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r　father's　will；　which　no　power　under　the　sun　could　have　made　Mrs。　Butler　alter；　she　was　left　250；000　to　be　paid　at　Mrs。　Butler's　death。　　Neither　this　fact　nor　any　of　the　others　contained　in　the　paper　were　communicated　by　Mrs。　Butler；　who　retained　it　to　be　left　as　her　will。　　Aileen　often　wondered；　but　never　sought　to　know；　what　had　been　left　her。　　Nothing　she　fanciedbut　felt　that　she　could　not　help　this。

Butler's　death　led　at　once　to　a　great　change　in　the　temper　of　the　home。　　After　the　funeral　the　family　settled　down　to　a　seemingly　peaceful　continuance　of　the　old　life；　but　it　was　a　matter　of　seeming　merely。　　The　situation　stood　with　Callum　and　Owen　manifesting　a　certain　degree　of　contempt　for　Aileen；　which　she；　understanding；　reciprocated。　　　She　was　very　haughty。　　Owen　had　plans　of　forcing　her　to　leave　after　Butler's　death；　but　he　finally　asked　himself　what　was　the　use。　　Mrs。　Butler；　who　did　not　want　to　leave　the　old　home；　was　very　fond　of　Aileen；　so　therein　lay　a　reason　for　letting　her　remain。　　Besides；　any　move　to　force　her　out　would　have　entailed　an　explanation　to　her　mother；　which　was　not　deemed　advisable。　Owen　himself　was　interested　in　Caroline　Mollenhauer；　whom　he　hoped　some　day　to　marryas　much　for　her　prospective　wealth　as　for　any　other　reason；　though　he　was　quite　fond　of　her。　　In　the　January　following　Butler's　death；　which　occurred　in　August；　Norah　was　married　very　quietly；　and　the　following　spring　Callum　embarked　on　a　similar　venture。

In　the　meanwhile；　with　Butler's　death；　the　control　of　the　political　situation　had　shifted　considerably。　　A　certain　Tom　Collins；　formerly　one　of　Butler's　henchmen；　but　latterly　a　power　in　the　First；　Second；　Third；　and　Fourth　Wards；　where　he　had　numerous　saloons　and　control　of　other　forms　of　vice；　appeared　as　a　claimant　for　political　recognition。　　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　had　to　consult　him；　as　he　could　make　very　uncertain　the　disposition　of　some　hundred　and　fifteen　thousand　votes；　a　large　number　of　which　were　fraudulent；　but　which　fact　did　not　modify　their　deadly　character　on　occasion。　Butler's　sons　disappeared　as　possible　political　factors；　and　were　compelled　to　confine　themselves　to　the　street…railway　and　contracting　business。　　The　pardon　of　Cowperwood　and　Stener；　which　Butler　would　have　opposed；　because　by　keeping　Stener　in　he　kept　Cowperwood　in；　became　a　much　easier　matter。　　The　scandal　of　the　treasury　defalcation　was　gradually　dying　down；　the　newspapers　had　ceased　to　refer　to　it　in　any　way。　　Through　Steger　and　Wingate；　a　large　petition　signed　by　all　important　financiers　and　brokers　had　been　sent　to　the　Governor　pointing　out　that　Cowperwood's　trial　and　conviction　had　been　most　unfair；　and　asking　that　he　be　pardoned。　　There　was　no　need　of　any　such　effort；　so　far　as　Stener　was　concerned；　whenever　the　time　seemed　ripe　the　politicians　were　quite　ready　to　say　to　the　Governor　that　he　ought　to　let　him　go。　　It　was　only　because　Butler　had　opposed　Cowperwood's　release　that　they　had　hesitated。　　It　was　really　not　possible　to　let　out　the　one　and　ignore　the　other；　and　this　petition；　coupled　with　Butler's　death；　cleared　the　way　very　nicely。

Nevertheless；　nothing　was　done　until　the　March　following　Butler's　death；　when　both　Stener　and　Cowperwood　had　been　incarcerated　thirteen　monthsa　length　of　time　which　seemed　quite　sufficient　to　appease　the　anger　of　the　public　at　large。　　In　this　period　Stener　had　undergone　a　considerable　change　physically　and　mentally。　　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　a　number　of　the　minor　aldermen；　who　had　profited　in　various　ways　by　his　largess；　called　to　see　him　occasionally；　and　that　he　had　been　given；　as　it　were；　almost　the　liberty　of　the　place；　and　that　his　family　had　not　been　allowed　to　suffer；　nevertheless　he　realized　that　his　political　and　social　days　were　over。　　Somebody　might　now　occasionally　send　him　a　basket　of　fruit　and　assure　him　that　he　would　not　be　compelled　to　suffer　much　longer；　but　when　he　did　get　out；　he　knew　that　he　had　nothing　to　depend　on　save　his　experience　as　an　insurance　agent　and　real…estate　dealer。　　That　had　been　precarious　enough　in　the　days　when　he　was　trying　to　get　some　small　political　foothold。　　How　would　it　be　when　he　was　known　only　as　the　man　who　had　looted　the　treasury　of　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　and　been　sent　to　the　penitentiary　for　five　years？　Who　would　lend　him　the　money　wherewith　to　get　a　little　start；　even　so　much　as　four　or　five　thousand　dollars？　The　people　who　were　calling　to　pay　their　respects　now　and　then；　and　to　assure　him　that　he　had　been　badly　treated？　Never。　　All　of　them　could　honestly　claim　that　they　had　not　so　much　to　spare。　　If　he　had　good　security　to　offeryes；　but　if　he　had　good　security　he　would　not　need　to　go　to　them　at　all。　The　man　who　would　have　actually　helped　him　if　he　had　only　known　was　Frank　A。　Cowperwood。　　Stener　could　have　confessed　his　mistake；　as　Cowperwood　saw　it；　and　Cowperwood　would　have　given　him　the　money　gladly；　without　any　thought　of　return。　　But　by　his　poor　understanding　of　human　nature；　Stener　considered　that　Cowperwood　must　be　an　enemy　of　his；　and　he　would　not　have　had　either　the　courage　or　the　business　judgment　to　approach　him。

During　his　incarceration　Cowperwood　had　been　slowly　accumulating　a　little　money　through　Wingate。　　He　had　paid　Steger　considerable　sums　from　time　to　time；　until　that　worthy　finally　decided　that　it　would　not　be　fair　to　take　any　more。

〃If　ever　you　get　on　your　feet；　Frank；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　remember　me　if　you　want　to；　but　I　don't　think　you'll　want　to。　　It's　been　nothing　but　lose；　lose；　lose　for　you　through　me。　　I'll　undertake　this　matter　of　getting　that　appeal　to　the　Governor　without　any　charge　on　my　part。　　Anything　I　can　do　for　you　from　now　on　is　free　gratis　for　nothing。〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　nonsense；　Harper；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃I　don't　know　of　anybody　that　could　have　done　better　with　my　case。　　Certainly　there　isn't　anybody　that　I　would　have　trusted　as　much。　　I　don't　like　lawyers　you　know。〃

〃Yeswell；〃　said　Steger；　〃they've　got　nothing　on　financiers；　so　we'll　call　it　even。〃　　And　they　shook　hands。

So　when　it　was　finally　decided　to　pardon　Stener；　which　was　in　the　early　part　of　March；　1873Cowperwood's　pardon　was　necessarily　but　gingerly　included。　　A　delegation；　consisting　of　Strobik；　Harmon；　and　Winpenny；　representing；　as　it　was　intended　to　appear；　the　unanimous　wishes　of　the　council　and　the　city　administration；　and　speaking　for　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson；　who　had　given　their　consent；　visited　the　Governor　at　Harrisburg　and　made　the　necessary　formal　representations　which　were　intended　to　impress　the　public。　　At　the　same　time；　through　the　agency　of　Steger；　Davison；　and　Walter　Leigh；　the　appeal　in　behalf　of　Cowperwood　was　made。　　The　Governor；　who　had　had　instructions　beforehand　from　sources　quite　superior　to　this　committee；　was　very　solemn　about　the　whole　procedure。　　He　would　take　the　matter　under　advisement。　　He　would　look　into　the　history　of　the　crimes　and　the　records　of　the　two　men。　　He　could　make　no　promiseshe　would　see。　　But　in　ten　days；　after　allowing　the　petitions　to　gather　considerable　dust　in　one　of　his　pigeonholes　and　doing　absolutely　nothing　toward　investigating　anything；　he　issued　two　separate　pardons　in　writing。　　One；　as　a　matter　of　courtesy；　he　gave　into　the　hands　of　Messrs。　Strobik；　Harmon；　and　Winpenny；　to　bear　personally　to　Mr。　Stener；　as　they　desired　that　he　should。　　The　other；　on　Steger's　request；　he　gave　to　him。　　The　two　committees　which　had　called　to　receive　them　then　departed；　and　the　afternoon　of　that　same　day　saw　Strobik；　Harmon；　and　Winpenny　arrive　in　one　group；　and　Steger；　Wingate；　and　Walter　Leigh　in　another；　at　the　prison　gate；　but　at　different　hours。





Chapter　LVIII




This　matter　of　the　pardon　of　Cowperwood；　the　exact　time　of　it；　was　kept　a　secret　from　him；　though　the　fact　that　he　was　to　be　pardoned　soon；　or　that　he　had　a　very　excellent　chance　of　being；　had　not　been　deniedrather　had　been　made　much　of　from　time　to　time。　　Wingate　had　kept　him　accurately　informed　as　to　the　progress　being　made；　as　had　Steger；　but　when　it　was　actually　ascertained；　from　the　Governor's　private　secretary；　that　a　certain　day　would　see　the　pardon　handed　over　to　them；　Steger；　Wingate；　and　Walter　Leigh　had　agreed　between　themselves　that　they　would　say　nothing；　taking　Cowperwood　by　surprise。　　They　even　went　so　farthat　is；　Steger　and　Wingate　didas　to　indicate　to　Cowperwood　that　there　was　some　hitch　to　the　proceedings　and　that　he　might　not　now　get　out　so　soon。　　Cowperwood　was　somewhat　depressed；　but　properly　stoical；　he　assured　himself　that　he　could　wait；　and　that　he　would　be　all　right　sometime。　　He　was　rather　surprised　therefore；　one　Friday　afternoon；　to　see　Wingate；　Steger；　and　Leigh　appear　at　his　cell　door；　accompanied　by　Warden　Desmas。

The　warden　was　quite　pleased　to　think　that　Cowperwood　should　finally　be　going　outhe　admired　him　so　muchand　decided　to　come　along　to　the　cell；　to　see　how　he　would　take　his　liberation。　　On　the　way　Desmas　commented　on　the　fact　that　he　had　always　been　a　model　prisoner。　〃He　kept　a　little　garden　out　there　in　that　yard　of　his；〃　he　confided　to　Walter　Leigh。　　〃He　had　violets　and　pansies　and　geraniums　out　there；　and　they　did　very　well；　too。〃

Leigh　smiled。　　It　was　like　Cowperwood　to　be　industrious　and　tasteful；　even　in　prison。　　Such　a　man　could　not　be　conquered。　　〃A　very　remarkable　man；　that；〃　he　remarked　to　Desmas。

〃Very；〃　replied　the　warden。　　〃You　can　tell　that　by　looking　at　him。〃

The　four　looked　in　through　the　barred　door　where　he　was　working；　without　being　observed；　having　come　up　quite　silently。

〃Hard　at　it；　Frank？〃　asked　Steger。

Cowperwood　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　got　up。　　He　had　been　thinking；　as　always　these　days；　of　what　he　would　do　when　he　did　get　out。

〃What　is　this；〃　he　asked〃a　political　delegation？〃　He　suspected　something　on　the　instant。　　All　four　smiled　cheeringly；　and　Bonhag　unlocked　the　door　for　the　warden。

〃Nothing　very　much；　Frank；〃　replied　Stager；　gleefully；　〃only　you're　a　free　man。　　You　can　gather　up　your　traps　and　come　right　along；　if　you　wish。〃

Cowperwood　surveyed　his　friends　with　a　level　gaze。　　He　had　not　expected　this　so　soon　after　what　had　been　told　him。　　He　was　not　one　to　be　very　much　interested　in　the　practical　joke　or　the　surprise；　but　this　pleased　himthe　sudden　realization　that　he　was　free。　Sti