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ed　upon　the　heels　of　disaster　of　any　kind；　well；　what　was　social　ostracism？　Had　either　he　or　his　parents　been　of　the　best　society　as　yet？　And　since　not；　and　despite　this　present　mix…up；　might　not　the　future　hold　social　restoration　and　position　for　him？　It　might。　　Morality　and　immorality？　He　never　considered　them。　　But　strength　and　weaknessoh；　yes！　If　you　had　strength　you　could　protect　yourself　always　and　be　something。　　If　you　were　weakpass　quickly　to　the　rear　and　get　out　of　the　range　of　the　guns。　　He　was　strong；　and　he　knew　it；　and　somehow　he　always　believed　in　his　star。　　Somethinghe　could　not　say　whatit　was　the　only　metaphysics　he　bothered　aboutwas　doing　something　for　him。　　It　had　always　helped　him。　　It　made　things　come　out　right　at　times。　　It　put　excellent　opportunities　in　his　way。　　Why　had　he　been　given　so　fine　a　mind？　Why　always　favored　financially；　personally？　He　had　not　deserved　itearned　it。　　Accident；　perhaps；　but　somehow　the　thought　that　he　would　always　be　protectedthese　intuitions；　the　〃hunches〃　to　act　which　he　frequently　hadcould　not　be　so　easily　explained。　　Life　was　a　dark；　insoluble　mystery；　but　whatever　it　was；　strength　and　weakness　were　its　two　constituents。　Strength　would　winweakness　lose。　　He　must　rely　on　swiftness　of　thought；　accuracy；　his　judgment；　and　on　nothing　else。　　He　was　really　a　brilliant　picture　of　courage　and　energymoving　about　briskly　in　a　jaunty；　dapper　way；　his　mustaches　curled；　his　clothes　pressed；　his　nails　manicured；　his　face　clean…shaven　and　tinted　with　health。

In　the　meantime；　Cowperwood　had　gone　personally　to　Skelton　C。　Wheat　and　tried　to　explain　his　side　of　the　situation；　alleging　that　he　had　done　no　differently　from　many　others　before　him；　but　Wheat　was　dubious。　　He　did　not　see　how　it　was　that　the　sixty　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　certificates　were　not　in　the　sinking…fund。　　Cowperwood's　explanation　of　custom　did　not　avail。　　Nevertheless；　Mr。　Wheat　saw　that　others　in　politics　had　been　profiting　quite　as　much　as　Cowperwood　in　other　ways　and　he　advised　Cowperwood　to　turn　state's　evidence。　　This；　however；　he　promptly　refused　to　dohe　was　no　〃squealer；〃　and　indicated　as　much　to　Mr。　Wheat；　who　only　smiled　wryly。

Butler；　Sr。；　was　delighted　（concerned　though　he　was　about　party　success　at　the　polls）；　for　now　he　had　this　villain　in　the　toils　and　he　would　have　a　fine　time　getting　out　of　this。　　The　incoming　district　attorney　to　succeed　David　Pettie　if　the　Republican　party　won　would　be；　as　was　now　planned；　an　appointee　of　Butler'sa　young　Irishman　who　had　done　considerable　legal　work　for　himone　Dennis　Shannon。　　The　other　two　party　leaders　had　already　promised　Butler　that。　　Shannon　was　a　smart；　athletic；　good…looking　fellow；　all　of　five　feet　ten　inches　in　height；　sandy…haired；　pink…cheeked；　blue…eyed；　considerable　of　an　orator　and　a　fine　legal　fighter。　　He　was　very　proud　to　be　in　the　old　man's　favorto　be　promised　a　place　on　the　ticket　by　himand　would；　he　said；　if　elected；　do　his　bidding　to　the　best　of　his　knowledge　and　ability。

There　was　only　one　fly　in　the　ointment；　so　far　as　some　of　the　politicians　were　concerned；　and　that　was　that　if　Cowperwood　were　convicted；　Stener　must　needs　be　also。　　There　was　no　escape　in　so　far　as　any　one　could　see　for　the　city　treasurer。　　If　Cowperwood　was　guilty　of　securing　by　trickery　sixty　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　the　city　money；　Stener　was　guilty　of　securing　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　The　prison　term　for　this　was　five　years。　　He　might　plead　not　guilty；　and　by　submitting　as　evidence　that　what　he　did　was　due　to　custom　save　himself　from　the　odious　necessity　of　pleading　guilty；　but　he　would　be　convicted　nevertheless。　　No　jury　could　get　by　the　fact　in　regard　to　him。　　In　spite　of　public　opinion；　when　it　came　to　a　trial　there　might　be　considerable　doubt　in　Cowperwood's　case。　　There　was　none　in　Stener's。

The　practical　manner　in　which　the　situation　was　furthered；　after　Cowperwood　and　Stener　were　formally　charged　may　be　quickly　noted。　Steger；　Cowperwood's　lawyer；　learned　privately　beforehand　that　Cowperwood　was　to　be　prosecuted。　　He　arranged　at　once　to　have　his　client　appear　before　any　warrant　could　be　served；　and　to　forestall　the　newspaper　palaver　which　would　follow　it　if　he　had　to　be　searched　for。

The　mayor　issued　a　warrant　for　Cowperwood's　arrest；　and；　in　accordance　with　Steger's　plan；　Cowperwood　immediately　appeared　before　Borchardt　in　company　with　his　lawyer　and　gave　bail　in　twenty　thousand　dollars　（W。　C。　Davison；　president　of　the　Girard　National　Bank；　being　his　surety）；　for　his　appearance　at　the　central　police　station　on　the　following　Saturday　for　a　hearing。　　Marcus　Oldslaw；　a　lawyer；　had　been　employed　by　Strobik　as　president　of　the　common　council；　to　represent　him　in　prosecuting　the　case　for　the　city。　The　mayor　looked　at　Cowperwood　curiously；　for　he；　being　comparatively　new　to　the　political　world　of　Philadelphia；　was　not　so　familiar　with　him　as　others　were；　and　Cowperwood　returned　the　look　pleasantly　enough。

〃This　is　a　great　dumb　show；　Mr。　Mayor；〃　he　observed　once　to　Borchardt；　quietly；　and　the　latter　replied；　with　a　smile　and　a　kindly　eye；　that　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　it　was　a　form　of　procedure　which　was　absolutely　unavoidable　at　this　time。

〃You　know　how　it　is；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　observed。　　The　latter　smiled。　　〃I　do；　indeed；〃　he　said。

Later　there　followed　several　more　or　less　perfunctory　appearances　in　a　local　police　court；　known　as　the　Central　Court；　where　when　arraigned　he　pleaded　not　guilty；　and　finally　his　appearance　before　the　November　grand　jury；　where；　owing　to　the　complicated　nature　of　the　charge　drawn　up　against　him　by　Pettie；　he　thought　it　wise　to　appear。　　He　was　properly　indicted　by　the　latter　body　（Shannon；　the　newly　elected　district　attorney；　making　a　demonstration　in　force）；　and　his　trial　ordered　for　December　5th　before　a　certain　Judge　Payderson　in　Part　I　of　Quarter　Sessions；　which　was　the　local　branch　of　the　State　courts　dealing　with　crimes　of　this　character。　His　indictment　did　not　occur；　however；　before　the　coming　and　going　of　the　much…mooted　fall　election；　which　resulted；　thanks　to　the　clever　political　manipulations　of　Mollenhauer　and　Simpson　（ballot…box　stuffing　and　personal　violence　at　the　polls　not　barred）；　in　another　victory；　by；　however；　a　greatly　reduced　majority。　　The　Citizens'　Municipal　Reform　Association；　in　spite　of　a　resounding　defeat　at　the　polls；　which　could　not　have　happened　except　by　fraud；　continued　to　fire　courageously　away　at　those　whom　it　considered　to　be　the　chief　malefactors。

Aileen　Butler；　during　all　this　time；　was　following　the　trend　of　Cowperwood's　outward　vicissitudes　as　heralded　by　the　newspapers　and　the　local　gossip　with　as　much　interest　and　bias　and　enthusiasm　for　him　as　her　powerful　physical　and　affectional　nature　would　permit。　She　was　no　great　reasoner　where　affection　entered　in；　but　shrewd　enough　without　it；　and；　although　she　saw　him　often　and　he　told　her　muchas　much　as　his　natural　caution　would　permitshe　yet　gathered　from　the　newspapers　and　private　conversation；　at　her　own　family's　table　and　elsewhere；　that；　as　bad　as　they　said　he　was；　he　was　not　as　bad　as　he　might　be。　　One　item　only；　clipped　from　the　Philadelphia　Public　Ledger　soon　after　Cowperwood　had　been　publicly　accused　of　embezzlement；　comforted　and　consoled　her。　　She　cut　it　out　and　carried　it　in　her　bosom；　for；　somehow；　it　seemed　to　show　that　her　adored　Frank　was　far　more　sinned　against　than　sinning。　　It　was　a　part　of　one　of　those　very　numerous　pronunciamientos　or　reports　issued　by　the　Citizens'　Municipal　Reform　Association；　and　it　ran：

　　〃The　aspects　of　the　case　are　graver　than　have　yet　been　allowed　　　to　reach　the　public。　　Five　hundred　thousand　dollars　of　the　　　deficiency　arises　not　from　city　bonds　sold　and　not　accounted　　　for；　but　from　loans　made　by　the　treasurer　to　his　broker。　　The　　　committee　is　also　informed；　on　what　it　believes　to　be　good　　　authority；　that　the　loans　sold　by　the　broker　were　accounted　　　for　in　the　monthly　settlements　at　the　lowest　prices　current　　　during　the　month；　and　that　the　difference　between　this　rate　　　and　that　actually　realized　was　divided　between　the　treasurer　　　and　the　broker；　thus　making　it　to　the　interest　of　both　parties　　　to　'bear'　the　market　at　some　time　during　the　month；　so　as　to　　　obtain　a　low　quotation　for　settlement。　　Nevertheless；　the　　　committee　can　only　regard　the　prosecution　instituted　against　　　the　broker；　Mr。　Cowperwood；　as　an　effort　to　divert　public　　　attention　from　more　guilty　parties　while　those　concerned　may　　　be　able　to　'fix'　matters　to　suit　themselves。〃

〃There；〃　thought　Aileen；　when　she　read　it；　〃there　you　have　it。〃　These　politiciansher　father　among　them　as　she　gathered　after　his　conversation　with　herwere　trying　to　put　the　blame　of　their　own　evil　deeds　on　her　Frank。　　He　was　not　nearly　as　bad　as　he　was　painted。　　The　report　said　so。　　She　gloated　over　the　words　〃an　effort　to　divert　public　attention　from　more　guilty　parties。〃　　That　was　just　what　her　Frank　had　been　telling　her　in　those　happy；　private　hours　when　they　had　been　together　recently　in　one　place　and　another；　particularly　the　new　rendezvous　in　South　Sixth　Street　which　he　had　established；　since　the　old　one　had　to　be　abandoned。　He　had　stroked　her　rich　hair；　caressed　her　body；　and　told　her　it　was　all　a　prearranged　political　scheme　to　cast　the　blame　as　much　as　possible　on　him　and　make　it　as　light　as　possible　for　Stener　and　the　party　generally。　　He　would　come　out　of　it　all　right；　he　said；　but　he　cautioned　her　not　to　talk。　　He　did　not　deny　his　long　and　profitable　relations　with　Stener。　　He　told　her　exactly　how　it　was。　She　understood；　or　thought　she　did。　　Anyhow；　her　Frank　was　telling　her；　and　that　was　enough。

As　for　the　two　Cowperwood　households；　so　recently　and　pretentiously　joined　in　success；　now　so　gloomily　tied　in　failure；　the　life　was　going　out　of　them。　　Frank　Algernon　was　that　life。　　He　was　the　courage　and　force　of　his　father：　the　spirit　and　opportunity　of　his　brothers；　the　hope　of　his　children；　the　estate　of　his　wife；　the　dignity　and　significance　of　the　Cowperwood　name。　　All　that　meant　opportunity；　force；　emolument；　dignity；　and　happiness　to　those　connected　with　him；　he　was。　　And　his　marvelous　sun　was　waning　apparently　to　a　black　eclipse。

Since　the　fatal　morning；　for　instance；　when　Lillian　Cowperwood　had　received　that　utterly　destruct