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Cowperwood　put　the　ends　of　his　fingers　together　in　his　customary　way　and　began　to　tap　them　lightly　and　rhythmically。

〃Let　me　seethe　Douglas　Trust　Company。　　Mr。　Simms　is　president　of　that。　　He　isn't　shrewd　enough　to　organize　a　thing　of　that　kind。　Who　are　the　incorporators？〃

The　General　produced　a　list　of　four　names；　none　of　them　officers　or　directors　of　the　old　companies。

〃Dummies；　every　one；〃　said　Cowperwood；　succinctly。　　〃I　think　I　know；〃　he　said；　after　a　few　moments'　reflection；　〃who　is　behind　it；　General；　but　don't　let　that　worry　you。　　They　can't　harm　us　if　they　do　unite。　　They're　bound　to　sell　out　to　us　or　buy　us　out　eventually。〃

Still　it　irritated　him　to　think　that　Schryhart　had　succeeded　in　persuading　the　old　companies　to　combine　on　any　basis；　he　had　meant　to　have　Addison　go　shortly；　posing　as　an　outside　party；　and　propose　this　very　thing。　　Schryhart；　he　was　sure；　had　acted　swiftly　following　their　interview。　　He　hurried　to　Addison's　office　in　the　Lake　National。

〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃　exclaimed　that　individual；　the　moment　Cowperwood　appeared。　　〃They're　planning　to　combine。　　It's　Schryhart。　I　was　afraid　of　that。　　Simms　of　the　Douglas　Trust　is　going　to　act　as　the　fiscal　agent。　　I　had　the　information　not　ten　minutes　ago。〃

〃So　did　I；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　calmly。　　〃We　should　have　acted　a　little　sooner。　　Still；　it　isn't　our　fault　exactly。　　Do　you　know　the　terms　of　agreement？〃

〃They're　going　to　pool　their　stock　on　a　basis　of　three　to　one；　with　about　thirty　per　cent。　of　the　holding　company　left　for　Schryhart　to　sell　or　keep；　as　he　wants　to。　　He　guarantees　the　interest。　　We　did　that　for　himdrove　the　game　right　into　his　bag。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　〃he　still　has　us　to　deal　with。　I　propose　now　that　we　go　into　the　city　council　and　ask　for　a　blanket　franchise。　　It　can　be　had。　　If　we　should　get　it；　it　will　bring　them　to　their　knees。　　We　will　really　be　in　a　better　position　than　they　are　with　these　smaller　companies　as　feeders。　　We　can　unite　with　ourselves。〃

〃That　will　take　considerable　money；　won't　it？〃

〃Not　so　much。　　We　may　never　need　to　lay　a　pipe　or　build　a　plant。　　They　will　offer　to　sell　out；　buy；　or　combine　before　that。　　We　can　fix　the　terms。　　Leave　it　to　me。　　You　don't　happen　to　know　by　any　chance　this　Mr。　McKenty；　who　has　so　much　say　in　local　affairs　hereJohn　J。　McKenty？〃

Cowperwood　was　referring　to　a　man　who　was　at　once　gambler；　rumored　owner　or　controller　of　a　series　of　houses　of　prostitution；　rumored　maker　of　mayors　and　aldermen；　rumored　financial　backer　of　many　saloons　and　contracting　companiesin　short；　the　patron　saint　of　the　political　and　social　underworld　of　Chicago；　and　who　was　naturally　to　be　reckoned　with　in　matters　which　related　to　the　city　and　state　legislative　programme。

〃I　don't；〃　said　Addison；　〃but　I　can　get　you　a　letter。　　Why？〃

〃Don't　trouble　to　ask　me　that　now。　　Get　me　as　strong　an　introduction　as　you　can。〃

〃I'll　have　one　for　you　to…day　some　time；〃　replied　Addison；　efficiently。　　〃I'll　send　it　over　to　you。〃

Cowperwood　went　out　while　Addison　speculated　as　to　this　newest　move。　　Trust　Cowperwood　to　dig　a　pit　into　which　the　enemy　might　fall。　　He　marveled　sometimes　at　the　man's　resourcefulness。　　He　never　quarreled　with　the　directness　and　incisiveness　of　Cowperwood's　action。

The　man；　McKenty；　whom　Cowperwood　had　in　mind　in　this　rather　disturbing　hour；　was　as　interesting　and　forceful　an　individual　as　one　would　care　to　meet　anywhere；　a　typical　figure　of　Chicago　and　the　West　at　the　time。　　He　was　a　pleasant；　smiling；　bland；　affable　person；　not　unlike　Cowperwood　in　magnetism　and　subtlety；　but　different　by　a　degree　of　animal　coarseness　（not　visible　on　the　surface）　which　Cowperwood　would　scarcely　have　understood；　and　in　a　kind　of　temperamental　pull　drawing　to　him　that　vast　pathetic　life　of　the　underworld　in　which　his　soul　found　its　solution。　　There　is　a　kind　of　nature；　not　artistic；　not　spiritual；　in　no　way　emotional；　nor　yet　unduly　philosophical；　that　is　nevertheless　a　sphered　content　of　life；　not　crystalline；　perhaps；　and　yet　not　utterly　darkan　agate　temperament；　cloudy　and　strange。　　As　a　three…year…old　child　McKenty　had　been　brought　from　Ireland　by　his　emigrant　parents　during　a　period　of　famine。　　He　had　been　raised　on　the　far　South　Side　in　a　shanty　which　stood　near　a　maze　of　railroad…tracks；　and　as　a　naked　baby　he　had　crawled　on　its　earthen　floor。　　His　father　had　been　promoted　to　a　section　boss　after　working　for　years　as　a　day…laborer　on　the　adjoining　railroad；　and　John；　junior；　one　of　eight　other　children；　had　been　sent　out　early　to　do　many　thingsto　be　an　errand…boy　in　a　store；　a　messenger…boy　for　a　telegraph　company；　an　emergency　sweep　about　a　saloon；　and　finally　a　bartender。　　This　last　was　his　true　beginning；　for　he　was　discovered　by　a　keen…minded　politician　and　encouraged　to　run　for　the　state　legislature　and　to　study　law。　　Even　as　a　stripling　what　things　had　he　not　learnedrobbery；　ballot…box　stuffing；　the　sale　of　votes；　the　appointive　power　of　leaders；　graft；　nepotism；　vice　exploitationall　the　things　that　go　to　make　up　（or　did）　the　American　world　of　politics　and　financial　and　social　strife。　　There　is　a　strong　assumption　in　the　upper　walks　of　life　that　there　is　nothing　to　be　learned　at　the　bottom。　　If　you　could　have　looked　into　the　capacious　but　balanced　temperament　of　John　J。　McKenty　you　would　have　seen　a　strange　wisdom　there　and　stranger　memorieswhole　worlds　of　brutalities；　tendernesses；　errors；　immoralities　suffered；　endured；　even　rejoiced　inthe　hardy；　eager　life　of　the　animal　that　has　nothing　but　its　perceptions；　instincts；　appetites　to　guide　it。　　Yet　the　man　had　the　air　and　the　poise　of　a　gentleman。

To…day；　at　forty…eight；　McKenty　was　an　exceedingly　important　personage。　　His　roomy　house　on　the　West　Side；　at　Harrison　Street　and　Ashland　Avenue；　was　visited　at　sundry　times　by　financiers；　business　men；　office…holders；　priests；　saloon…keepersin　short；　the　whole　range　and　gamut　of　active；　subtle；　political　life。　　From　McKenty　they　could　obtain　that　counsel；　wisdom；　surety；　solution　which　all　of　them　on　occasion　were　anxious　to　have；　and　which　in　one　deft　way　and　anotheroften　by　no　more　than　gratitude　and　an　acknowledgment　of　his　leadershipthey　were　willing　to　pay　for。　　To　police　captains　and　officers　whose　places　he　occasionally　saved；　when　they　should　justly　have　been　discharged；　to　mothers　whose　erring　boys　or　girls　he　took　out　of　prison　and　sent　home　again；　to　keepers　of　bawdy　houses　whom　he　protected　from　a　too　harsh　invasion　of　the　grafting　propensities　of　the　local　police；　to　politicians　and　saloon…keepers　who　were　in　danger　of　being　destroyed　by　public　upheavals　of　one　kind　and　another；　he　seemed；　in　hours　of　stress；　when　his　smooth；　genial；　almost　artistic　face　beamed　on　them；　like　a　heaven…sent　son　of　light；　a　kind　of　Western　god；　all…powerful；　all…merciful；　perfect。　　On　the　other　hand；　there　were　ingrates；　uncompromising　or　pharasaical　religionists　and　reformers；　plotting；　scheming　rivals；　who　found　him　deadly　to　contend　with。　　There　were　many　henchmenrunners　from　an　almost　imperial　throneto　do　his　bidding。　　He　was　simple　in　dress　and　taste；　married　and　（apparently）　very　happy；　a　professing　though　virtually　non…practising　Catholic；　a　suave；　genial　Buddha…like　man；　powerful　and　enigmatic。

When　Cowperwood　and　McKenty　first　met；　it　was　on　a　spring　evening　at　the　latter's　home。　　The　windows　of　the　large　house　were　pleasantly　open；　though　screened；　and　the　curtains　were　blowing　faintly　in　a　light　air。　　Along　with　a　sense　of　the　new　green　life　everywhere　came　a　breath　of　stock…yards。

On　the　presentation　of　Addison's　letter　and　of　another；　secured　through　Van　Sickle　from　a　well…known　political　judge；　Cowperwood　had　been　invited　to　call。　　On　his　arrival　he　was　offered　a　drink；　a　cigar；　introduced　to　Mrs。　McKentywho；　lacking　an　organized　social　life　of　any　kind；　was　always　pleased　to　meet　these　celebrities　of　the　upper　world；　if　only　for　a　momentand　shown　eventually　into　the　library。　　Mrs。　McKenty；　as　he　might　have　observed　if　he　had　had　the　eye　for　it；　was　plump　and　fifty；　a　sort　of　superannuated　Aileen；　but　still　showing　traces　of　a　former　hardy　beauty；　and　concealing　pretty　well　the　evidences　that　she　had　once　been　a　prostitute。　　It　so　happened　that　on　this　particular　evening　McKenty　was　in　a　most　genial　frame　of　mind。　　There　were　no　immediate　political　troubles　bothering　him　just　now。　　It　was　early　in　May。　　Outside　the　trees　were　budding；　the　sparrows　and　robins　were　voicing　their　several　moods。　　A　delicious　haze　was　in　the　air；　and　some　early　mosquitoes　were　reconnoitering　the　screens　which　protected　the　windows　and　doors。　　Cowperwood；　in　spite　of　his　various　troubles；　was　in　a　complacent　state　of　mind　himself。　　He　liked　lifeeven　its　very　difficult　complicationsperhaps　its　complications　best　of　all。　　Nature　was　beautiful；　tender　at　times；　but　difficulties；　plans；　plots；　schemes　to　unravel　and　make　smooththese　things　were　what　made　existence　worth　while。

〃Well　now；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　McKenty　began；　when　they　finally　entered　the　cool；　pleasant　library；　〃what　can　I　do　for　you？〃

〃Well；　Mr。　McKenty；〃　said　Cowperwood；　choosing　his　words　and　bringing　the　finest　resources　of　his　temperament　into　play；　〃it　isn't　so　much；　and　yet　it　is。　　I　want　a　franchise　from　the　Chicago　city　council；　and　I　want　you　to　help　me　get　it　if　you　will。　　I　know　you　may　say　to　me　why　not　go　to　the　councilmen　direct。　　I　would　do　that；　except　that　there　are　certain　other　elements　individualswho　might　come　to　you。　　It　won't　offend　you；　I　know；　when　I　say　that　I　have　always　understood　that　you　are　a　sort　of　clearing…house　for　political　troubles　in　Chicago。〃

Mr。　McKenty　smiled。　　〃That's　flattering；〃　he　replied；　dryly。

〃Now；　I　am　rather　new　myself　to　Chicago；〃　went　on　Cowperwood；　softly。　　〃I　have　been　here　only　a　year　or　two。　　I　come　from　Philadelphia。　　I　have　been　interested　as　a　fiscal　agent　and　an　investor　in　several　gas　companies　that　have　been　organized　in　Lake　View；　Hyde　Park；　and　elsewhere　outside　the　city　limits；　as　you　may　possibly　have　seen　by　the　papers　lately。　　I　am　not　their　owner；　in　the　sense　that　I　have　provided　all　or　even　a　good　part　of　the　money　invested　in　them。　　I　am　not　even　their　manager；　except　in　a　very　general　way。　　I　might　better　be　called　their　promoter　and