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〃Well； no； not exactly。 I didn't think that。 I don't know what I thought。 Oh； honey； I've been so worried。 You know； I didn't sleep at all。 I thought I was stronger than that； but I was so worried about you。 You know； he put me in a strong light by his desk； where he could see my face； and then he showed me the letter。 I was so astonished for a moment I hardly know what I said or how I looked。〃
〃What did you say？〃
〃Why； I said： 'What a shame！ It isn't so！' But I didn't say it right away。 My heart was going like a trip…hammer。 I'm afraid he must have been able to tell something from my face。 I could hardly get my breath。〃
〃He's a shrewd man； your father；〃 he commented。 〃He knows something about life。 Now you see how difficult these situations are。 It's a blessing he decided to show you the letter instead of watching the house。 I suppose he felt too bad to do that。 He can't prove anything now。 But he knows。 You can't deceive him。〃
〃How do you know he knows？〃
〃I saw him yesterday。〃
〃Did he talk to you about it？〃
〃No； I saw his face。 He simply looked at me。〃
〃Honey！ I'm so sorry for him！〃
〃I know you are。 So am I。 But it can't be helped now。 We should have thought of that in the first place。〃
〃But I love you so。 Oh； honey； he will never forgive me。 He loves me so。 He mustn't know。 I won't admit anything。 But； oh； dear！〃
She put her hands tightly together on his bosom； and he looked consolingly into her eyes。 Her eyelids； were trembling； and her lips。 She was sorry for her father； herself； Cowperwood。 Through her he could sense the force of Butler's parental affection； the volume and danger of his rage。 There were so many； many things as he saw it now converging to make a dramatic denouement。
〃Never mind；〃 he replied； 〃it can't be helped now。 Where is my strong； determined Aileen？ I thought you were going to be so brave？ Aren't you going to be？ I need to have you that way now。〃
〃Do you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you in trouble？〃
〃I think I am going to fail； dear。〃
〃Oh； no！〃
〃Yes； honey。 I'm at the end of my rope。 I don't see any way out just at present。 I've sent for my father and my lawyer。 You mustn't stay here； sweet。 Your father may come in here at any time。 We must meet somewhereto…morrow； sayto…morrow afternoon。 You remember Indian Rock； out on the Wissahickon？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Could you be there at four？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Look out for who's following。 If I'm not there by four…thirty； don't wait。 You know why。 It will be because I think some one is watching。 There won't be； though； if we work it right。 And now you must run； sweet。 We can't use Nine…thirty…one any more。 I'll have to rent another place somewhere else。〃
〃Oh； honey； I'm so sorry。〃
〃Aren't you going to be strong and brave？ You see； I need you to be。〃
He was almost； for the first time； a little sad in his mood。
〃Yes； dear； yes；〃 she declared； slipping her arms under his and pulling him tight。 〃Oh； yes！ You can depend on me。 Oh； Frank； I love you so！ I'm so sorry。 Oh； I do hope you don't fail！ But it doesn't make any difference； dear； between you and me； whatever happens； does it？ We will love each other just the same。 I'll do anything for you； honey！ I'll do anything you say。 You can trust me。 They sha'n't know anything from me。〃
She looked at his still； pale face； and a sudden strong determination to fight for him welled up in her heart。 Her love was unjust； illegal； outlawed； but it was love； just the same； and had much of the fiery daring of the outcast from justice。
〃I love you！ I love you！ I love you； Frank！〃 she declared。 He unloosed her hands。
〃Run； sweet。 To…morrow at four。 Don't fail。 And don't talk。 And don't admit anything； whatever you do。〃
〃I won't。〃
〃And don't worry about me。 I'll be all right。〃
He barely had time to straighten his tie； to assume a nonchalant attitude by the window； when in hurried Stener's chief clerkpale； disturbed； obviously out of key with himself。
〃Mr。 Cowperwood！ You know that check I gave you last night？ Mr。 Stener says it's illegal； that I shouldn't have given it to you； that he will hold me responsible。 He says I can be arrested for compounding a felony； and that he will discharge me and have me sent to prison if I don't get it back。 Oh； Mr。 Cowperwood； I am only a young man！ I'm just really starting out in life。 I've got my wife and little boy to look after。 You won't let him do that to me？ You'll give me that check back； won't you？ I can't go back to the office without it。 He says you're going to fail； and that you knew it； and that you haven't any right to it。〃
Cowperwood looked at him curiously。 He was surprised at the variety and character of these emissaries of disaster。 Surely； when troubles chose to multiply they had great skill in presenting themselves in rapid order。 Stener had no right to make any such statement。 The transaction was not illegal。 The man had gone wild。 True； he； Cowperwood； had received an order after these securities were bought not to buy or sell any more city loan； but that did not invalidate previous purchases。 Stener was browbeating and frightening his poor underling； a better man than himself； in order to get back this sixty…thousand…dollar check。 What a petty creature he was！ How true it was； as somebody had remarked； that you could not possibly measure the petty meannesses to which a fool could stoop！
〃You go back to Mr。 Stener； Albert； and tell him that it can't be done。 The certificates of loan were purchased before his order arrived； and the records of the exchange will prove it。 There is no illegality here。 I am entitled to that check and could have collected it in any qualified court of law。 The man has gone out of his head。 I haven't failed yet。 You are not in any danger of any legal proceedings； and if you are； I'll help defend you。 I can't give you the check back because I haven't it to give； and if I had； I wouldn't。 That would be allowing a fool to make a fool of me。 I'm sorry； very； but I can't do anything for you。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Cowperwood！〃 Tears were in Stires's eyes。 〃He'll discharge me！ He'll forfeit my sureties。 I'll be turned out into the street。 I have only a little property of my ownoutside of my salary！〃
He wrung his hands； and Cowperwood shook his head sadly。
〃This isn't as bad as you think； Albert。 He won't do what he says。 He can't。 It's unfair and illegal。 You can bring suit and recover your salary。 I'll help you in that as much as I'm able。 But I can't give you back this sixty…thousand…dollar check； because I haven't it to give。 I couldn't if I wanted to。 It isn't here any more。 I've paid for the securities I bought with it。 The securities are not here。 They're in the sinking…fund； or will be。〃
He paused； wishing he had not mentioned that fact。 It was a slip of the tongue； one of the few he ever made； due to the peculiar pressure of the situation。 Stires pleaded longer。 It was no use； Cowperwood told him。 Finally he went away； crestfallen； fearsome； broken。 There were tears of suffering in his eyes。 Cowperwood was very sorry。 And then his father was announced。
The elder Cowperwood brought a haggard face。 He and Frank had had a long conversation the evening before； lasting until early morning； but it had not been productive of much save uncertainty。
〃Hello； father！〃 exclaimed Cowperwood； cheerfully； noting his father's gloom。 He was satisfied that there was scarcely a coal of hope to be raked out of these ashes of despair； but there was no use admitting it。
〃Well？〃 said his father； lifting his sad eyes in a peculiar way。
〃Well； it looks like stormy weather； doesn't it？ I've decided to call a meeting of my creditors； father； and ask for time。 There isn't anything else to do。 I can't realize enough on anything to make it worth while talking about。 I thought Stener might change his mind； but he's worse rather than better。 His head bookkeeper just went out of here。〃
〃What did he want？〃 asked Henry Cowperwood。
〃He wanted me to give him back a check for sixty thousand that he paid me for some city loan I bought yesterday morning。〃 Frank did not explain to his father； however； that he had hypothecated the certificates this check had paid for； and used the check itself to raise money enough to pay the Girard National Bank and to give himself thirty…five thousand in cash besides。
〃Well； I declare！〃 replied the old man。 〃You'd think he'd have better sense than that。 That's a perfectly legitimate transaction。 When did you say he notified you not to buy city loan？〃
〃Yesterday noon。〃
〃He's out of his mind；〃 Cowperwood； Sr。； commented； laconically。
〃It's Mollenhauer and Simpson and Butler； I know。 They want my street…railway lines。 Well； they won't get them。 They'll get them through a receivership； and after the panic's all over。 Our creditors will have first chance at these。 If they buy； they'll buy from them。 If it weren't for that five…hundred…thousand…dollar loan I wouldn't think a thing of this。 My creditors would sustain me nicely。 But the moment that gets noised around！。。。 And this election！ I hypothecated those city loan certificates because I didn't want to get