按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Oh； Frank；〃 she exclaimed to him； over and over； 〃if we could only manage it。 Do you think we can？〃
〃Do I think we can？ Certainly I do。 It's only a matter of time。 I think if I were to put the matter to her clearly； she wouldn't expect me to stay。 You look out how you conduct your affairs。 If your father or your brother should ever suspect me； there'd be an explosion in this town； if nothing worse。 They'd fight me in all my money deals； if they didn't kill me。 Are you thinking carefully of what you are doing？〃
〃All the time。 If anything happens I'll deny everything。 They can't prove it； if I deny it。 I'll come to you in the long run； just the same。〃
They were in the Tenth Street house at the time。 She stroked his cheeks with the loving fingers of the wildly enamored woman。
〃I'll do anything for you； sweetheart；〃 she declared。 〃I'd die for you if I had to。 I love you so。〃
〃Well； pet； no danger。 You won't have to do anything like that。 But be careful。〃
Chapter XXIII
Then； after several years of this secret relationship； in which the ties of sympathy and understanding grew stronger instead of weaker； came the storm。 It burst unexpectedly and out of a clear sky； and bore no relation to the intention or volition of any individual。 It was nothing more than a fire； a distant onethe great Chicago fire； October 7th； 1871； which burned that city its vast commercial sectionto the ground； and instantly and incidentally produced a financial panic； vicious though of short duration in various other cities in America。 The fire began on Saturday and continued apparently unabated until the following Wednesday。 It destroyed the banks； the commercial houses； the shipping conveniences； and vast stretches of property。 The heaviest loss fell naturally upon the insurance companies； which instantly； in many casesthe majorityclosed their doors。 This threw the loss back on the manufacturers and wholesalers in other cities who had had dealings with Chicago as well as the merchants of that city。 Again； very grievous losses were borne by the host of eastern capitalists which had for years past partly owned； or held heavy mortgages on； the magnificent buildings for business purposes and residences in which Chicago was already rivaling every city on the continent。 Transportation was disturbed； and the keen scent of Wall Street； and Third Street in Philadelphia； and State Street in Boston； instantly perceived in the early reports the gravity of the situation。 Nothing could be done on Saturday or Sunday after the exchange closed； for the opening reports came too late。 On Monday； however； the facts were pouring in thick and fast； and the owners of railroad securities； government securities； street…car securities； and； indeed； all other forms of stocks and bonds； began to throw them on the market in order to raise cash。 The banks naturally were calling their loans； and the result was a stock stampede which equaled the Black Friday of Wall Street of two years before。
Cowperwood and his father were out of town at the time the fire began。 They had gone with several friendsbankersto look at a proposed route of extension of a local steam…railroad； on which a loan was desired。 In buggies they had driven over a good portion of the route； and were returning to Philadelphia late Sunday evening when the cries of newsboys hawking an 〃extra〃 reached their ears。
〃Ho！ Extra！ Extra！ All about the big Chicago fire！〃
〃Ho！ Extra！ Extra！ Chicago burning down！ Extra！ Extra！〃
The cries were long…drawn…out； ominous； pathetic。 In the dusk of the dreary Sunday afternoon； when the city had apparently retired to Sabbath meditation and prayer； with that tinge of the dying year in the foliage and in the air； one caught a sense of something grim and gloomy。
〃Hey； boy；〃 called Cowperwood； listening； seeing a shabbily clothed misfit of a boy with a bundle of papers under his arm turning a corner。 〃What's that？ Chicago burning！〃
He looked at his father and the other men in a significant way as he reached for the paper； and then； glancing at the headlines； realized the worst。
ALL CHICAGO BURNING
FIRE RAGES UNCHECKED IN COMMERCIAL SECTION SINCE YESTERDAY EVENING。 BANKS； COMMERCIAL HOUSES； PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN RUINS。 DIRECT TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION SUSPENDED SINCE THREE O'CLOCK TO…DAY。 NO END TO PROGRESS OF DISASTER IN SIGHT。
〃That looks rather serious；〃 he said； calmly； to his companions； a cold； commanding force coming into his eyes and voice。 To his father he said a little later； 〃It's panic； unless the majority of the banks and brokerage firms stand together。〃
He was thinking quickly； brilliantly； resourcefully of his own outstanding obligations。 His father's bank was carrying one hundred thousand dollars' worth of his street…railway securities at sixty； and fifty thousand dollars' worth of city loan at seventy。 His father had 〃up with him〃 over forty thousand dollars in cash covering market manipulations in these stocks。 The banking house of Drexel & Co。 was on his books as a creditor for one hundred thousand； and that loan would be called unless they were especially merciful； which was not likely。 Jay Cooke & Co。 were his creditors for another one hundred and fifty thousand。 They would want their money。 At four smaller banks and three brokerage companies he was debtor for sums ranging from fifty thousand dollars down。 The city treasurer was involved with him to the extent of nearly five hundred thousand dollars； and exposure of that would create a scandal； the State treasurer for two hundred thousand。 There were small accounts； hundreds of them； ranging from one hundred dollars up to five and ten thousand。 A panic would mean not only a withdrawal of deposits and a calling of loans； but a heavy depression of securities。 How could he realize on his securities？ that was the questionhow without selling so many points off that his fortune would be swept away and he would be ruined？
He figured briskly the while he waved adieu to his friends； who hurried away； struck with their own predicament。
〃You had better go on out to the house； father； and I'll send some telegrams。〃 （The telephone had not yet been invented。） 〃I'll be right out and we'll go into this thing together。 It looks like black weather to me。 Don't say anything to any one until after we have had our talk； then we can decide what to do。〃
Cowperwood； Sr。； was already plucking at his side…whiskers in a confused and troubled way。 He was cogitating as to what might happen to him in case his son failed； for he was deeply involved with him。 He was a little gray in his complexion now； frightened； for he had already strained many points in his affairs to accommodate his son。 If Frank should not be able promptly on the morrow to meet the call which the bank might have to make for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars； the onus and scandal of the situation would be on him。
On the other hand； his son was meditating on the tangled relation in which he now found himself in connection with the city treasurer and the fact that it was not possible for him to support the market alone。 Those who should have been in a position to help him were now as bad off as himself。 There were many unfavorable points in the whole situation。 Drexel & Co。 had been booming railway stocks loaning heavily on them。 Jay Cooke & Co。 had been backing Northern Pacificwere practically doing their best to build that immense transcontinental system alone。 Naturally； they were long on that and hence in a ticklish position。 At the first word they would throw over their surest securitiesgovernment bonds； and the like in order to protect their more speculative holdings。 The bears would see the point。 They would hammer and hammer； selling short all along the line。 But he did not dare to do that。 He would be breaking his own back quickly； and what he needed was time。 If he could only get timethree days； a week； ten daysthis storm would surely blow over。
The thing that was troubling him most was the matter of the half…million invested with him by Stener。 A fall election was drawing near。 Stener； although he had served two terms； was slated for reelection。 A scandal in connection with the city treasury would be a very bad thing。 It would end Stener's career as an officialwould very likely send him to the penitentiary。 It might wreck the Republican party's chances to win。 It would certainly involve himself as having much to do with it。 If that happened； he would have the politicians to reckon with。 For； if he were hard pressed； as he would be； and failed； the fact that he had been trying to invade the city street…railway preserves which they held sacred to themselves； with borrowed city money； and that this borrowing was liable to cost them the city election； would all come out。 They would not view all that with a kindly eye。 It would be useless to say； as he could； that he had borrowed the money at two per cent。 （most of it； to save himself； had been covered by a protective clause of that kind）； or that he had merely acted as an agent for Stener。 That might go down with the unsophisticated of the outer world； but it would never be swall