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uer　and　Simpson　（ballot…box　stuffing　and　personal　violence　at　the　polls　not　barred）；　in　another　victory；　by；　however；　a　greatly　reduced　majority。　　The　Citizens'　Municipal　Reform　Association；　in　spite　of　a　resounding　defeat　at　the　polls；　which　could　not　have　happened　except　by　fraud；　continued　to　fire　courageously　away　at　those　whom　it　considered　to　be　the　chief　malefactors。

Aileen　Butler；　during　all　this　time；　was　following　the　trend　of　Cowperwood's　outward　vicissitudes　as　heralded　by　the　newspapers　and　the　local　gossip　with　as　much　interest　and　bias　and　enthusiasm　for　him　as　her　powerful　physical　and　affectional　nature　would　permit。　She　was　no　great　reasoner　where　affection　entered　in；　but　shrewd　enough　without　it；　and；　although　she　saw　him　often　and　he　told　her　muchas　much　as　his　natural　caution　would　permitshe　yet　gathered　from　the　newspapers　and　private　conversation；　at　her　own　family's　table　and　elsewhere；　that；　as　bad　as　they　said　he　was；　he　was　not　as　bad　as　he　might　be。　　One　item　only；　clipped　from　the　Philadelphia　Public　Ledger　soon　after　Cowperwood　had　been　publicly　accused　of　embezzlement；　comforted　and　consoled　her。　　She　cut　it　out　and　carried　it　in　her　bosom；　for；　somehow；　it　seemed　to　show　that　her　adored　Frank　was　far　more　sinned　against　than　sinning。　　It　was　a　part　of　one　of　those　very　numerous　pronunciamientos　or　reports　issued　by　the　Citizens'　Municipal　Reform　Association；　and　it　ran：

　　〃The　aspects　of　the　case　are　graver　than　have　yet　been　allowed　　　to　reach　the　public。　　Five　hundred　thousand　dollars　of　the　　　deficiency　arises　not　from　city　bonds　sold　and　not　accounted　　　for；　but　from　loans　made　by　the　treasurer　to　his　broker。　　The　　　committee　is　also　informed；　on　what　it　believes　to　be　good　　　authority；　that　the　loans　sold　by　the　broker　were　accounted　　　for　in　the　monthly　settlements　at　the　lowest　prices　current　　　during　the　month；　and　that　the　difference　between　this　rate　　　and　that　actually　realized　was　divided　between　the　treasurer　　　and　the　broker；　thus　making　it　to　the　interest　of　both　parties　　　to　'bear'　the　market　at　some　time　during　the　month；　so　as　to　　　obtain　a　low　quotation　for　settlement。　　Nevertheless；　the　　　committee　can　only　regard　the　prosecution　instituted　against　　　the　broker；　Mr。　Cowperwood；　as　an　effort　to　divert　public　　　attention　from　more　guilty　parties　while　those　concerned　may　　　be　able　to　'fix'　matters　to　suit　themselves。〃

〃There；〃　thought　Aileen；　when　she　read　it；　〃there　you　have　it。〃　These　politiciansher　father　among　them　as　she　gathered　after　his　conversation　with　herwere　trying　to　put　the　blame　of　their　own　evil　deeds　on　her　Frank。　　He　was　not　nearly　as　bad　as　he　was　painted。　　The　report　said　so。　　She　gloated　over　the　words　〃an　effort　to　divert　public　attention　from　more　guilty　parties。〃　　That　was　just　what　her　Frank　had　been　telling　her　in　those　happy；　private　hours　when　they　had　been　together　recently　in　one　place　and　another；　particularly　the　new　rendezvous　in　South　Sixth　Street　which　he　had　established；　since　the　old　one　had　to　be　abandoned。　He　had　stroked　her　rich　hair；　caressed　her　body；　and　told　her　it　was　all　a　prearranged　political　scheme　to　cast　the　blame　as　much　as　possible　on　him　and　make　it　as　light　as　possible　for　Stener　and　the　party　generally。　　He　would　come　out　of　it　all　right；　he　said；　but　he　cautioned　her　not　to　talk。　　He　did　not　deny　his　long　and　profitable　relations　with　Stener。　　He　told　her　exactly　how　it　was。　She　understood；　or　thought　she　did。　　Anyhow；　her　Frank　was　telling　her；　and　that　was　enough。

As　for　the　two　Cowperwood　households；　so　recently　and　pretentiously　joined　in　success；　now　so　gloomily　tied　in　failure；　the　life　was　going　out　of　them。　　Frank　Algernon　was　that　life。　　He　was　the　courage　and　force　of　his　father：　the　spirit　and　opportunity　of　his　brothers；　the　hope　of　his　children；　the　estate　of　his　wife；　the　dignity　and　significance　of　the　Cowperwood　name。　　All　that　meant　opportunity；　force；　emolument；　dignity；　and　happiness　to　those　connected　with　him；　he　was。　　And　his　marvelous　sun　was　waning　apparently　to　a　black　eclipse。

Since　the　fatal　morning；　for　instance；　when　Lillian　Cowperwood　had　received　that　utterly　destructive　note；　like　a　cannonball　ripping　through　her　domestic　affairs；　she　had　been　walking　like　one　in　a　trance。　　Each　day　now　for　weeks　she　had　been　going　about　her　duties　placidly　enough　to　all　outward　seeming；　but　inwardly　she　was　running　with　a　troubled　tide　of　thought。　　She　was　so　utterly　unhappy。　Her　fortieth　year　had　come　for　her　at　a　time　when　life　ought　naturally　to　stand　fixed　and　firm　on　a　solid　base；　and　here　she　was　about　to　be　torn　bodily　from　the　domestic　soil　in　which　she　was　growing　and　blooming；　and　thrown　out　indifferently　to　wither　in　the　blistering　noonday　sun　of　circumstance。

As　for　Cowperwood；　Senior；　his　situation　at　his　bank　and　elsewhere　was　rapidly　nearing　a　climax。　　As　has　been　said；　he　had　had　tremendous　faith　in　his　son；　but　he　could　not　help　seeing　that　an　error　had　been　committed；　as　he　thought；　and　that　Frank　was　suffering　greatly　for　it　now。　　He　considered；　of　course；　that　Frank　had　been　entitled　to　try　to　save　himself　as　he　had；　but　he　so　regretted　that　his　son　should　have　put　his　foot　into　the　trap　of　any　situation　which　could　stir　up　discussion　of　the　sort　that　was　now　being　aroused。　　Frank　was　wonderfully　brilliant。　　He　need　never　have　taken　up　with　the　city　treasurer　or　the　politicians　to　have　succeeded　marvelously。　　Local　street…railways　and　speculative　politicians　were　his　undoing。　　The　old　man　walked　the　floor　all　of　the　days；　realizing　that　his　sun　was　setting；　that　with　Frank's　failure　he　failed；　and　that　this　disgracethese　public　charges　meant　his　own　undoing。　　His　hair　had　grown　very　gray　in　but　a　few　weeks；　his　step　slow；　his　face　pallid；　his　eyes　sunken。　　His　rather　showy　side…whiskers　seemed　now　like　flags　or　ornaments　of　a　better　day　that　was　gone。　　His　only　consolation　through　it　all　was　that　Frank　had　actually　got　out　of　his　relationship　with　the　Third　National　Bank　without　owing　it　a　single　dollar。　　Still　as　he　knew　the　directors　of　that　institution　could　not　possibly　tolerate　the　presence　of　a　man　whose　son　had　helped　loot　the　city　treasury；　and　whose　name　was　now　in　the　public　prints　in　this　connection。　Besides；　Cowperwood；　Sr。；　was　too　old。　　He　ought　to　retire。

The　crisis　for　him　therefore　came　on　the　day　when　Frank　was　arrested　on　the　embezzlement　charge。　　The　old　man；　through　Frank；　who　had　it　from　Steger；　knew　it　was　coming；　still　had　the　courage　to　go　to　the　bank　but　it　was　like　struggling　under　the　weight　of　a　heavy　stone　to　do　it。　　But　before　going；　and　after　a　sleepless　night；　he　wrote　his　resignation　to　Frewen　Kasson；　the　chairman　of　the　board　of　directors；　in　order　that　he　should　be　prepared　to　hand　it　to　him；　at　once。　　Kasson；　a　stocky；　well…built；　magnetic　man　of　fifty；　breathed　an　inward　sigh　of　relief　at　the　sight　of　it。

〃I　know　it's　hard；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　said；　sympathetically。　〃Weand　I　can　speak　for　the　other　members　of　the　boardwe　feel　keenly　the　unfortunate　nature　of　your　position。　　We　know　exactly　how　it　is　that　your　son　has　become　involved　in　this　matter。　　He　is　not　the　only　banker　who　has　been　involved　in　the　city's　affairs。　By　no　means。　　It　is　an　old　system。　　We　appreciate；　all　of　us；　keenly；　the　services　you　have　rendered　this　institution　during　the　past　thirty…five　years。　　If　there　were　any　possible　way　in　which　we　could　help　to　tide　you　over　the　difficulties　at　this　time；　we　would　be　glad　to　do　so；　but　as　a　banker　yourself　you　must　realize　just　how　impossible　that　would　be。　　Everything　is　in　a　turmoil。　If　things　were　settledif　we　knew　how　soon　this　would　blow　over〃　He　paused；　for　he　felt　that　he　could　not　go　on　and　say　that　he　or　the　bank　was　sorry　to　be　forced　to　lose　Mr。　Cowperwood　in　this　way　at　present。　　Mr。　Cowperwood　himself　would　have　to　speak。

During　all　this　Cowperwood；　Sr。；　had　been　doing　his　best　to　pull　himself　together　in　order　to　be　able　to　speak　at　all。　　He　had　gotten　out　a　large　white　linen　handkerchief　and　blown　his　nose；　and　had　straightened　himself　in　his　chair；　and　laid　his　hands　rather　peacefully　on　his　desk。　　Still　he　was　intensely　wrought　up。

〃I　can't　stand　this！〃　he　suddenly　exclaimed。　　〃I　wish　you　would　leave　me　alone　now。〃

Kasson；　very　carefully　dressed　and　manicured；　arose　and　walked　out　of　the　room　for　a　few　moments。　　He　appreciated　keenly　the　intensity　of　the　strain　he　had　just　witnessed。　　The　moment　the　door　was　closed　Cowperwood　put　his　head　in　his　hands　and　shook　convulsively。　　〃I　never　thought　I'd　come　to　this；〃　he　muttered。　〃I　never　thought　it。〃　　Then　he　wiped　away　his　salty　hot　tears；　and　went　to　the　window　to　look　out　and　to　think　of　what　else　to　do　from　now　on。





Chapter　XXXV




As　time　went　on　Butler　grew　more　and　more　puzzled　and　restive　as　to　his　duty　in　regard　to　his　daughter。　　He　was　sure　by　her　furtive　manner　and　her　apparent　desire　to　avoid　him；　that　she　was　still　in　touch　with　Cowperwood　in　some　way；　and　that　this　would　bring　about　a　social　disaster　of　some　kind。　　He　thought　once　of　going　to　Mrs。　Cowperwood　and　having　her　bring　pressure　to　bear　on　her　husband；　but　afterwards　he　decided　that　that　would　not　do。　　He　was　not　really　positive　as　yet　that　Aileen　was　secretly　me