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very　soul　before　these　other　menthese　crude　detectives？　Oh；　the　agony　of　that　walk　from　the　bedroom　to　the　reception…room！　She　would　never　forgive　her　father　for　thisnever；　never；　never！　He　had　now　killed　her　love　for　himthat　was　what　she　felt。　　It　was　to　be　a　battle　royal　between　them　from　now　on。　As　they　rodein　complete　silence　for　a　whileher　hands　clasped　and　unclasped　defiantly；　her　nails　cutting　her　palms；　and　her　mouth　hardened。　

It　is　an　open　question　whether　raw　opposition　ever　accomplishes　anything　of　value　in　this　world。　　It　seems　so　inherent　in　this　mortal　scheme　of　things　that　it　appears　to　have　a　vast　validity。　It　is　more　than　likely　that　we　owe　this　spectacle　called　life　to　it；　and　that　this　can　be　demonstrated　scientifically；　but　when　that　is　said　and　done；　what　is　the　value？　What　is　the　value　of　the　spectacle？　And　what　the　value　of　a　scene　such　as　this　enacted　between　Aileen　and　her　father？

The　old　man　saw　nothing　for　it；　as　they　rode　on；　save　a　grim　contest　between　them　which　could　end　in　what？　What　could　he　do　with　her？　They　were　riding　away　fresh　from　this　awful　catastrophe；　and　she　was　not　saying　a　word！　She　had　even　asked　him　why　he　had　come　there！　How　was　he　to　subdue　her；　when　the　very　act　of　trapping　her　had　failed　to　do　so？　His　ruse；　while　so　successful　materially；　had　failed　so　utterly　spiritually。　　They　reached　the　house；　and　Aileen　got　out。　　The　old　man；　too　nonplussed　to　wish　to　go　further　at　this　time；　drove　back　to　his　office。　　He　then　went　out　and　walkeda　peculiar　thing　for　him　to　do；　he　had　done　nothing　like　that　in　years　and　yearswalking　to　think。　　Coming　to　an　open　Catholic　church；　he　went　in　and　prayed　for　enlightenment；　the　growing　dusk　of　the　interior；　the　single　everlasting　lamp　before　the　repository　of　the　chalice；　and　the　high；　white　altar　set　with　candles　soothing　his　troubled　feelings。　

He　came　out　of　the　church　after　a　time　and　returned　home。　　Aileen　did　not　appear　at　dinner；　and　he　could　not　eat。　　He　went　into　his　private　room　and　shut　the　doorthinking；　thinking；　thinking。　　The　dreadful　spectacle　of　Aileen　in　a　house　of　ill　repute　burned　in　his　brain。　　To　think　that　Cowperwood　should　have　taken　her　to　such　a　placehis　Aileen；　his　and　his　wife's　pet。　　In　spite　of　his　prayers；　his　uncertainty；　her　opposition；　the　puzzling　nature　of　the　situation；　she　must　be　got　out　of　this。　　She　must　go　away　for　a　while；　give　the　man　up；　and　then　the　law　should　run　its　course　with　him。　　In　all　likelihood　Cowperwood　would　go　to　the　penitentiary　if　ever　a　man　richly　deserved　to　go；　it　was　he。　　Butler　would　see　that　no　stone　was　left　unturned。　　He　would　make　it　a　personal　issue；　if　necessary。　　All　he　had　to　do　was　to　let　it　be　known　in　judicial　circles　that　he　wanted　it　so。　　He　could　not　suborn　a　jury；　that　would　be　criminal；　but　he　could　see　that　the　case　was　properly　and　forcefully　presented；　and　if　Cowperwood　were　convicted；　Heaven　help　him。　　The　appeal　of　his　financial　friends　would　not　save　him。　　The　judges　of　the　lower　and　superior　courts　knew　on　which　side　their　bread　was　buttered。　　They　would　strain　a　point　in　favor　of　the　highest　political　opinion　of　the　day；　and　he　certainly　could　influence　that。　　Aileen　meanwhile　was　contemplating　the　peculiar　nature　of　her　situation。　　In　spite　of　their　silence　on　the　way　home；　she　knew　that　a　conversation　was　coming　with　her　father。　It　had　to　be。　　He　would　want　her　to　go　somewhere。　　Most　likely　he　would　revive　the　European　trip　in　some　formshe　now　suspected　the　invitation　of　Mrs。　Mollenhauer　as　a　trick；　and　she　had　to　decide　whether　she　would　go。　　Would　she　leave　Cowperwood　just　when　he　was　about　to　be　tried？　She　was　determined　she　would　not。　　She　wanted　to　see　what　was　going　to　happen　to　him。　　She　would　leave　home　firstrun　to　some　relative；　some　friend；　some　stranger；　if　necessary；　and　ask　to　be　taken　in。　　She　had　some　moneya　little。　Her　father　had　always　been　very　liberal　with　her。　　She　could　take　a　few　clothes　and　disappear。　　They　would　be　glad　enough　to　send　for　her　after　she　had　been　gone　awhile。　　Her　mother　would　be　frantic；　Norah　and　Callum　and　Owen　would　be　beside　themselves　with　wonder　and　worry；　her　fathershe　could　see　him。　　Maybe　that　would　bring　him　to　his　senses。　　In　spite　of　all　her　emotional　vagaries；　she　was　the　pride　and　interest　of　this　home；　and　she　knew　it。　

It　was　in　this　direction　that　her　mind　was　running　when　her　father；　a　few　days　after　the　dreadful　exposure　in　the　Sixth　Street　house；　sent　for　her　to　come　to　him　in　his　room。　　He　had　come　home　from　his　office　very　early　in　the　afternoon；　hoping　to　find　Aileen　there；　in　order　that　he　might　have　a　private　interview　with　her；　and　by　good　luck　found　her　in。　　She　had　had　no　desire　to　go　out　into　the　world　these　last　few　daysshe　was　too　expectant　of　trouble　to　come。　She　had　just　written　Cowperwood　asking　for　a　rendezvous　out　on　the　Wissahickon　the　following　afternoon；　in　spite　of　the　detectives。　She　must　see　him。　　Her　father；　she　said；　had　done　nothing；　but　she　was　sure　he　would　attempt　to　do　something。　　She　wanted　to　talk　to　Cowperwood　about　that。　

〃I've　been　thinkin'　about　ye；　Aileen；　and　what　ought　to　be　done　in　this　case；〃　began　her　father　without　preliminaries　of　any　kind　once　they　were　in　his　〃office　room〃　in　the　house　together。　　〃You're　on　the　road　to　ruin　if　any　one　ever　was。　　I　tremble　when　I　think　of　your　immortal　soul。　　I　want　to　do　somethin'　for　ye；　my　child；　before　it's　too　late。　　I've　been　reproachin'　myself　for　the　last　month　and　more；　thinkin'；　perhaps；　it　was　somethin'　I　had　done；　or　maybe　had　failed　to　do；　aither　me　or　your　mother；　that　has　brought　ye　to　the　place　where　ye　are　to…day。　　Needless　to　say；　it's　on　me　conscience；　me　child。　　It's　a　heartbroken　man　you're　lookin'　at　this　day。　　I'll　never　be　able　to　hold　me　head　up　again。　Oh；　the　shamethe　shame！　That　I　should　have　lived　to　see　it！〃

〃But　father；〃　protested　Aileen；　who　was　a　little　distraught　at　the　thought　of　having　to　listen　to　a　long　preachment　which　would　relate　to　her　duty　to　God　and　the　Church　and　her　family　and　her　mother　and　him。　　She　realized　that　all　these　were　important　in　their　way；　but　Cowperwood　and　his　point　of　view　had　given　her　another　outlook　on　life。　　They　had　discussed　this　matter　of　familiesparents；　children；　husbands；　wives；　brothers；　sisters　from　almost　every　point　of　view。　　Cowperwood's　laissez…faire　attitude　had　permeated　and　colored　her　mind　completely。　　She　saw　things　through　his　cold；　direct　〃I　satisfy　myself〃　attitude。　　He　was　sorry　for　all　the　little　differences　of　personality　that　sprang　up　between　people；　causing　quarrels；　bickerings；　oppositions；　and　separation；　but　they　could　not　be　helped。　　People　outgrew　each　other。　　Their　points　of　view　altered　at　varying　ratioshence　changes。　　Moralsthose　who　had　them　had　them；　those　who　hadn't；　hadn't。　　There　was　no　explaining。　　As　for　him；　he　saw　nothing　wrong　in　the　sex　relationship。　　Between　those　who　were　mutually　compatible　it　was　innocent　and　delicious。　　Aileen　in　his　arms；　unmarried；　but　loved　by　him；　and　he　by　her；　was　as　good　and　pure　as　any　living　womana　great　deal　purer　than　most。　　One　found　oneself　in　a　given　social　order；　theory；　or　scheme　of　things。　　For　purposes　of　social　success；　in　order　not　to　offend；　to　smooth　one's　path；　make　things　easy；　avoid　useless　criticism；　and　the　like；　it　was　necessary　to　create　an　outward　seemingostensibly　conform。　Beyond　that　it　was　not　necessary　to　do　anything。　　Never　fail；　never　get　caught。　　If　you　did；　fight　your　way　out　silently　and　say　nothing。　　That　was　what　he　was　doing　in　connection　with　his　present　financial　troubles；　that　was　what　he　had　been　ready　to　do　the　other　day　when　they　were　caught。　　It　was　something　of　all　this　that　was　coloring　Aileen's　mood　as　she　listened　at　present。　

〃But　father；〃　she　protested；　〃I　love　Mr。　　Cowperwood。　　It's　almost　the　same　as　if　I　were　married　to　him。　　He　will　marry　me　some　day　when　he　gets　a　divorce　from　Mrs。　Cowperwood。　　You　don't　understand　how　it　is。　　He's　very　fond　of　me；　and　I　love　him。　　He　needs　me。〃

Butler　looked　at　her　with　strange；　non…understanding　eyes。　　〃Divorce；　did　you　say；〃　he　began；　thinking　of　the　Catholic　Church　and　its　dogma　in　regard　to　that。　　〃He'll　divorce　his　own　wife　and　children　and　for　you；　will　he？　He　needs　you；　does　he？〃　he　added；　sarcastically。　〃What　about　his　wife　and　children？　I　don't　suppose　they　need　him；　do　they？　What　talk　have　ye？〃

Aileen　flung　her　head　back　defiantly。　　〃It's　true；　nevertheless；〃　she　reiterated。　　〃You　just　don't　understand。〃

Butler　could　scarcely　believe　his　ears。　　He　had　never　heard　such　talk　before　in　his　life　from　any　one。　　It　amazed　and　shocked　him。　He　was　quite　aware　of　all　the　subtleties　of　politics　and　business；　but　these　of　romance　were　too　much　for　him。　　He　knew　nothing　about　them。　　To　think　a　daughter　of　his　should　be　talking　like　this；　and　she　a　Catholic！　He　could　not　understand　where　she　got　such　notions　unless　it　was　from　the　Machiavellian；　corrupting　brain　of　Cowperwood　himself。　

〃How　long　have　ye　had　these　notions；　my　child？〃　he　suddenly　asked；　calmly　and　soberly。　　〃Where　did　ye　get　them？　Ye　certainly　never　heard　anything　like　that　in　this　house；　I　warrant。　　Ye　talk　as　though　ye　had　gone　out　of　yer　mind。〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　nonsense；　father；〃　flared　Aileen；　angrily；　think