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〃That's odd；〃 observed Mrs。 Butler； doubtfully。 〃She must have gone out after somethin'。 It's a wonder she wouldn't tell somebody。〃
Butler gave no sign。 He dared not。 〃She'll be back；〃 he said； more in order to gain time than anything else。 He was sorry to have to pretend。 Mrs。 Butler went out； and he closed the door。 Then he took out the letter and read it again。 The girl was crazy。 She was doing an absolutely wild； inhuman； senseless thing。 Where could she go； except to Cowperwood？ She was on the verge of a public scandal； and this would produce it。 There was just one thing to do as far as he could see。 Cowperwood； if he were still in Philadelphia； would know。 He would go to himthreaten； cajole； actually destroy him； if necessary。 Aileen must come back。 She need not go to Europe； perhaps； but she must come back and behave herself at least until Cowperwood could legitimately marry her。 That was all he could expect now。 She would have to wait； and some day perhaps he could bring himself to accept her wretched proposition。 Horrible thought！ It would kill her mother； disgrace her sister。 He got up； took down his hat； put on his overcoat； and started out。
Arriving at the Cowperwood home he was shown into the reception…room。 Cowperwood at the time was in his den looking over some private papers。 When the name of Butler was announced he immediately went down…stairs。 It was characteristic of the man that the announcement of Butler's presence created no stir in him whatsoever。 So Butler had come。 That meant； of course； that Aileen had gone。 Now for a battle； not of words； but of weights of personalities。 He felt himself to be intellectually； socially； and in every other way the more powerful man of the two。 That spiritual content of him which we call life hardened to the texture of steel。 He recalled that although he had told his wife and his father that the politicians； of whom Butler was one； were trying to make a scapegoat of him； Butler； nevertheless； was not considered to be wholly alienated as a friend； and civility must prevail。 He would like very much to placate him if he could； to talk out the hard facts of life in a quiet and friendly way。 But this matter of Aileen had to be adjusted now once and for all。 And with that thought in his mind he walked quickly into Butler's presence。
The old man； when he learned that Cowperwood was in and would see him； determined to make his contact with the financier as short and effective as possible。 He moved the least bit when he heard Cowperwood's step； as light and springy as ever。
〃Good evening； Mr。 Butler；〃 said Cowperwood； cheerfully； when he saw him； extending his hand。 〃What can I do for you？〃
〃Ye can take that away from in front of me； for one thing；〃 said Butler； grimly referring to his hand。 〃I have no need of it。 It's my daughter I've come to talk to ye about； and I want plain answers。 Where is she？〃
〃You mean Aileen？〃 said Cowperwood； looking at him with steady； curious； unrevealing eyes； and merely interpolating this to obtain a moment for reflection。 〃What can I tell you about her？〃
〃Ye can tell me where she is； that I know。 And ye can make her come back to her home； where she belongs。 It was bad fortune that ever brought ye across my doorstep； but I'll not bandy words with ye here。 Ye'll tell me where my daughter is； and ye'll leave her alone from now； or I'll〃 The old man's fists closed like a vise； and his chest heaved with suppressed rage。 〃Ye'll not be drivin' me too far； man； if ye're wise；〃 he added； after a time； recovering his equanimity in part。 〃I want no truck with ye。 I want my daughter。〃
〃Listen； Mr。 Butler；〃 said Cowperwood； quite calmly； relishing the situation for the sheer sense of superiority it gave him。 〃I want to be perfectly frank with you； if you will let me。 I may know where your daughter is； and I may not。 I may wish to tell you； and I may not。 She may not wish me to。 But unless you wish to talk with me in a civil way there is no need of our going on any further。 You are privileged to do what you like。 Won't you come up…stairs to my room？ We can talk more comfortably there。〃
Butler looked at his former protege in utter astonishment。 He had never before in all his experience come up against a more ruthless typesuave； bland； forceful； unterrified。 This man had certainly come to him as a sheep； and had turned out to be a ravening wolf。 His incarceration had not put him in the least awe。
〃I'll not come up to your room；〃 Butler said； 〃and ye'll not get out of Philadelphy with her if that's what ye're plannin'。 I can see to that。 Ye think ye have the upper hand of me； I see； and ye're anxious to make something of it。 Well； ye're not。 It wasn't enough that ye come to me as a beggar； cravin' the help of me； and that I took ye in and helped ye all I couldye had to steal my daughter from me in the bargain。 If it wasn't for the girl's mother and her sister and her brothersdacenter men than ever ye'll know how to beI'd brain ye where ye stand。 Takin' a young； innocent girl and makin' an evil woman out of her； and ye a married man！ It's a God's blessin' for ye that it's me； and not one of me sons； that's here talkin' to ye； or ye wouldn't be alive to say what ye'd do。〃
The old man was grim but impotent in his rage。
〃I'm sorry； Mr。 Butler；〃 replied Cowperwood； quietly。 〃I'm willing to explain； but you won't let me。 I'm not planning to run away with your daughter； nor to leave Philadelphia。 You ought to know me well enough to know that I'm not contemplating anything of that kind； my interests are too large。 You and I are practical men。 We ought to be able to talk this matter over together and reach an understanding。 I thought once of coming to you and explaining this； but I was quite sure you wouldn't listen to me。 Now that you are here I would like to talk to you。 If you will come up to my room I will be glad tootherwise not。 Won't you come up？〃
Butler saw that Cowperwood had the advantage。 He might as well go up。 Otherwise it was plain he would get no information。
〃Very well；〃 he said。
Cowperwood led the way quite amicably； and； having entered his private office； closed the door behind him。
〃We ought to be able to talk this matter over and reach an understanding；〃 he said again； when they were in the room and he had closed the door。 〃I am not as bad as you think； though I know I appear very bad。〃 Butler stared at him in contempt。 〃I love your daughter； and she loves me。 I know you are asking yourself how I can do this while I am still married； but I assure you I can； and that I do。 I am not happily married。 I had expected； if this panic hadn't come along； to arrange with my wife for a divorce and marry Aileen。 My intentions are perfectly good。 The situation which you can complain of； of course； is the one you encountered a few weeks ago。 It was indiscreet； but it was entirely human。 Your daughter does not complainshe understands。〃 At the mention of his daughter in this connection Butler flushed with rage and shame； but he controlled himself。
〃And ye think because she doesn't complain that it's all right； do ye？〃 he asked； sarcastically。
〃From my point of view； yes； from yours no。 You have one view of life； Mr。 Butler； and I have another。〃
〃Ye're right there；〃 put in Butler； 〃for once； anyhow。〃
〃That doesn't prove that either of us is right or wrong。 In my judgment the present end justifies the means。 The end I have in view is to marry Aileen。 If I can possibly pull myself out of this financial scrape that I am in I will do so。 Of course； I would like to have your consent for thatso would Aileen； but if we can't； we can't。〃 （Cowperwood was thinking that while this might not have a very soothing effect on the old contractor's point of view； nevertheless it must make some appeal to his sense of the possible or necessary。 Aileen's present situation was quite unsatisfactory without marriage in view。 And even if he； Cowperwood； was a convicted embezzler in the eyes of the public； that did not make him so。 He might get free and restore himself would certainlyand Aileen ought to be glad to marry him if she could under the circumstances。 He did not quite grasp the depth of Butler's religious and moral prejudices。） 〃Lately；〃 he went on； 〃you have been doing all you can； as I understand it； to pull me down； on account of Aileen； I suppose； but that is simply delaying what I want to do。〃
〃Ye'd like me to help ye do that； I suppose？〃 suggested Butler； with infinite disgust and patience。
〃I want to marry Aileen；〃 Cowperwood repeated； for emphasis' sake。 〃She wants to marry me。 Under the circumstances； however you may feel； you can have no real objection to my doing that； I am sure； yet you go on fighting memaking it hard for me to do what you really know ought to be done。〃
〃Ye're a scoundrel；〃 said Butler； seeing through his motives quite clearly。 〃Ye're a sharper； to my way of thinkin'； and it's no child of mine I want connected with ye。 I'm not sayin'； seein' that things are as they are； that if ye were a free man it wouldn't be better that she should marry ye。 It's the one dacent thing ye could doif ye would； which I doubt。 But t