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e　compelled　to　leave　before　he　was　prepared　to　take　her；　and　if　she　did　now；　it　might　stir　up　complications　which　would　be　anything　but　pleasant　to　contemplate。　Still　he　was　fond　of　her；　very；　and　would　do　anything　to　make　her　happy。　　He　could　support　her　in　a　very　respectable　way　even　now；　if　he　did　not　eventually　go　to　prison；　and　even　there　he　might　manage　to　make　some　shift　for　her。　　It　would　be　so　much　better；　though；　if　he　could　persuade　her　to　remain　at　home　until　he　knew　exactly　what　his　fate　was　to　be。　　He　never　doubted　but　that　some　day；　whatever　happened；　within　a　reasonable　length　of　time；　he　would　be　rid　of　all　these　complications　and　well…to…do　again；　in　which　case；　if　he　could　get　a　divorce；　he　wanted　to　marry　Aileen。　If　not；　he　would　take　her　with　him　anyhow；　and　from　this　point　of　view　it　might　be　just　as　well　as　if　she　broke　away　from　her　family　now。　　But　from　the　point　of　view　of　present　complicationsthe　search　Butler　would　makeit　might　be　dangerous。　　He　might　even　publicly　charge　him　with　abduction。　　He　therefore　decided　to　persuade　Aileen　to　stay　at　home；　drop　meetings　and　communications　for　the　time　being；　and　even　go　abroad。　　He　would　be　all　right　until　she　came　back　and　so　would　shecommon　sense　ought　to　rule　in　this　case。

With　all　this　in　mind　he　set　out　to　keep　the　appointment　she　suggested　in　her　letter；　nevertheless　feeling　it　a　little　dangerous　to　do　so。

〃Are　you　sure；〃　he　asked；　after　he　had　listened　to　her　description　of　the　Calligan　homestead；　〃that　you　would　like　it　there？　It　sounds　rather　poor　to　me。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　like　them　so　much；〃　replied　Aileen。

〃And　you're　sure　they　won't　tell　on　you？〃

〃Oh；　no；　never；　never！〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　concluded。　　〃You　know　what　you're　doing。　　I　don't　want　to　advise　you　against　your　will。　　If　I　were　you；　though；　I'd　take　your　father's　advice　and　go　away　for　a　while。　　He'll　get　over　this　then；　and　I'll　still　be　here。　　I　can　write　you　occasionally；　and　you　can　write　me。〃

The　moment　Cowperwood　said　this　Aileen's　brow　clouded。　　Her　love　for　him　was　so　great　that　there　was　something　like　a　knife　thrust　in　the　merest　hint　at　an　extended　separation。　　Her　Frank　here　and　in　troubleon　trial　maybe　and　she　away！　Never！　What　could　he　mean　by　suggesting　such　a　thing？　Could　it　be　that　he　didn't　care　for　her　as　much　as　she　did　for　him？　Did　he　really　love　her？　she　asked　herself。　　Was　he　going　to　desert　her　just　when　she　was　going　to　do　the　thing　which　would　bring　them　nearer　together？　Her　eyes　clouded；　for　she　was　terribly　hurt。

〃Why；　how　you　talk！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You　know　I　won't　leave　Philadelphia　now。　　You　certainly　don't　expect　me　to　leave　you。〃

Cowperwood　saw　it　all　very　clearly。　　He　was　too　shrewd　not　to。　He　was　immensely　fond　of　her。　　Good　heaven；　he　thought；　he　would　not　hurt　her　feelings　for　the　world！

〃Honey；〃　he　said；　quickly；　when　he　saw　her　eyes；　〃you　don't　understand。　　I　want　you　to　do　what　you　want　to　do。　　You've　planned　this　out　in　order　to　be　with　me；　so　now　you　do　it。　　Don't　think　any　more　about　me　or　anything　I've　said。　　I　was　merely　thinking　that　it　might　make　matters　worse　for　both　of　us；　but　I　don't　believe　it　will。　　You　think　your　father　loves　you　so　much　that　after　you're　gone　he'll　change　his　mind。　　Very　good；　go。　　But　we　must　be　very　careful；　sweetyou　and　Ireally　we　must。　　This　thing　is　getting　serious。　　If　you　should　go　and　your　father　should　charge　me　with　abductiontake　the　public　into　his　confidence　and　tell　all　about　this；　it　would　be　serious　for　both　of　usas　much　for　you　as　for　me；　for　I'd　be　convicted　sure　then；　just　on　that　account；　if　nothing　else。　　And　then　what？　You'd　better　not　try　to　see　me　often　for　the　presentnot　any　oftener　than　we　can　possibly　help。　　If　we　had　used　common　sense　and　stopped　when　your　father　got　that　letter；　this　wouldn't　have　happened。　　But　now　that　it　has　happened；　we　must　be　as　wise　as　we　can；　don't　you　see？　So；　think　it　over；　and　do　what　you　think　best　and　then　write　me　and　whatever　you　do　will　be　all　right　with　medo　you　hear？〃　He　drew　her　to　him　and　kissed　her。　　〃You　haven't　any　money；　have　you？〃　he　concluded　wisely。

Aileen；　deeply　moved　by　all　he　had　just　said；　was　none　the　less　convinced　once　she　had　meditated　on　it　a　moment；　that　her　course　was　best。　　Her　father　loved　her　too　much。　　He　would　not　do　anything　to　hurt　her　publicly　and　so　he　would　not　attack　Cowperwood　through　her　openly。　　More　than　likely；　as　she　now　explained　to　Frank；　he　would　plead　with　her　to　come　back。　　And　he；　listening；　was　compelled　to　yield。　　Why　argue？　She　would　not　leave　him　anyhow。

He　went　down　in　his　pocket　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　known　Aileen　and　produced　a　layer　of　bills。　　〃Here's　two　hundred　dollars；　sweet；〃　he　said；　〃until　I　see　or　hear　from　you。　　I'll　see　that　you　have　whatever　you　need；　and　now　don't　think　that　I　don't　love　you。　You　know　I　do。　　I'm　crazy　about　you。〃

Aileen　protested　that　she　did　not　need　so　muchthat　she　did　not　really　need　anyshe　had　some　at　home；　but　he　put　that　aside。　　He　knew　that　she　must　have　money。

〃Don't　talk；　honey；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know　what　you　need。〃　　She　had　been　so　used　to　receiving　money　from　her　father　and　mother　in　comfortable　amounts　from　time　to　time　that　she　thought　nothing　of　it。　　Frank　loved　her　so　much　that　it　made　everything　right　between　them。　　She　softened　in　her　mood　and　they　discussed　the　matter　of　letters；　reaching　the　conclusion　that　a　private　messenger　would　be　safest。　　When　finally　they　parted；　Aileen；　from　being　sunk　in　the　depths　by　his　uncertain　attitude；　was　now　once　more　on　the　heights。　　She　decided　that　he　did　love　her；　and　went　away　smiling。　She　had　her　Frank　to　fall　back　onshe　would　teach　her　father。　Cowperwood　shook　his　head；　following　her　with　his　eyes。　　She　represented　an　additional　burden；　but　give　her　up；　he　certainly　could　not。　　Tear　the　veil　from　this　illusion　of　affection　and　make　her　feel　so　wretched　when　he　cared　for　her　so　much？　No。　　There　was　really　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　what　he　had　done。　　After　all；　he　reflected；　it　might　not　work　out　so　badly。　　Any　detective　work　that　Butler　might　choose　to　do　would　prove　that　she　had　not　run　to　him。　　If　at　any　moment　it　became　necessary　to　bring　common　sense　into　play　to　save　the　situation　from　a　deadly　climax；　he　could　have　the　Butlers　secretly　informed　as　to　Aileen's　whereabouts。　That　would　show　he　had　little　to　do　with　it；　and　they　could　try　to　persuade　Aileen　to　come　home　again。　　Good　might　resultone　could　not　tell。　　He　would　deal　with　the　evils　as　they　arose。　　He　drove　quickly　back　to　his　office；　and　Aileen　returned　to　her　home　determined　to　put　her　plan　into　action。　　Her　father　had　given　her　some　little　time　in　which　to　decidepossibly　he　would　give　her　longerbut　she　would　not　wait。　　Having　always　had　her　wish　granted　in　everything；　she　could　not　understand　why　she　was　not　to　have　her　way　this　time。　　It　was　about　five　o'clock　now。　　She　would　wait　until　all　the　members　of　the　family　were　comfortably　seated　at　the　dinner…table；　which　would　be　about　seven　o'clock；　and　then　slip　out。

On　arriving　home；　however；　she　was　greeted　by　an　unexpected　reason　for　suspending　action。　　This　was　the　presence　of　a　certain　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Steinmetzthe　former　a　well…known　engineer　who　drew　the　plans　for　many　of　the　works　which　Butler　undertook。　　It　was　the　day　before　Thanksgiving；　and　they　were　eager　to　have　Aileen　and　Norah　accompany　them　for　a　fortnight's　stay　at　their　new　home　in　West　Chestera　structure　concerning　the　charm　of　which　Aileen　had　heard　much。　　They　were　exceedingly　agreeable　people　comparatively　young　and　surrounded　by　a　coterie　of　interesting　friends。　　Aileen　decided　to　delay　her　flight　and　go。　　Her　father　was　most　cordial。　　The　presence　and　invitation　of　the　Steinmetzes　was　as　much　a　relief　to　him　as　it　was　to　Aileen。　　West　Chester　being　forty　miles　from　Philadelphia；　it　was　unlikely　that　Aileen　would　attempt　to　meet　Cowperwood　while　there。

She　wrote　Cowperwood　of　the　changed　condition　and　departed；　and　he　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief；　fancying　at　the　time　that　this　storm　had　permanently　blown　over。





Chapter　XXXIX




In　the　meanwhile　the　day　of　Cowperwood's　trial　was　drawing　near。　He　was　under　the　impression　that　an　attempt　was　going　to　be　made　to　convict　him　whether　the　facts　warranted　it　or　not。　　He　did　not　see　any　way　out　of　his　dilemma；　however；　unless　it　was　to　abandon　everything　and　leave　Philadelphia　for　good；　which　was　impossible。　　The　only　way　to　guard　his　future　and　retain　his　financial　friends　was　to　stand　trial　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　trust　them　to　assist　him　to　his　feet　in　the　future　in　case　he　failed。　　He　discussed　the　possibilities　of　an　unfair　trial　with　Steger；　who　did　not　seem　to　think　that　there　was　so　much　to　that。　In　the　first　place；　a　jury　could　not　easily　be　suborned　by　any　one。　In　the　next　place；　most　judges　were　honest；　in　spite　of　their　political　cleavage；　and　would　go　no　further　than　party　bias　would　lead　them　in　their　rulings　and　opinions；　which　was；　in　the　main；　not　so　far。　　The　particular　judge　who　was　to　sit　in　this　case；　one　Wilbur　Payderson；　of　the　Court　of　Quarter　Sessions；　was　a　strict　party　nominee；　and　as　such　beholden　to　Mollenhauer；　Simpson；　and　Butler；　but；　in　so　far　as　Steger　had　ever　heard；　he　was　an　honest　man。

〃What　I　can't　und