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l　and　the　shrewd　director　of　the　stock…exchange；　Cowperwood　met　a　varied　company　of　men　ranging　in　age　from　thirty…five　to　sixty…five　gathered　about　the　board　in　a　private　dining…room　of　heavily　carved　black　walnut；　with　pictures　of　elder　citizens　of　Chicago　on　the　walls　and　an　attempt　at　artistry　in　stained　glass　in　the　windows。　　There　were　short　and　long　men；　lean　and　stout；　dark　and　blond　men；　with　eyes　and　jaws　which　varied　from　those　of　the　tiger；　lynx；　and　bear　to　those　of　the　fox；　the　tolerant　mastiff；　and　the　surly　bulldog。　　There　were　no　weaklings　in　this　selected　company。

Mr。　Arneel　and　Mr。　Addison　Cowperwood　approved　of　highly　as　shrewd；　concentrated　men。　　Another　who　interested　him　was　Anson　Merrill；　a　small；　polite；　recherche　soul；　suggesting　mansions　and　footmen　and　remote　luxury　generally；　who　was　pointed　out　by　Addison　as　the　famous　dry…goods　prince　of　that　name；　quite　the　leading　merchant；　in　the　retail　and　wholesale　sense；　in　Chicago。

Still　another　was　a　Mr。　Rambaud；　pioneer　railroad　man；　to　whom　Addison；　smiling　jocosely；　observed：　〃Mr。　Cowperwood　is　on　from　Philadelphia；　Mr。　Rambaud；　trying　to　find　out　whether　he　wants　to　lose　any　money　out　here。　　Can't　you　sell　him　some　of　that　bad　land　you　have　up　in　the　Northwest？〃

Rambauda　spare；　pale；　black…bearded　man　of　much　force　and　exactness；　dressed；　as　Cowperwood　observed；　in　much　better　taste　than　some　of　the　otherslooked　at　Cowperwood　shrewdly　but　in　a　gentlemanly；　retiring　way；　with　a　gracious；　enigmatic　smile。　　He　caught　a　glance　in　return　which　he　could　not　possibly　forget。　　The　eyes　of　Cowperwood　said　more　than　any　words　ever　could。　　Instead　of　jesting　faintly　Mr。　Rambaud　decided　to　explain　some　things　about　the　Northwest。　　Perhaps　this　Philadelphian　might　be　interested。

To　a　man　who　has　gone　through　a　great　life　struggle　in　one　metropolis　and　tested　all　the　phases　of　human　duplicity；　decency；　sympathy；　and　chicanery　in　the　controlling　group　of　men　that　one　invariably　finds　in　every　American　city　at　least；　the　temperament　and　significance　of　another　group　in　another　city　is　not　so　much；　and　yet　it　is。　　Long　since　Cowperwood　had　parted　company　with　the　idea　that　humanity　at　any　angle　or　under　any　circumstances；　climatic　or　otherwise；　is　in　any　way　different。　　To　him　the　most　noteworthy　characteristic　of　the　human　race　was　that　it　was　strangely　chemic；　being　anything　or　nothing；　as　the　hour　and　the　condition　afforded。　In　his　leisure　momentsthose　free　from　practical　calculation；　which　were　not　manyhe　often　speculated　as　to　what　life　really　was。　　If　he　had　not　been　a　great　financier　and；　above　all；　a　marvelous　organizer　he　might　have　become　a　highly　individualistic　philosophera　calling　which；　if　he　had　thought　anything　about　it　at　all　at　this　time；　would　have　seemed　rather　trivial。　　His　business　as　he　saw　it　was　with　the　material　facts　of　life；　or；　rather；　with　those　third　and　fourth　degree　theorems　and　syllogisms　which　control　material　things　and　so　represent　wealth。　　He　was　here　to　deal　with　the　great　general　needs　of　the　Middle　Westto　seize　upon；　if　he　might；　certain　well…springs　of　wealth　and　power　and　rise　to　recognized　authority。　　In　his　morning　talks　he　had　learned　of　the　extent　and　character　of　the　stock…yards'　enterprises；　of　the　great　railroad　and　ship　interests；　of　the　tremendous　rising　importance　of　real　estate；　grain　speculation；　the　hotel　business；　the　hardware　business。　　He　had　learned　of　universal　manufacturing　companiesone　that　made　cars；　another　elevators；　another　binders；　another　windmills；　another　engines。　　Apparently；　any　new　industry　seemed　to　do　well　in　Chicago。　　In　his　talk　with　the　one　director　of　the　Board　of　Trade　to　whom　he　had　a　letter　he　had　learned　that　few；　if　any；　local　stocks　were　dealt　in　on　'change。　　Wheat；　corn；　and　grains　of　all　kinds　were　principally　speculated　in。　　The　big　stocks　of　the　East　were　gambled　in　by　way　of　leased　wires　on　the　New　York　Stock　Exchangenot　otherwise。

As　he　looked　at　these　men；　all　pleasantly　civil；　all　general　in　their　remarks；　each　safely　keeping　his　vast　plans　under　his　vest；　Cowperwood　wondered　how　he　would　fare　in　this　community。　　There　were　such　difficult　things　ahead　of　him　to　do。　　No　one　of　these　men；　all　of　whom　were　in　their　commercial…social　way　agreeable；　knew　that　he　had　only　recently　been　in　the　penitentiary。　　How　much　difference　would　that　make　in　their　attitude？　No　one　of　them　knew　that；　although　he　was　married　and　had　two　children；　he　was　planning　to　divorce　his　wife　and　marry　the　girl　who　had　appropriated　to　herself　the　role　which　his　wife　had　once　played。

〃Are　you　seriously　contemplating　looking　into　the　Northwest？〃　asked　Mr。　Rambaud；　interestedly；　toward　the　close　of　the　luncheon。

〃That　is　my　present　plan　after　I　finish　here。　　I　thought　I'd　take　a　short　run　up　there。〃

〃Let　me　put　you　in　touch　with　an　interesting　party　that　is　going　as　far　as　Fargo　and　Duluth。　　There　is　a　private　car　leaving　Thursday；　most　of　them　citizens　of　Chicago；　but　some　Easterners。　　I　would　be　glad　to　have　you　join　us。　　I　am　going　as　far　as　Minneapolis。〃

Cowperwood　thanked　him　and　accepted。　　A　long　conversation　followed　about　the　Northwest；　its　timber；　wheat；　land　sales；　cattle；　and　possible　manufacturing　plants。

What　Fargo；　Minneapolis；　and　Duluth　were　to　be　civically　and　financially　were　the　chief　topics　of　conversation。　　Naturally；　Mr。　Rambaud；　having　under　his　direction　vast　railroad　lines　which　penetrated　this　region；　was　confident　of　the　future　of　it。　Cowperwood　gathered　it　all；　almost　by　instinct。　　Gas；　street…railways；　land　speculations；　banks；　wherever　located；　were　his　chief　thoughts。

Finally　he　left　the　club　to　keep　his　other　appointments；　but　something　of　his　personality　remained　behind　him。　　Mr。　Addison　and　Mr。　Rambaud；　among　others；　were　sincerely　convinced　that　he　was　one　of　the　most　interesting　men　they　had　met　in　years。　　And　he　scarcely　had　said　anything　at　alljust　listened。




Chapter　III



A　Chicago　Evening

After　his　first　visit　to　the　bank　over　which　Addison　presided；　and　an　informal　dinner　at　the　latter's　home；　Cowperwood　had　decided　that　he　did　not　care　to　sail　under　any　false　colors　so　far　as　Addison　was　concerned。　　He　was　too　influential　and　well　connected。　Besides；　Cowperwood　liked　him　too　much。　　Seeing　that　the　man's　leaning　toward　him　was　strong；　in　reality　a　fascination；　he　made　an　early　morning　call　a　day　or　two　after　he　had　returned　from　Fargo；　whither　he　had　gone　at　Mr。　Rambaud's　suggestion；　on　his　way　back　to　Philadelphia；　determined　to　volunteer　a　smooth　presentation　of　his　earlier　misfortunes；　and　trust　to　Addison's　interest　to　make　him　view　the　matter　in　a　kindly　light。　　He　told　him　the　whole　story　of　how　he　had　been　convicted　of　technical　embezzlement　in　Philadelphia　and　had　served　out　his　term　in　the　Eastern　Penitentiary。　He　also　mentioned　his　divorce　and　his　intention　of　marrying　again。

Addison；　who　was　the　weaker　man　of　the　two　and　yet　forceful　in　his　own　way；　admired　this　courageous　stand　on　Cowperwood's　part。　　It　was　a　braver　thing　than　he　himself　could　or　would　have　achieved。　　It　appealed　to　his　sense　of　the　dramatic。　　Here　was　a　man　who　apparently　had　been　dragged　down　to　the　very　bottom　of　things；　his　face　forced　in　the　mire；　and　now　he　was　coming　up　again　strong；　hopeful；　urgent。　　The　banker　knew　many　highly　respected　men　in　Chicago　whose　early　careers；　as　he　was　well　aware；　would　not　bear　too　close　an　inspection；　but　nothing　was　thought　of　that。　　Some　of　them　were　in　society；　some　not；　but　all　of　them　were　powerful。　Why　should　not　Cowperwood　be　allowed　to　begin　all　over？　He　looked　at　him　steadily；　at　his　eyes；　at　his　stocky　body；　at　his　smooth；　handsome；　mustached　face。　　Then　he　held　out　his　hand。

〃Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　said；　finally；　trying　to　shape　his　words　appropriately；　〃I　needn't　say　that　I　am　pleased　with　this　interesting　confession。　　It　appeals　to　me。　　I'm　glad　you　have　made　it　to　me。　　You　needn't　say　any　more　at　any　time。　　I　decided　the　day　I　saw　you　walking　into　that　vestibule　that　you　were　an　exceptional　man；　now　I　know　it。　　You　needn't　apologize　to　me。　　I　haven't　lived　in　this　world　fifty　years　and　more　without　having　my　eye…teeth　cut。　　You're　welcome　to　the　courtesies　of　this　bank　and　of　my　house　as　long　as　you　care　to　avail　yourself　of　them。　　We'll　cut　our　cloth　as　circumstances　dictate　in　the　future。　　I'd　like　to　see　you　come　to　Chicago；　solely　because　I　like　you　personally。　　If　you　decide　to　settle　here　I'm　sure　I　can　be　of　service　to　you　and　you　to　me。　　Don't　think　anything　more　about　it；　I　sha'n't　ever　say　anything　one　way　or　another。　　You　have　your　own　battle　to　fight；　and　I　wish　you　luck。　　You'll　get　all　the　aid　from　me　I　can　honestly　give　you。　Just　forget　that　you　told　me；　and　when　you　get　your　matrimonial　affairs　straightened　out　bring　your　wife　out　to　see　us。〃

With　these　things　completed　Cowperwood　took　the　train　back　to　Philadelphia。

〃Aileen；〃　he　said；　when　these　two　met　againshe　had　come　to　the　train　to　meet　him〃I　think　the　West　is　the　answer　for　us。　　I　went　up　to　Fargo　and　looked　around　up　there；　but　I　don't　believe　we　want　to　go　that　far。　　There's　nothing　but　prairie…grass　and　Indians　out　in　that　country。　　How'd　you　like　to　live　in　a　board　shanty；　Aileen；〃　he　asked；　banteringly；　〃with　nothi