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ht。〃




Chapter　XIII



The　Die　is　Cast

The　significance　of　this　visit　was　not　long　in　manifesting　itself。　At　the　top；　in　large　affairs；　life　goes　off　into　almost　inexplicable　tangles　of　personalities。　　Mr。　McKenty；　now　that　the　matter　had　been　called　to　his　attention；　was　interested　to　learn　about　this　gas　situation　from　all　sideswhether　it　might　not　be　more　profitable　to　deal　with　the　Schryhart　end　of　the　argument；　and　so　on。　　But　his　eventual　conclusion　was　that　Cowperwood's　plan；　as　he　had　outlined　it；　was　the　most　feasible　for　political　purposes；　largely　because　the　Schryhart　faction；　not　being　in　a　position　where　they　needed　to　ask　the　city　council　for　anything　at　present；　were　so　obtuse　as　to　forget　to　make　overtures　of　any　kind　to　the　bucaneering　forces　at　the　City　Hall。

When　Cowperwood　next　came　to　McKenty's　house　the　latter　was　in　a　receptive　frame　of　mind。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　after　a　few　genial　preliminary　remarks；　〃I've　been　learning　what's　going　on。　　Your　proposition　is　fair　enough。　　Organize　your　company；　and　arrange　your　plan　conditionally。　　Then　introduce　your　ordinance；　and　we'll　see　what　can　be　done。〃　They　went　into　a　long；　intimate　discussion　as　to　how　the　forthcoming　stock　should　be　divided；　how　it　was　to　be　held　in　escrow　by　a　favorite　bank　of　Mr。　McKenty's　until　the　terms　of　the　agreement　under　the　eventual　affiliation　with　the　old　companies　or　the　new　union　company　should　be　fulfilled；　and　details　of　that　sort。　　It　was　rather　a　complicated　arrangement；　not　as　satisfactory　to　Cowperwood　as　it　might　have　been；　but　satisfactory　in　that　it　permitted　him　to　win。　　It　required　the　undivided　services　of　General　Van　Sickle；　Henry　De　Soto　Sippens；　Kent　Barrows　McKibben；　and　Alderman　Dowling　for　some　little　time。　　But　finally　all　was　in　readiness　for　the　coup。

On　a　certain　Monday　night；　therefore；　following　the　Thursday　on　which；　according　to　the　rules　of　the　city　council；　an　ordinance　of　this　character　would　have　to　be　introduced；　the　plan；　after　being　publicly　broached　but　this　very　little　while；　was　quickly　considered　by　the　city　council　and　passed。　　There　had　been　really　no　time　for　public　discussion。　　This　was　just　the　thing；　of　course；　that　Cowperwood　and　McKenty　were　trying　to　avoid。　　On　the　day　following　the　particular　Thursday　on　which　the　ordinance　had　been　broached　in　council　as　certain　to　be　brought　up　for　passage；　Schryhart；　through　his　lawyers　and　the　officers　of　the　old　individual　gas　companies；　had　run　to　the　newspapers　and　denounced　the　whole　thing　as　plain　robbery；　but　what　were　they　to　do？　There　was　so　little　time　for　agitation。　　True　the　newspapers；　obedient　to　this　larger　financial　influence；　began　to　talk　of　〃fair　play　to　the　old　companies；〃　and　the　uselessness　of　two　large　rival　companies　in　the　field　when　one　would　serve　as　well。　　Still　the　public；　instructed　or　urged　by　the　McKenty　agents　to　the　contrary；　were　not　prepared　to　believe　it。　　They　had　not　been　so　well　treated　by　the　old　companies　as　to　make　any　outcry　on　their　behalf。

Standing　outside　the　city　council　door；　on　the　Monday　evening　when　the　bill　was　finally　passed；　Mr。　Samuel　Blackman；　president　of　the　South　Side　Gas　Company；　a　little；　wispy　man　with　shoe…brush　whiskers；　declared　emphatically：

〃This　is　a　scoundrelly　piece　of　business。　　If　the　mayor　signs　that　he　should　be　impeached。　　There　is　not　a　vote　in　there　to…night　that　has　not　been　purchasednot　one。　　This　is　a　fine　element　of　brigandage　to　introduce　into　Chicago；　why；　people　who　have　worked　years　and　years　to　build　up　a　business　are　not　safe！〃

〃It's　true；　every　word　of　it；〃　complained　Mr。　Jordan　Jules；　president　of　the　North　Side　company；　a　short；　stout　man　with　a　head　like　an　egg　lying　lengthwise；　a　mere　fringe　of　hair；　and　hard；　blue　eyes。　He　was　with　Mr。　Hudson　Baker；　tall　and　ambling；　who　was　president　of　the　West　Chicago　company。　　All　of　these　had　come　to　protest。

〃It's　that　scoundrel　from　Philadelphia。　　He's　the　cause　of　all　our　troubles。　　It's　high　time　the　respectable　business　element　of　Chicago　realized　just　what　sort　of　a　man　they　have　to　deal　with　in　him。　　He　ought　to　be　driven　out　of　here。　　Look　at　his　Philadelphia　record。　　They　sent　him　to　the　penitentiary　down　there；　and　they　ought　to　do　it　here。〃

Mr。　Baker；　very　recently　the　guest　of　Schryhart；　and　his　henchman；　too；　was　also　properly　chagrined。　　〃The　man　is　a　charlatan；〃　he　protested　to　Blackman。　　〃He　doesn't　play　fair。　　It　is　plain　that　he　doesn't　belong　in　respectable　society。〃

Nevertheless；　and　in　spite　of　this；　the　ordinance　was　passed。　　It　was　a　bitter　lesson　for　Mr。　Norman　Schryhart；　Mr。　Norrie　Simms；　and　all　those　who　had　unfortunately　become　involved。　　A　committee　composed　of　all　three　of　the　old　companies　visited　the　mayor；　but　the　latter；　a　tool　of　McKenty；　giving　his　future　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　signed　it　just　the　same。　　Cowperwood　had　his　franchise；　and；　groan　as　they　might；　it　was　now　necessary；　in　the　language　of　a　later　day；　〃to　step　up　and　see　the　captain。〃　Only　Schryhart　felt　personally　that　his　score　with　Cowperwood　was　not　settled。　　He　would　meet　him　on　some　other　ground　later。　　The　next　time　he　would　try　to　fight　fire　with　fire。　　But　for　the　present；　shrewd　man　that　he　was；　he　was　prepared　to　compromise。

Thereafter；　dissembling　his　chagrin　as　best　he　could；　he　kept　on　the　lookout　for　Cowperwood　at　both　of　the　clubs　of　which　he　was　a　member；　but　Cowperwood　had　avoided　them　during　this　period　of　excitement；　and　Mahomet　wouid　have　to　go　to　the　mountain。　　So　one　drowsy　June　afternoon　Mr。　Schryhart　called　at　Cowperwood's　office。　He　had　on　a　bright；　new；　steel…gray　suit　and　a　straw　hat。　　From　his　pocket；　according　to　the　fashion　of　the　time；　protruded　a　neat；　blue…bordered　silk　handkerchief；　and　his　feet　were　immaculate　in　new；　shining　Oxford　ties。

〃I'm　sailing　for　Europe　in　a　few　days；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　remarked；　genially；　〃and　I　thought　I'd　drop　round　to　see　if　you　and　I　could　reach　some　agreement　in　regard　to　this　gas　situation。　　The　officers　of　the　old　companies　naturally　feel　that　they　do　not　care　to　have　a　rival　in　the　field；　and　I'm　sure　that　you　are　not　interested　in　carrying　on　a　useless　rate　war　that　won't　leave　anybody　any　profit。　I　recall　that　you　were　willing　to　compromise　on　a　half…and…half　basis　with　me　before；　and　I　was　wondering　whether　you　were　still　of　that　mind。〃

〃Sit　down；　sit　down；　Mr。　Schryhart；〃　remarked　Cowperwood；　cheerfully；　waving　the　new…comer　to　a　chair。　　〃I'm　pleased　to　see　you　again。　　No；　I'm　no　more　anxious　for　a　rate　war　than　you　are。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　hope　to　avoid　it；　but；　as　you　see；　things　have　changed　somewhat　since　I　saw　you。　　The　gentlemen　who　have　organized　and　invested　their　money　in　this　new　city　gas　company　are　perfectly　willingrather　anxious；　in　factto　go　on　and　establish　a　legitimate　business。　　They　feel　all　the　confidence　in　the　world　that　they　can　do　this；　and　I　agree　with　them。　　A　compromise　might　be　effected　between　the　old　and　the　new　companies；　but　not　on　the　basis　on　which　I　was　willing　to　settle　some　time　ago。　　A　new　company　has　been　organized　since　then；　stock　issued；　and　a　great　deal　of　money　expended。〃　（This　was　not　true。）　〃That　stock　will　have　to　figure　in　any　new　agreement。　　I　think　a　general　union　of　all　the　companies　is　desirable；　but　it　will　have　to　be　on　a　basis　of　one；　two；　three；　or　four　shareswhatever　is　decidedat　par　for　all　stock　involved。〃

Mr。　Schryhart　pulled　a　long　face。　　〃Don't　you　think　that's　rather　steep？〃　he　said；　solemnly。

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all！〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃You　know　these　new　expenditures　were　not　undertaken　voluntarily。〃　（The　irony　of　this　did　not　escape　Mr。　Schryhart；　but　he　said　nothing。）

〃I　admit　all　that；　but　don't　you　think；　since　your　shares　are　worth　practically　nothing　at　present；　that　you　ought　to　be　satisfied　if　they　were　accepted　at　par？〃

〃I　can't　see　why；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Our　future　prospects　are　splendid。　　There　must　be　an　even　adjustment　here　or　nothing。　　What　I　want　to　know　is　how　much　treasury　stock　you　would　expect　to　have　in　the　safe　for　the　promotion　of　this　new　organization　after　all　the　old　stockholders　have　been　satisfied？〃

〃Well；　as　I　thought　before；　from　thirty　to　forty　per　cent。　of　the　total　issue；〃　replied　Schryhart；　still　hopeful　of　a　profitable　adjustment。　　〃I　should　think　it　could　be　worked　on　that　basis。〃

〃And　who　gets　that？〃

〃Why；　the　organizer；〃　said　Schryhart；　evasively。　　〃Yourself；　perhaps；　and　myself。〃

〃And　how　would　you　divide　it？　Half　and　half；　as　before？〃

〃I　should　think　that　would　be　fair。〃

〃It　isn't　enough；〃　returned　Cowperwood；　incisively。　　〃Since　I　talked　to　you　last　I　have　been　compelled　to　shoulder　obligations　and　make　agreements　which　I　did　not　anticipate　then。　　The　best　I　can　do　now　is　to　accept　three…fourths。〃

Schryhart　straightened　up　determinedly　and　offensively。　　This　was　outrageous；　he　thought；　impossible！　The　effrontery　of　it！

〃It　can　never　be　done；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　replied；　forcefully。　　〃You　are　trying　to　unload　too　much　worthless　stock　on　the　company　as　it　is。　　The　old　companies'　stock　is　selling　right　now；　as　you　know；　for　from　one…fifty　to　two…ten。　　Your　stock　is　worth　nothing。　If　you　are　to　be　given　two　or　three　for　one　for　that；　and　three…fourths　of　the　remainder　in　the　treasury；　I　for　one　want　nothing　to　do　with　the　deal。　　You　would　be　in　control　of　the　company；　and　it　will　be　water…logged；　at　that。　　Talk　about　getting　something　for　nothing！　The　best　I　would　suggest　to　the　stockholders　of　the　old　companies　would　be　half　and　half。　　And　I　may　say　to　you　frankly；　although　you　may　not　believe　it；　that　the　old　companies　will　not　join　in　with　you　in　any　scheme　that　gives　you　control。　　They　are　too　much　incensed。　　Feeling　is　running　too　high。　　It　will　mean　a　long；　expensive　fight；　and　they　will　never　compromise。　　Now；　if　you　have　anything　really　reasonable　to　offer　I　would　be　glad　to　hear　it。　　Otherwise　I　am　afraid　these　negotiations　are　not　going　to　come　to　anything。〃

〃Share　and　share　alike；　and　three…fourths　of　the　remainder；〃　repeated　Cowperwood；　grimly。　　〃I　do　not　want　to　control。　　If　they　want　to　raise　the　money　and　buy　me　out　on　that　basis　I　am　willing　to　sell。　　I　want　a　decent　return　for　investments　I　have　made；　and　I　am　going　to　have　it。　　I　cannot　speak　fo