer's；　who　returned　his　gaze。

〃Where　did　you　get　that？〃　queried　Mr。　Mollenhauer　icily。　　〃He　hasn't　deliberately　taken　much　money；　has　he？　How　much　has　he　takendo　you　know？〃

〃Quite　a　bit；〃　replied　Butler；　quietly。　　〃Nearly　five　hundred　thousand；　so　I　understand。　　Only　I　wouldn't　say　that　it　has　been　taken　as　yet。　　It's　in　danger　of　being　lost。〃

〃Five　hundred　thousand！〃　exclaimed　Mollenhauer　in　amazement；　and　yet　preserving　his　usual　calm。　　〃You　don't　tell　me！　How　long　has　this　been　going　on？　What　has　he　been　doing　with　the　money？〃

〃He's　loaned　a　good　dealabout　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　to　this　young　Cowperwood　in　Third　Street；　that's　been　handlin'　city　loan。　　They've　been　investin'　it　for　themselves　in　one　thing　and　anothermostly　in　buyin'　up　street…railways。〃　　（At　the　mention　of　street…railways　Mollenhauer's　impassive　countenance　underwent　a　barely　perceptible　change。）　　〃This　fire；　accordin'　to　Cowperwood；　is　certain　to　produce　a　panic　in　the　mornin'；　and　unless　he　gets　considerable　help　he　doesn't　see　how　he's　to　hold　out。　　If　he　doesn't　hold　out；　there'll　be　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　missin'　from　the　city　treasury　which　can't　be　put　back。　　Stener's　out　of　town　and　Cowperwood's　come　to　me　to　see　what　can　be　done　about　it。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he's　done　a　little　business　for　me　in　times　past；　and　he　thought　maybe　I　could　help　him　nowthat　is；　that　I　might　get　you　and　the　Senator　to　see　the　big　bankers　with　me　and　help　support　the　market　in　the　mornin'。　　If　we　don't　he's　goin'　to　fail；　and　he　thought　the　scandal　would　hurt　us　in　the　election。　He　doesn't　appear　to　me　to　be　workin'　any　gamejust　anxious　to　save　himself　and　do　the　square　thing　by　meby　us；　if　he　can。〃　Butler　paused。

Mollenhauer；