the financier-第86部分

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lar　time　when　the　loan　was　to　be　bought；　　　nor　was　there　any　particular　amount　mentioned　at　any　time　to　　　be　purchased。　　Unless　the　defendant　intended　at　the　time　he　　　received　the　check　fraudulently　to　appropriate　it　he　could　not　　　be　convicted　even　on　the　first　count。　　The　verdict　of　the　jury　　　does　not　establish　this　fact；　the　evidence　does　not　show　　　conclusively　that　it　could　be　established；　and　the　same　jury；　　　upon　three　other　counts；　found　the　defendant　guilty　without　　　the　semblance　of　shadow　of　evidence。　　How　can　we　say　that　　　their　conclusions　upon　the　first　count　are　unerring　when　they　　　so　palpably　erred　on　the　other　counts？　It　is　the　opinion　of　　　the　minority　that　the　verdict　of　the　jury　in　charging　larceny　　　on　the　first　count　is　not　valid；　and　that　that　verdict　should　　　be　set　aside　and　a　new　trial　granted。〃

Judge　Rafalsky；　a　meditative　and　yet　practical　man　of　Jewish　extraction　but　peculiarly　American　appearance；　felt　called　upon　to　write　a　third　opinion　which　should　especially　reflect　his　own　cogitation　and　be　a　criticism　on　the　majority　as　well　as　a　slight　variation　from　and　addition　to　the　points　on　which　he　agreed　with　Judge　Marvin。　　It　was　a　knotty　question；　this；　of　Cowperwood's　guilt；　and；　aside　from　the　political　necessity　of　convicting　him；　nowhere　was　it　more　clearly　shown　than　in　these　varying　opinions　of　the　superior　court。　　Judge　Rafalsky　held；　for　instance；　that　if　a　crime　had　been　committed　at　all；　it　was　not　that　known　as　larceny；　and　he　went　on　to　add：

　　〃It　is　impossible；　from　the　evidence；　to　come　to　the　　　conclusion　either　that　Cowperwood　did　not　intend　shortly　to　　　deliver　the　loan　or　that　Albert　Stires；　the　chief　clerk；　or　　　the　city　treasurer　did　not　intend　to　part　not　only　with　the　　　possession；　but　also　and　absolutely　with　the　property　in　the　　　check　and　the　money　represented　by　it。　　It　was　testified　by　　　Mr。　Stires　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　said　he　had　bought　certificates　　　of　city　loan　to　this　amount；　and　it　has　not　been　clearly　　　demonstrated　that　he　had　not。　　His　non…placement　of　the　same　　　in　the　sinking…fund　must　in　all　fairness；　the　letter　of　the　　　law　to　the　contrary　notwithstanding；　be　looked　upon　and　judged　　　in　the　light　of　custom。　　Was　it　his　custom　so　to　do？　In　my　　　judgment　the　doctrine　now　announced　by　the　majority　of　the　　　court　extends　the　crime　of　constructive　larceny　to　such　limits　　　that　any　business　man　who　engages　in　extensive　and　perfectly　　　legitimate　stock　transactions　may；　before　he　knows　it；　by　a　　　sudden　panic　in　the　market　or　a　fire；　as　in　this　instance；　　　become　a　felon。　　When　a　principle　is　asserted　which　　　establishes　such　a　precedent；　and　may　lead　to　such　results；　　　it　is；　to　say　the　least；　startling。〃

While　he　was　notably　comforted　by　the　dissenting　opinions　of　the　judges　in　minority；　and　while　he　had　been　schooling　himself　to　expect　the　worst　in　this　connection　and　had　been　arranging　his　affairs　as　well　as　he　could　in　anticipation　of　it；　Cowperwood　was　still　bitterly　disappointed。　　It　would　be　untrue　to　say　that；　strong　and　self…reliant　as　he　normally　was；　he　did　not　suffer。　He　was　not　without　sensibilities　of　the　highest　order；　only　they　were　governed　and　controlled　in　him　by　that　cold　iron　thing；　his　reason；　which　never　forsook　him。　　There　was　no　further　appeal　possible　save　to　the　United　States　Supreme　Court；　as　Steger　pointed　out；　and　there　only　on　the　constitutionality　of　some　phase　of　the　decision　and　his　rights　as　a　citizen；　of　which　the　Supreme　Court　of　the　United　States　must　take　cognizance。　　This　was　a　tedious　and　expensive　thing　to　do。　　It　was　not　exactly　obvious　at　the　moment　on　what　point　he　could　make　an　appeal。　　It　would　involve　a　long　delayperhaps　a　year　and　a　half；　perhaps　longer；　at　the　end　of　which　period　he　might　have　to　serve　his　prison　term　anyhow；　and　pending　which　he　would　certainly　have　to　undergo　incarceration　for　a　time。

Cowperwood　mused　speculatively　for　a　few　moments　after　hearing　Steger's　presentation　of　the　case。　　Then　he　said：　〃Well；　it　looks　as　if　I　have　to　go　to　jail　or　leave　the　country；　and　I've　decided　on　jail。　　I　can　fight　this　out　right　here　in　Philadelphia　in　the　long　run　and　win。　　I　can　get　that　decision　reversed　in　the　Supreme　Court；　or　I　can　get　the　Governor　to　pardon　me　after　a　time；　I　think。　　I'm　not　going　to　run　away；　and　everybody　knows　I'm　not。　These　people　who　think　they　have　me　down　haven't　got　one　corner　of　me　whipped。　　I'll　get　out　of　this　thing　after　a　while；　and　when　I　do　I'll　show　some　of　these　petty　little　politicians　what　it　means　to　put　up　a　real　fight。　　They'll　never　get　a　damned　dollar　out　of　me　nownot　a　dollar！　I　did　intend　to　pay　that　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　some　time　if　they　had　let　me　go。　　Now　they　can　whistle！〃

He　set　his　teeth　and　his　gray　eyes　fairly　snapped　their　determination。

〃Well；　I've　done　all　I　can；　Frank；〃　pleaded　Steger；　sympathetically。　〃You'll　do　me　the　justice　to　say　that　I　put　up　the　best　fight　I　knew　how。　　I　may　not　know　howyou'll　have　to　answer　for　that　but　within　my　limits　I've　done　the　best　I　can。　　I　can　do　a　few　things　more　to　carry　this　thing　on；　if　you　want　me　to；　but　I'm　going　to　leave　it　to　you　now。　　Whatever　you　say　goes。〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense　at　this　stage；　Harper；〃　replied　Cowperwood　almost　testily。　　〃I　know　whether　I'm　satisfied　or　not；　and　I'd　soon　tell　you　if　I　wasn't。　　I　think　you　might　as　well　go　on　and　see　if　you　can　find　some　definite　grounds　for　carrying　it　to　the　Supreme　Court；　but　meanwhile　I'll　begin　my　sentence。　　I　suppose　Payderson　will　be　naming　a　day　to　have　me　brought　before　him　now　shortly。〃

〃It　depends　on　how　you'd　like　to　have　it；　Frank。　　I　could　get　a　stay　of　sentence　for　a　week　maybe；　or　ten　days；　if　it　will　do　you　any　good。　　Shannon　won't　make　any　objection　to　that；　I'm　sure。　There's　only　one　hitch。　　Jaspers　will　be　around　here　tomorrow　looking　for　you。　　It's　his　duty　to　take　you　into　custody　again；　once　he's　notified　that　your　appeal　has　been　denied。　　He'll　be　wanting　to　lock　you　up　unless　you　pay　him；　but　we　can　fix　that。　If　you　do　want　to　wait；　and　want　any　time　off；　I　suppose　he'll　arrange　to　let　you　out　with　a　deputy；　but　I'm　afraid　you'll　have　to　stay　there　nights。　　They're　pretty　strict　about　that　since　that　Albertson　case　of　a　few　years　ago。〃

Steger　referred　to　the　case　of　a　noted　bank　cashier　who；　being　let　out　of　the　county　jail　at　night　in　the　alleged　custody　of　a　deputy；　was　permitted　to　escape。　　There　had　been　emphatic　and　severe　condemnation　of　the　sheriff's　office　at　the　time；　and　since　then；　repute　or　no　repute；　money　or　no　money；　convicted　criminals　were　supposed　to　stay　in　the　county　jail　at　night　at　least。

Cowperwood　meditated　this　calmly；　looking　out　of　the　lawyer's　window　into　Second　Street。　　He　did　not　much　fear　anything　that　might　happen　to　him　in　Jaspers's　charge　since　his　first　taste　of　that　gentleman's　hospitality；　although　he　did　object　to　spending　nights　in　the　county　jail　when　his　general　term　of　imprisonment　was　being　reduced　no　whit　thereby。　　All　that　he　could　do　now　in　connection　with　his　affairs；　unless　he　could　have　months　of　freedom；　could　be　as　well　adjusted　from　a　prison　cell　as　from　his　Third　Street　officenot　quite；　but　nearly　so。　　Anyhow；　why　parley？　He　was　facing　a　prison　term；　and　he　might　as　well　accept　it　without　further　ado。　　He　might　take　a　day　or　two　finally　to　look　after　his　affairs；　but　beyond　that；　why　bother？

〃When；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　events；　if　you　did　nothing　at　all；　would　I　come　up　for　sentence？〃

〃Oh；　Friday　or　Monday；　I　fancy；〃　replied　Steger。　　〃I　don't　know　what　move　Shannon　is　planning　to　make　in　this　matter。　　I　thought　I'd　walk　around　and　see　him　in　a　little　while。〃

〃I　think　you'd　better　do　that；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Friday　or　Monday　will　suit　me；　either　way。　　I'm　really　not　particular。　Better　make　it　Monday　if　you　can。　　You　don't　suppose　there　is　any　way　you　can　induce　Jaspers　to　keep　his　hands　off　until　then？　He　knows　I'm　perfectly　responsible。〃

〃I　don't　know；　Frank；　I'm　sure；　I'll　see。　　I'll　go　around　and　talk　to　him　to…night。　　Perhaps　a　hundred　dollars　will　make　him　relax　the　rigor　of　his　rules　that　much。〃

Cowperwood　smiled　grimly。

〃I　fancy　a　hundred　dollars　would　make　Jaspers　relax　a　whole　lot　of　rules；〃　he　replied；　and　he　got　up　to　go。

Steger　arose　also。　　〃I'll　see　both　these　people；　and　then　I'll　call　around　at　your　house。　　You'll　be　in；　will　you；　after　dinner？〃

〃Yes。〃

They　slipped　on　their　overcoats　and　went　out　into　the　cold　February　day；　Cowperwood　back　to　his　Third　Street　office；　Steger　to　see　Shannon　and　Jaspers。





Chapter　XLIX




The　business　of　arranging　Cowperwood's　sentence　for　Monday　was　soon　disposed　of　through　Shannon；　who　had　no　personal　objection　to　any　reasonable　delay。

Steger　next　visited　the　county　jail；　close　on　to　five　o'clock；　when　it　was　already　dark。　　Sheriff　Jaspers　came　lolling　out　from　his　private　library；　where　he　had　been　engaged　upon　the　work　of　cleaning　his　pipe。

〃How　are　you；　Mr。　Steger？〃　he　observed；　smiling　blandly。　　〃How　are　you？　Glad　to　see　you。　　Won't　you　sit　down？　I　suppose　you're　round　here　again　on　that　Cowperwood　matter。　　I　just　received　word　from　the　district　attorney　that　he　had　lost　his　case。〃

〃That's　it；　Sheriff；〃　replied　Steger；　ingratiatingly。　　〃He　asked　me　to　step　around　and　see　what　you　wanted　him　to　do　in　the　matter。　Judge　Payderson　has　just　fixed　the　sentence　time　for　Monday　morning　at　ten　o'clock。　　I　don't　suppose　you'll　be　much　put　out　if　he　doesn't　show　up　here　before　Monday　at　eight　o'clock；　will　you；　or　Sunday　night；　anyhow？　He's　perfectly　reliable；　as　you　know。〃　　Steger　was　sounding　Jaspers　out；　politely　trying　to　make　the　time　of　Cowperwood's　arrival　a　trivial　matter　in　order　to　avoid　paying　the　hundred　dollars；　if　possible。　　But　Jaspers　was　not　to　be　so　easily　disposed　of。　His　fat　face　lengthened　considerably。　　How　could　Steger　ask　him　such　a　favor　and　not　even　suggest　the　slightest　form　of　remuneration？

〃It's　ag'in'　the　law；　Mr。　Steger；　as　you　know；〃　he　began；　cautiously　and　complainingly。　　〃I'd　like　to　accommodate　him；　everything　else　being　equal；　but　since　that　Albertson　case　three　years　ago　we've　had　to　run　this　office　much　more　careful；　and〃

〃Oh；　I　know；　Sheriff；〃　interrupted　Steger；　blandly；　〃but　this　isn't　an　ordinary　case　in　any　way；