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ettled。　　The　thing　to　do　was　to　make　Butler　wait　somewherehere；　possiblywhile　he　went　and　talked　to　her。　　When　she　learned　how　things　were　she　would　probably　acquiesce。

〃The　best　thing　that　I　can　do　under　the　circumstances；〃　he　said；　after　a　time；　〃would　be　to　see　Aileen　in　two　or　three　days；　and　ask　her　what　she　wishes　to　do。　　I　can　explain　the　matter　to　her；　and　if　she　wants　to　go　back；　she　can。　　I　will　promise　to　tell　her　anything　that　you　say。〃

〃Two　or　three　days！〃　exclaimed　Butler；　irritably。　　〃Two　or　three　fiddlesticks！　She　must　come　home　to…night。　　Her　mother　doesn't　know　she's　left　the　place　yet。　　To…night　is　the　time！　I'll　go　and　fetch　her　meself　to…night。〃

〃No；　that　won't　do；〃　said　Cowperwood。　　〃I　shall　have　to　go　myself。　If　you　wish　to　wait　here　I　will　see　what　can　be　done；　and　let　you　know。〃

〃Very　well；〃　grunted　Butler；　who　was　now　walking　up　and　down　with　his　hands　behind　his　back。　　〃But　for　Heaven's　sake　be　quick　about　it。　　There's　no　time　to　lose。〃　　He　was　thinking　of　Mrs。　Butler。　Cowperwood　called　the　servant；　ordered　his　runabout；　and　told　George　to　see　that　his　private　office　was　not　disturbed。　　Then；　as　Butler　strolled　to　and　fro　in　this；　to　him；　objectionable　room；　Cowperwood　drove　rapidly　away。





Chapter　XLVII




Although　it　was　nearly　eleven　o'clock　when　he　arrived　at　the　Calligans'；　Aileen　was　not　yet　in　bed。　　In　her　bedroom　upstairs　she　was　confiding　to　Mamie　and　Mrs。　Calligan　some　of　her　social　experiences　when　the　bell　rang；　and　Mrs。　Calligan　went　down　and　opened　the　door　to　Cowperwood。

〃Miss　Butler　is　here；　I　believe；〃　he　said。　　〃Will　you　tell　her　that　there　is　some　one　here　from　her　father？〃　Although　Aileen　had　instructed　that　her　presence　here　was　not　to　be　divulged　even　to　the　members　of　her　family　the　force　of　Cowperwood's　presence　and　the　mention　of　Butler's　name　cost　Mrs。　Calligan　her　presence　of　mind。　　〃Wait　a　moment；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　see。〃

She　stepped　back；　and　Cowperwood　promptly　stepped　in；　taking　off　his　hat　with　the　air　of　one　who　was　satisfied　that　Aileen　was　there。　　〃Say　to　her　that　I　only　want　to　speak　to　her　for　a　few　moments；〃　he　called；　as　Mrs。　Calligan　went　up…stairs；　raising　his　voice　in　the　hope　that　Aileen　might　hear。　　She　did；　and　came　down　promptly。　　She　was　very　much　astonished　to　think　that　he　should　come　so　soon；　and　fancied；　in　her　vanity；　that　there　must　be　great　excitement　in　her　home。　　She　would　have　greatly　grieved　if　there　had　not　been。

The　Calligans　would　have　been　pleased　to　hear；　but　Cowperwood　was　cautious。　　As　she　came　down　the　stairs　he　put　his　finger　to　his　lips　in　sign　for　silence；　and　said；　〃This　is　Miss　Butler；　I　believe。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Aileen；　with　a　secret　smile。　　Her　one　desire　was　to　kiss　him。　　〃What's　the　trouble　darling？〃　she　asked；　softly。

〃You'll　have　to　go　back；　dear；　I'm　afraid；〃　whispered　Cowperwood。　〃You'll　have　everything　in　a　turmoil　if　you　don't。　　Your　mother　doesn't　know　yet；　it　seems；　and　your　father　is　over　at　my　place　now；　waiting　for　you。　　It　may　be　a　good　deal　of　help　to　me　if　you　do。　　Let　me　tell　you〃　He　went　off　into　a　complete　description　of　his　conversation　with　Butler　and　his　own　views　in　the　matter。　Aileen's　expression　changed　from　time　to　time　as　the　various　phases　of　the　matter　were　put　before　her；　but；　persuaded　by　the　clearness　with　which　he　put　the　matter；　and　by　his　assurance　that　they　could　continue　their　relations　as　before　uninterrupted；　once　this　was　settled；　she　decided　to　return。　　In　a　way；　her　father's　surrender　was　a　great　triumph。　　She　made　her　farewells　to　the　Calligans；　saying；　with　a　smile；　that　they　could　not　do　without　her　at　home；　and　that　she　would　send　for　her　belongings　later；　and　returned　with　Cowperwood　to　his　own　door。　　There　he　asked　her　to　wait　in　the　runabout　while　he　sent　her　father　down。

〃Well？〃　said　Butler；　turning　on　him　when　he　opened　the　door；　and　not　seeing　Aileen。

〃You'll　find　her　outside　in　my　runabout；〃　observed　Cowperwood。　〃You　may　use　that　if　you　choose。　　I　will　send　my　man　for　it。〃

〃No；　thank　you；　we'll　walk；〃　said　Butler。

Cowperwood　called　his　servant　to　take　charge　of　the　vehicle；　and　Butler　stalked　solemnly　out。

He　had　to　admit　to　himself　that　the　influence　of　Cowperwood　over　his　daughter　was　deadly；　and　probably　permanent。　　The　best　he　could　do　would　be　to　keep　her　within　the　precincts　of　the　home；　where　she　might　still；　possibly；　be　brought　to　her　senses。　　He　held　a　very　guarded　conversation　with　her　on　his　way　home；　for　fear　that　she　would　take　additional　offense。　　Argument　was　out　of　the　question。

〃Ye　might　have　talked　with　me　once　more；　Aileen；〃　he　said；　〃before　ye　left。　　Yer　mother　would　be　in　a　terrible　state　if　she　knew　ye　were　gone。　　She　doesn't　know　yet。　　Ye'll　have　to　say　ye　stayed　somewhere　to　dinner。〃

〃I　was　at　the　Calligans；〃　replied　Aileen。　　〃That's　easy　enough。　Mama　won't　think　anything　about　it。〃

〃It's　a　sore　heart　I　have；　Aileen。　　I　hope　ye'll　think　over　your　ways　and　do　better。　　I'll　not　say　anythin'　more　now。〃

Aileen　returned　to　her　room；　decidedly　triumphant　in　her　mood　for　the　moment；　and　things　went　on　apparently　in　the　Butler　household　as　before。　　But　those　who　imagine　that　this　defeat　permanently　altered　the　attitude　of　Butler　toward　Cowperwood　are　mistaken。

In　the　meanwhile　between　the　day　of　his　temporary　release　and　the　hearing　of　his　appeal　which　was　two　months　off；　Cowperwood　was　going　on　doing　his　best　to　repair　his　shattered　forces。　　He　took　up　his　work　where　he　left　off；　but　the　possibility　of　reorganizing　his　business　was　distinctly　modified　since　his　conviction。　　Because　of　his　action　in　trying　to　protect　his　largest　creditors　at　the　time　of　his　failure；　he　fancied　that　once　he　was　free　again；　if　ever　he　got　free；　his　credit；　other　things　being　equal；　would　be　good　with　those　who　could　help　him　mostsay；　Cooke　&　Co。；　Clark　&　Co。；　Drexel　&　Co。；　and　the　Girard　National　Bankproviding　his　personal　reputation　had　not　been　too　badly　injured　by　his　sentence。　Fortunately　for　his　own　hopefulness　of　mind；　he　failed　fully　to　realize　what　a　depressing　effect　a　legal　decision　of　this　character；　sound　or　otherwise；　had　on　the　minds　of　even　his　most　enthusiastic　supporters。

His　best　friends　in　the　financial　world　were　by　now　convinced　that　his　was　a　sinking　ship。　　A　student　of　finance　once　observed　that　nothing　is　so　sensitive　as　money；　and　the　financial　mind　partakes　largely　of　the　quality　of　the　thing　in　which　it　deals。　　There　was　no　use　trying　to　do　much　for　a　man　who　might　be　going　to　prison　for　a　term　of　years。　　Something　might　be　done　for　him　possibly　in　connection　with　the　governor；　providing　he　lost　his　case　before　the　Supreme　Court　and　was　actually　sentenced　to　prison；　but　that　was　two　months　off；　or　more；　and　they　could　not　tell　what　the　outcome　of　that　would　be。　　So　Cowperwood's　repeated　appeals　for　assistance；　extension　of　credit；　or　the　acceptance　of　some　plan　he　had　for　his　general　rehabilitation；　were　met　with　the　kindly　evasions　of　those　who　were　doubtful。　　They　would　think　it　over。　They　would　see　about　it。　　Certain　things　were　standing　in　the　way。　And　so　on；　and　so　forth；　through　all　the　endless　excuses　of　those　who　do　not　care　to　act。　　In　these　days　he　went　about　the　money　world　in　his　customary　jaunty　way；　greeting　all　those　whom　he　had　known　there　many　years　and　pretending；　when　asked；　to　be　very　hopeful；　to　be　doing　very　well；　but　they　did　not　believe　him；　and　he　really　did　not　care　whether　they　did　or　not。　　His　business　was　to　persuade　or　over…persuade　any　one　who　could　really　be　of　assistance　to　him；　and　at　this　task　he　worked　untiringly；　ignoring　all　others。

〃Why；　hello；　Frank；〃　his　friends　would　call；　on　seeing　him。　　〃How　are　you　getting　on？〃

〃Fine！　Fine！〃　he　would　reply；　cheerfully。　　〃Never　better；〃　and　he　would　explain　in　a　general　way　how　his　affairs　were　being　handled。　He　conveyed　much　of　his　own　optimism　to　all　those　who　knew　him　and　were　interested　in　his　welfare；　but　of　course　there　were　many　who　were　not。

In　these　days　also；　he　and　Steger　were　constantly　to　be　met　with　in　courts　of　law；　for　he　was　constantly　being　reexamined　in　some　petition　in　bankruptcy。　　They　were　heartbreaking　days；　but　he　did　not　flinch。　　He　wanted　to　stay　in　Philadelphia　and　fight　the　thing　to　a　finishputting　himself　where　he　had　been　before　the　fire；　rehabilitating　himself　in　the　eyes　of　the　public。　　He　felt　that　he　could　do　it；　too；　if　he　were　not　actually　sent　to　prison　for　a　long　term；　and　even　then；　so　naturally　optimistic　was　his　mood；　when　he　got　out　again。　　But；　in　so　far　as　Philadelphia　was　concerned；　distinctly　he　was　dreaming　vain　dreams。

One　of　the　things　militating　against　him　was　the　continued　opposition　of　Butler　and　the　politicians。　　Somehowno　one　could　have　said　exactly　whythe　general　political　feeling　was　that　the　financier　and　the　former　city　treasurer　would　lose　their　appeals　and　eventually　be　sentenced　together。　　Stener；　in　spite　of　his　original　intention　to　plead　guilty　and　take　his　punishment　without　comment；　had　been　persuaded　by　some　of　his　political　friends　that　it　would　be　better　for　his　future's　sake　to　plead　not　guilty　and　claim　that　his　offense　had　been　due　to　custom；　rather　than　to　admit　his　guilt　outright　and　so　seem　not　to　have　had　any　justification　whatso