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luential　in　the　success　of　Cowperwood's　plans？　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　as　has　been　said；　did　not　see　life　from　his　father's　point　of　view　at　all。　　He　had　in　mind　a　sharp　bargain；　which　he　could　drive　with　Cowperwood　during　the　old　gentleman's　absence。　　The　General　need　never　know。

〃I　understand　your　point　of　view；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　commented；　loftily；　〃but　where　does　the　city　come　in？　I　see　very　clearly　how　important　this　is　to　the　people　of　the　North　Side；　and　even　to　the　merchants　and　real…estate　owners　in　the　down…town　section；　but　that　simply　means　that　it　is　ten　times　as　important　to　you。　Undoubtedly；　it　will　help　the　city；　but　the　city　is　growing；　anyhow；　and　that　will　help　you。　　I've　said　all　along　that　these　public　franchises　were　worth　more　than　they　used　to　be　worth。　　Nobody　seems　to　see　it　very　clearly　as　yet；　but　it's　true　just　the　same。　That　tunnel　is　worth　more　now　than　the　day　it　was　built。　　Even　if　the　city　can't　use　it；　somebody　can。

He　was　meaning　to　indicate　a　rival　car　line。

Cowperwood　bristled　internally。

〃That's　all　very　well；〃　he　said；　preserving　his　surface　composure；　〃but　why　make　fish　of　one　and　flesh　of　another？　The　South　Side　company　has　a　loop　for　which　it　never　paid　a　dollar。　　So　has　the　Chicago　City　Passenger　Railway。　　The　North　Side　company　is　planning　more　extensive　improvements　than　were　ever　undertaken　by　any　single　company　before。　　I　hardly　think　it　is　fair　to　raise　the　question　of　compensation　and　a　franchise　tax　at　this　time；　and　in　connection　with　this　one　company　only。〃

〃Umwell；　that　may　be　true　of　the　other　companies。　　The　South　Side　company　had　those　streets　long　ago。　　They　merely　connected　them　up。　　But　this　tunnel；　nowthat's　a　different　matter；　isn't　it？　The　city　bought　and　paid　for　that；　didn't　it？〃

〃Quite　trueto　help　out　men　who　saw　that　they　couldn't　make　another　dollar　out　of　it；〃　said　Cowperwood；　acidly。　　〃But　it's　of　no　use　to　the　city。　　It　will　cave　in　pretty　soon　if　it　isn't　repaired。　　Why；　the　consent　of　property…owners　alone；　along　the　line　of　this　loop；　is　going　to　aggregate　a　considerable　sum。　　It　seems　to　me　instead　of　hampering　a　great　work　of　this　kind　the　public　ought　to　do　everything　in　its　power　to　assist　it。　　It　means　giving　a　new　metropolitan　flavor　to　this　down…town　section。　　It　is　time　Chicago　was　getting　out　of　its　swaddling　clothes。〃

Mr。　MacDonald；　the　younger；　shook　his　head。　　He　saw　clearly　enough　the　significance　of　the　points　made；　but　he　was　jealous　of　Cowperwood　and　of　his　success。　　This　loop　franchise　and　tunnel　gift　meant　millions　for　some　one。　　Why　shouldn't　there　be　something　in　it　for　him？　He　called　in　Mr。　Du　Bois　and　went　over　the　proposition　with　him。　　Quite　without　effort　the　latter　sensed　the　drift　of　the　situation。

〃It's　an　excellent　proposition；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　see　but　that　the　city　should　have　something；　though。　　Public　sentiment　is　rather　against　gifts　to　corporations　just　at　present。〃

Cowperwood　caught　the　drift　of　what　was　in　young　MacDonald's　mind。

〃Well；　what　would　you　suggest　as　a　fair　rate　of　compensation　to　the　city？〃　he　asked；　cautiously；　wondering　whether　this　aggressive　youth　would　go　so　far　as　to　commit　himself　in　any　way。

〃Oh；　well；　as　to　that；〃　MacDonald　replied；　with　a　deprecatory　wave　of　his　hand；　〃I　couldn't　say。　　It　ought　to　bear　a　reasonable　relationship　to　the　value　of　the　utility　as　it　now　stands。　　I　should　want　to　think　that　over。　　I　shouldn't　want　to　see　the　city　demand　anything　unreasonable。　　Certainly；　though；　there　is　a　privilege　here　that　is　worth　something。〃

Cowperwood　flared　inwardly。　　His　greatest　weakness；　if　he　had　one；　was　that　he　could　but　ill　brook　opposition　of　any　kind。　　This　young　upstart；　with　his　thin；　cool　face　and　sharp；　hard　eyes！　He　would　have　liked　to　tell　him　and　his　paper　to　go　to　the　devil。　　He　went　away；　hoping　that　he　could　influence　the　Inquirer　in　some　other　way　upon　the　old　General's　return。

As　he　was　sitting　next　morning　in　his　office　in　North　Clark　Street　he　was　aroused　by　the　still　novel…sounding　bell　of　the　telephone　one　of　the　earliest　in　useon　the　wall　back　of　him。　　After　a　parley　with　his　secretary；　he　was　informed　that　a　gentleman　connected　with　the　Inquirer　wished　to　speak　with　him。

〃This　is　the　Inquirer；〃　said　a　voice　which　Cowperwood；　his　ear　to　the　receiver；　thought　he　recognized　as　that　of　young　Truman　MacDonald；　the　General's　son。　　〃You　wanted　to　know；〃　continued　the　voice；　〃what　would　be　considered　adequate　compensation　so　far　as　that　tunnel　matter　is　concerned。　　Can　you　hear　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Cowperwood。

〃Well；　I　should　not　care　to　influence　your　judgment　one　way　or　the　other；　but　if　my　opinion　were　asked　I　should　say　about　fifty　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　North　Chicago　Street　Railway　stock　would　be　satisfactory。〃

The　voice　was　young；　clear；　steely。

〃To　whom　would　you　suggest　that　it　might　be　paid？〃　Cowperwood　asked；　softly；　quite　genially。

〃That；　also；　I　would　suggest；　might　be　left　to　your　very　sound　judgment。〃

The　voice　ceased。　　The　receiver　was　hung　up。

〃Well；　I'll　be　damned！〃　Cowperwood　said；　looking　at　the　floor　reflectively。　　A　smile　spread　over　his　face。　　〃I'm　not　going　to　be　held　up　like　that。　　I　don't　need　to　be。　　It　isn't　worth　it。　　Not　at　present；　anyhow。〃　His　teeth　set。

He　was　underestimating　Mr。　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　principally　because　he　did　not　like　him。　　He　thought　his　father　might　return　and　oust　him。　　It　was　one　of　the　most　vital　mistakes　he　ever　made　in　his　life。




Chapter　XXIV



The　Coming　of　Stephanie　Platow

During　this　period　of　what　might　have　been　called　financial　and　commercial　progress；　the　affairs　of　Aileen　and　Cowperwood　had　been　to　a　certain　extent　smoothed　over。　　Each　summer　now；　partly　to　take　Aileen's　mind　off　herself　and　partly　to　satisfy　his　own　desire　to　see　the　world　and　collect　objects　of　art；　in　which　he　was　becoming　more　and　more　interested；　it　was　Cowperwood's　custom　to　make　with　his　wife　a　short　trip　abroad　or　to　foreign　American　lands；　visiting　in　these　two　years　Russia；　Scandinavia；　Argentine；　Chili；　and　Mexico。　　Their　plan　was　to　leave　in　May　or　June　with　the　outward　rush　of　traffic；　and　return　in　September　or　early　October。　　His　idea　was　to　soothe　Aileen　as　much　as　possible；　to　fill　her　mind　with　pleasing　anticipations　as　to　her　eventual　social　triumph　somewherein　New　York　or　London；　if　not　Chicagoto　make　her　feel　that　in　spite　of　his　physical　desertion　he　was　still　spiritually　loyal。

By　now　also　Cowperwood　was　so　shrewd　that　he　had　the　ability　to　simulate　an　affection　and　practise　a　gallantry　which　he　did　not　feel；　or；　rather；　that　was　not　backed　by　real　passion。　　He　was　the　soul　of　attention；　he　would　buy　her　flowers；　jewels；　knickknacks；　and　ornaments；　he　would　see　that　her　comfort　was　looked　after　to　the　last　detail；　and　yet；　at　the　very　same　moment；　perhaps；　he　would　be　looking　cautiously　about　to　see　what　life　might　offer　in　the　way　of　illicit　entertainment。　　Aileen　knew　this；　although　she　could　not　prove　it　to　be　true。　　At　the　same　time　she　had　an　affection　and　an　admiration　for　the　man　which　gripped　her　in　spite　of　herself。

You　have；　perhaps；　pictured　to　yourself　the　mood　of　some　general　who　has　perhaps　suffered　a　great　defeat；　the　employee　who　after　years　of　faithful　service　finds　himself　discharged。　　What　shall　life　say　to　the　loving　when　their　love　is　no　longer　of　any　value；　when　all　that　has　been　placed　upon　the　altar　of　affection　has　been　found　to　be　a　vain　sacrifice？　Philosophy？　Give　that　to　dolls　to　play　with。　　Religion？　Seek　first　the　metaphysical…minded。　　Aileen　was　no　longer　the　lithe；　forceful；　dynamic　girl　of　1865；　when　Cowperwood　first　met　her。　　She　was　still　beautiful；　itis　true；　a　fair；　full…blown；　matronly　creature　not　more　than　thirty…five；　looking　perhaps　thirty；　feeling；　alas；　that　she　was　a　girl　and　still　as　attractive　as　ever。　　It　is　a　grim　thing　to　a　woman；　however　fortunately　placed；　to　realize　that　age　is　creeping　on；　and　that　love；　that　singing　will…o'…the…wisp；　is　fading　into　the　ultimate　dark。　　Aileen；　within　the　hour　of　her　greatest　triumph；　had　seen　love　die。　　It　was　useless　to　tell　herself；　as　she　did　sometimes；　that　it　might　come　back；　revive。　　Her　ultimately　realistic　temperament　told　her　this　could　never　be。　　Though　she　had　routed　Rita　Sohlberg；　she　was　fully　aware　that　Cowperwood's　original　constancy　was　gone。　She　was　no　longer　happy。　　Love　was　dead。　　That　sweet　illusion；　with　its　pearly　pink　for　heart　and　borders；　that　laughing　cherub　that　lures　with　Cupid's　mouth　and　misty　eye；　that　young　tendril　of　the　vine　of　life　that　whispers　of　eternal　spring…time；　that　calls　and　calls　where　aching；　wearied　feet　by　legion　follow；　was　no　longer　in　existence。

In　vain　the　tears；　the　storms；　the　self…tortures；　in　vain　the　looks　in　the　mirror；　the　studied　examination　of　plump；　sweet　features　still　fresh　and　inviting。　　One　day；　at　the　sight　of　tired　circles　under　her　eyes；　she　ripped　from　her　neck　a　lovely　ruche　that　she　was　adjusting　and；　throwing　herself　on　her　bed；　cried　as　though　her　heart　would　break。　　Why　primp？　Why　ornament？　Her　Frank　did　not　love　her。　　What　to　her　now　was　a　handsome　residence　in　Michigan　Avenue；　the　refinements　of　a　French　boudoir；　or　clothing　that　ran　the　gamut　of　the　dressmaker's　art；　hat