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in　Chicago；　and　more　besides。〃

There　was　tingling　over　his　fingers；　into　the　reins；　into　the　horses；　a　mysterious　vibrating　current　that　was　his　chemical　product；　the　off…giving　of　his　spirit　battery　that　made　his　hired　horses　prance　like　children。　　They　chafed　and　tossed　their　heads　and　snorted。　　Aileen　was　fairly　bursting　with　hope　and　vanity　and　longing。　　Oh；　to　be　Mrs。　Frank　Algernon　Cowperwood　here　in　Chicago；　to　have　a　splendid　mansion；　to　have　her　cards　of　invitation　practically　commands　which　might　not　be　ignored！

〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　sighed　to　herself；　mentally。　　〃If　only　it　were　all　truenow。〃

It　is　thus　that　life　at　its　topmost　toss　irks　and　pains。　　Beyond　is　ever　the　unattainable；　the　lure　of　the　infinite　with　its　infinite　ache。

〃Oh；　life！　oh；　youth！　oh；　hope！　oh；　years！　Oh　pain…winged　fancy；　beating　forth　with　fears。〃




Chapter　IV



Peter　Laughlin　&　Co。

The　partnership　which　Cowperwood　eventually　made　with　an　old…time　Board　of　Trade　operator；　Peter　Laughlin；　was　eminently　to　his　satisfaction。　　Laughlin　was　a　tall；　gaunt　speculator　who　had　spent　most　of　his　living　days　in　Chicago；　having　come　there　as　a　boy　from　western　Missouri。　　He　was　a　typical　Chicago　Board　of　Trade　operator　of　the　old　school；　having　an　Andrew　Jacksonish　countenance；　and　a　Henry　ClayDavy　Crockett〃Long　John〃　Wentworth　build　of　body。

Cowperwood　from　his　youth　up　had　had　a　curious　interest　in　quaint　characters；　and　he　was　interesting　to　them；　they　〃took〃　to　him。　　He　could；　if　he　chose　to　take　the　trouble；　fit　himself　in　with　the　odd　psychology　of　almost　any　individual。　　In　his　early　peregrinations　in　La　Salle　Street　he　inquired　after　clever　traders　on　'change；　and　then　gave　them　one　small　commission　after　another　in　order　to　get　acquainted。　　Thus　he　stumbled　one　morning　on　old　Peter　Laughlin；　wheat　and　corn　trader；　who　had　an　office　in　La　Salle　Street　near　Madison；　and　who　did　a　modest　business　gambling　for　himself　and　others　in　grain　and　Eastern　railway　shares。　　Laughlin　was　a　shrewd；　canny　American；　originally；　perhaps；　of　Scotch　extraction；　who　had　all　the　traditional　American　blemishes　of　uncouthness；　tobacco…chewing；　profanity；　and　other　small　vices。　　Cowperwood　could　tell　from　looking　at　him　that　he　must　have　a　fund　of　information　concerning　every　current　Chicagoan　of　importance；　and　this　fact　alone　was　certain　to　be　of　value。　　Then　the　old　man　was　direct；　plain…spoken；　simple…appearing；　and　wholly　unpretentiousqualities　which　Cowperwood　deemed　invaluable。

Once　or　twice　in　the　last　three　years　Laughlin　had　lost　heavily　on　private　〃corners〃　that　he　had　attempted　to　engineer；　and　the　general　feeling　was　that　he　was　now　becoming　cautious；　or；　in　other　words；　afraid。　　〃Just　the　man；〃　Cowperwood　thought。　　So　one　morning　he　called　upon　Laughlin；　intending　to　open　a　small　account　with　him。

〃Henry；〃　he　heard　the　old　man　say；　as　he　entered　Laughlin's　fair…sized　but　rather　dusty　office；　to　a　young；　preternaturally　solemn…looking　clerk；　a　fit　assistant　for　Peter　Laughlin；　〃git　me　them　there　Pittsburg　and　Lake　Erie　sheers；　will　you？〃　Seeing　Cowperwood　waiting；　he　added；　〃What　kin　I　do　for　ye？〃

Cowperwood　smiled。　　〃So　he　calls　them　'sheers；'　does　he？〃　he　thought。　　〃Good！　I　think　I'll　like　him。〃

He　introduced　himself　as　coming　from　Philadelphia；　and　went　on　to　say　that　he　was　interested　in　various　Chicago　ventures；　inclined　to　invest　in　any　good　stock　which　would　rise；　and　particularly　desirous　to　buy　into　some　corporationpublic　utility　preferred　which　would　be　certain　to　grow　with　the　expansion　of　the　city。

Old　Laughlin；　who　was　now　all　of　sixty　years　of　age；　owned　a　seat　on　the　Board；　and　was　worth　in　the　neighborhood　of　two　hundred　thousand　dollars；　looked　at　Cowperwood　quizzically。

〃Well；　now；　if　you'd　'a'　come　along　here　ten　or　fifteen　years　ago　you　might　'a'　got　in　on　the　ground　floor　of　a　lot　of　things；〃　he　observed。　　〃There　was　these　here　gas　companies；　now；　that　them　Otway　and　Apperson　boys　got　in　on；　and　then　all　these　here　street…railways。　　Why；　I'm　the　feller　that　told　Eddie　Parkinson　what　a　fine　thing　he　could　make　out　of　it　if　he　would　go　and　organize　that　North　State　Street　line。　　He　promised　me　a　bunch　of　sheers　if　he　ever　worked　it　out；　but　he　never　give　'em　to　me。　　I　didn't　expect　him　to；　though；〃　he　added；　wisely；　and　with　a　glint。　〃I'm　too　old　a　trader　for　that。　　He's　out　of　it　now；　anyway。　　That　Michaels…Kennelly　crowd　skinned　him。　　Yep；　if　you'd　'a'　been　here　ten　or　fifteen　years　ago　you　might　'a'　got　in　on　that。　　'Tain't　no　use　a…thinkin'　about　that；　though；　any　more。　　Them　sheers　is　sellin'　fer　clost　onto　a　hundred　and　sixty。〃

Cowperwood　smiled。　　〃Well；　Mr。　Laughlin；〃　he　observed；　〃you　must　have　been　on　'change　a　long　time　here。　　You　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　of　what　has　gone　on　in　the　past。〃　

Yep；　ever　since　1852；〃　replied　the　old　man。　　He　had　a　thick　growth　of　upstanding　hair　looking　not　unlike　a　rooster's　comb；　a　long　and　what　threatened　eventually　to　become　a　Punch…and…Judy　chin；　a　slightly　aquiline　nose；　high　cheek…bones；　and　hollow；　brown…skinned　cheeks。　　His　eyes　were　as　clear　and　sharp　as　those　of　a　lynx。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Laughlin；〃　went　on　Cowperwood；　〃what　I'm　really　out　here　in　Chicago　for　is　to　find　a　man　with　whom　I　can　go　into　partnership　in　the　brokerage　business。　　Now　I'm　in　the　banking　and　brokerage　business　myself　in　the　East。　　I　have　a　firm　in　Philadelphia　and　a　seat　on　both　the　New　York　and　Philadelphia　exchanges。　　I　have　some　affairs　in　Fargo　also。　　Any　trade　agency　can　tell　you　about　me。　　You　have　a　Board　of　Trade　seat　here；　and　no　doubt　you　do　some　New　York　and　Philadelphia　exchange　business。　The　new　firm；　if　you　would　go　in　with　me；　could　handle　it　all　direct。　　I'm　a　rather　strong　outside　man　myself。　　I'm　thinking　of　locating　permanently　in　Chicago。　　What　would　you　say　now　to　going　into　business　with　me？　Do　you　think　we　could　get　along　in　the　same　office　space？〃

Cowperwood　had　a　way；　when　he　wanted　to　be　pleasant；　of　beating　the　fingers　of　his　two　hands　together；　finger　for　finger；　tip　for　tip。　　He　also　smiled　at　the　same　timeor；　rather；　beamedhis　eyes　glowing　with　a　warm；　magnetic；　seemingly　affectionate　light。

As　it　happened；　old　Peter　Laughlin　had　arrived　at　that　psychological　moment　when　he　was　wishing　that　some　such　opportunity　as　this　might　appear　and　be　available。　　He　was　a　lonely　man；　never　having　been　able　to　bring　himself　to　trust　his　peculiar　temperament　in　the　hands　of　any　woman。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　had　never　understood　women　at　all；　his　relations　being　confined　to　those　sad　immoralities　of　the　cheapest　character　which　only　moneygrudgingly　given；　at　thatcould　buy。　　He　lived　in　three　small　rooms　in　West　Harrison　Street；　near　Throup；　where　he　cooked　his　own　meals　at　times。　　His　one　companion　was　a　small　spaniel；　simple　and　affectionate；　a　she　dog；　Jennie　by　name；　with　whom　he　slept。　　Jennie　was　a　docile；　loving　companion；　waiting　for　him　patiently　by　day　in　his　office　until　he　was　ready　to　go　home　at　night。　　He　talked　to　this　spaniel　quite　as　he　would　to　a　human　being　（even　more　intimately；　perhaps）；　taking　the　dog's　glances；　tail…waggings；　and　general　movements　for　answer。　　In　the　morning　when　he　arose；　which　was　often　as　early　as　half　past　four；　or　even　fourhe　was　a　brief　sleeperhe　would　begin　by　pulling　on　his　trousers　（he　seldom　bathed　any　more　except　at　a　down…town　barber　shop）　and　talking　to　Jennie。

〃Git　up；　now；　Jinnie；〃　he　would　say。　　〃It's　time　to　git　up。　　We've　got　to　make　our　coffee　now　and　git　some　breakfast。　　I　can　see　yuh；　lyin'　there；　pertendin'　to　be　asleep。　　Come　on；　now！　You've　had　sleep　enough。　　You've　been　sleepin'　as　long　as　I　have。〃

Jennie　would　be　watching　him　out　of　the　corner　of　one　loving　eye；　her　tail　tap…tapping　on　the　bed；　her　free　ear　going　up　and　down。

When　he　was　fully　dressed；　his　face　and　hands　washed；　his　old　string　tie　pulled　around　into　a　loose　and　convenient　knot；　his　hair　brushed　upward；　Jennie　would　get　up　and　jump　demonstratively　about；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃You　see　how　prompt　I　am。〃

〃That's　the　way；〃　old　Laughlin　would　comment。　　〃Allers　last。　　Yuh　never　git　up　first；　do　yuh；　Jinnie？　Allers　let　yer　old　man　do　that；　don't　you？〃

On　bitter　days；　when　the　car…wheels　squeaked　and　one's　ears　and　fingers　seemed　to　be　in　danger　of　freezing；　old　Laughlin；　arrayed　in　a　heavy；　dusty　greatcoat　of　ancient　vintage　and　a　square　hat；　would　carry　Jennie　down…town　in　a　greenish…black　bag　along　with　some　of　his　beloved　〃sheers〃　which　he　was　meditating　on。　　Only　then　could　he　take　Jennie　in　the　cars。　　On　other　days　they　would　walk；　for　he　liked　exercise。　　He　would　get　to　his　office　as　early　as　seven…thirty　or　eight；　though　business　did　not　usually　begin　until　after　nine；　and　remain　until　four…thirty　or　five；　reading　the　papers　or　calculating　during　the　hours　when　there　were　no　customers。　　Then　he　would　take　Jennie　and　go　for　a　walk　or　to　call　on　some　business　acquaintance。　　His　home　room；　the　newspapers；　the　floor　of　the　exchange；　his　offices；　and　the　streets　were　his　only　resources。　　He　cared　nothing　for　plays；　books；　pictures；　musicand　for　women　only　in　his　one…angled；　mentally　impoverished　way。　　His　limitations　were　so　marked　that　to　a　lover　of　character　like　Cowperwood　he　was　fascinatingbut　Cowperwood