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p　of　this　kind　without　some　form　of　compensation？〃

〃I　see　no　reason　why　they　shouldn't；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　in　a　somewhat　injured　tone。　　〃There　has　never　been　any　question　of　compensation　where　other　improvements　have　been　suggested　for　the　city　in　the　past。　　The　South　Side　company　has　been　allowed　to　turn　in　a　loop　around　State　and　Wabash。　　The　Chicago　City　Passenger　Railway　has　a　loop　in　Adams　and　Washington　streets。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Mr。　Haguenin；　vaguely。　　〃That　is　true。　　But　this　tunnel；　nowdo　you　think　that　should　fall　in　the　same　category　of　public　beneficences？〃

At　the　same　time　he　could　not　help　thinking；　as　he　looked　at　the　proposed　loop　indicated　on　the　map；　that　the　new　cable　line；　with　its　string　of　trailers；　would　give　down…town　Chicago　a　truly　metropolitan　air　and　would　provide　a　splendid　outlet　for　the　North　Side。　　The　streets　in　question　were　magnificent　commercial　thoroughfares；　crowded　even　at　this　date　with　structures　five；　six；　seven；　and　even　eight　stories　high；　and　brimming　with　heavy　streams　of　eager　lifeyoung；　fresh；　optimistic。　　Because　of　the　narrow　area　into　which　the　commercial　life　of　the　city　tended　to　congest　itself；　this　property　and　these　streets　were　immensely　valuableamong　the　most　valuable　in　the　whole　city。　　Also　he　observed　that　if　this　loop　did　come　here　its　cars；　on　their　return　trip　along　Dearborn　Street；　would　pass　by　his　very　doorthe　office　of　the　Pressthereby　enhancing　the　value　of　that　property　of　which　he　was　the　owner。

〃I　certainly　do；　Mr。　Haguenin；〃　returned　Cowperwood；　emphatically；　in　answer　to　his　query。　　〃Personally；　I　should　think　Chicago　would　be　glad　to　pay　a　bonus　to　get　its　street…railway　service　straightened　out；　especially　where　a　corporation　comes　forward　with　a　liberal；　conservative　programme　such　as　this。　　It　means　millions　in　growth　of　property　values　on　the　North　Side。　　It　means　millions　to　the　business　heart　to　have　this　loop　system　laid　down　just　as　I　suggest。〃

He　put　his　finger　firmly　on　the　map　which　he　had　brought；　and　Haguenin　agreed　with　him　that　the　plan　was　undoubtedly　a　sound　business　proposition。　　〃Personally；　I　should　be　the　last　to　complain；〃　he　added；　〃for　the　line　passes　my　door。　　At　the　same　time　this　tunnel；　as　I　understand　it；　cost　in　the　neighborhood　of　eight　hundred　thousand　or　a　million　dollars。　　It　is　a　delicate　problem。　　I　should　like　to　know　what　the　other　editors　think　of　it；　and　how　the　city　council　itself　would　feel　toward　it。〃

Cowperwood　nodded。　　〃Certainly；　certainly；〃　he　said。　　〃With　pleasure。　I　would　not　come　here　at　all　if　I　did　not　feel　that　I　had　a　perfectly　legitimate　propositionone　that　the　press　of　the　city　should　unite　in　supporting。　　Where　a　corporation　such　as　ours　is　facing　large　expenditures；　which　have　to　be　financed　by　outside　capital；　it　is　only　natural　that　we　should　wish　to　allay　useless；　groundless　opposition　in　advance。　　I　hope　we　may　command　your　support。〃

〃I　hope　you　may；〃　smiled　Mr。　Haguenin。　　They　parted　the　best　of　friends。

The　other　publishers；　guardians　of　the　city's　privileges；　were　not　quite　so　genial　as　Haguenin　in　their　approval　of　Cowperwood's　proposition。　　The　use　of　a　tunnel　and　several　of　the　most　important　down…town　streets　might　readily　be　essential　to　the　development　of　Cowperwood's　North　Side　schemes；　but　the　gift　of　them　was　a　different　matter。　　Already；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　the　various　publishers　and　editors　had　been　consulted　by　Schryhart；　Merrill；　and　others　with　a　view　to　discovering　how　they　felt　as　to　this　new　venture；　and　whether　Cowperwood　would　be　cheerfully　indorsed　or　not。　　Schryhart；　smarting　from　the　wounds　he　had　received　in　the　gas　war；　viewed　this　new　activity　on　Cowperwood's　part　with　a　suspicious　and　envious　eye。　　To　him　much　more　than　to　the　others　it　spelled　a　new　and　dangerous　foe　in　the　street…railway　field；　although　all　the　leading　citizens　of　Chicago　were　interested。

〃I　suppose　now；〃　he　said　one　evening　to　the　Hon。　Walter　Melville　Hyssop；　editor　and　publisher　of　the　Transcript　and　the　Evening　Mail；　whom　he　met　at　the　Union　League；　〃that　this　fellow　Cowperwood　will　attempt　some　disturbing　coup　in　connection　with　street…railway　affairs。　　He　is　just　the　sort。　　I　think；　from　an　editorial　point　of　view；　his　political　connections　will　bear　watching。〃　Already　there　were　rumors　abroad　that　McKenty　might　have　something　to　do　with　the　new　company。

Hyssop；　a　medium…sized；　ornate；　conservative　person；　was　not　so　sure。　　〃We　shall　find　out　soon　enough；　no　doubt；　what　propositions　Mr。　Cowperwood　has　in　hand；〃　he　remarked。　　〃He　is　very　energetic　and　capable；　as　I　understand　it。〃

Hyssop　and　Schryhart；　as　well　as　the　latter　and　Merrill；　had　been　social　friends　for　years　and　years。

After　his　call　on　Mr。　Haguenin；　Cowperwood's　naturally　selective　and　self…protective　judgment　led　him　next　to　the　office　of　the　Inquirer；　old　General　MacDonald's　paper；　where　he　found　that　because　of　rhuematism　and　the　severe；　inclement　weather　of　Chicago；　the　old　General　had　sailed　only　a　few　days　before　for　Italy。　　His　son；　an　aggressive；　mercantile　type　of　youth　of　thirty…two；　and　a　managing　editor　by　the　name　of　Du　Bois　were　acting　in　his　stead。　　In　the　son；　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　an　intense；　calm；　and　penetrating　young　man；　Cowperwood　encountered　some　one　who；　like　himself；　saw　life　only　from　the　point　of　view　of　sharp；　self…centered；　personal　advantage。　　What　was　he；　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　to　derive　from　any　given　situation；　and　how　was　he　to　make　the　Inquirer　an　even　greater　property　than　it　had　been　under　his　father　before　him？　He　did　not　propose　to　be　overwhelmed　by　the　old　General's　rather　flowery　reputation。　　At　the　same　time　he　meant　to　become　imposingly　rich。　　An　active　member　of　a　young　and　very　smart　set　which　had　been　growing　up　on　the　North　Side；　he　rode；　drove；　was　instrumental　in　organizing　a　new　and　exclusive　country　club；　and　despised　the　rank　and　file　as　unsuited　to　the　fine　atmosphere　to　which　he　aspired。　　Mr。　Clifford　Du　Bois；　the　managing　editor；　was　a　cool　reprobate　of　forty；　masquerading　as　a　gentleman；　and　using　the　Inquirer　in　subtle　ways　for　furthering　his　personal　ends；　and　that　under　the　old　General's　very　nose。　　He　was　osseous；　sandy…haired；　blue…eyed；　with　a　keen；　formidable　nose　and　a　solid　chin。　　Clifford　Du　Bois　was　always　careful　never　to　let　his　left　hand　know　what　his　right　hand　did。

It　was　this　sapient　pair　that　received　Cowperwood　in　the　old　General's　absence；　first　in　Mr。　Du　Bois's　room　and　then　in　that　of　Mr。　MacDonald。　　The　latter　had　already　heard　much　of　Cowperwood's　doings。　　Men　who　had　been　connected　with　the　old　gas　warJordan　Jules；　for　instance；　president　of　the　old　North　Chicago　Gas　Company；　and　Hudson　Baker；　president　of　the　old　West　Chicago　Gas　Company　had　denounced　him　long　before　as　a　bucaneer　who　had　pirated　them　out　of　very　comfortable　sinecures。　　Here　he　was　now　invading　the　North　Chicago　street…railway　field　and　coming　with　startling　schemes　for　the　reorganization　of　the　down…town　business　heart。　　Why　shouldn't　the　city　have　something　in　return；　or；　better　yet；　those　who　helped　to　formulate　the　public　opinion；　so　influential　in　the　success　of　Cowperwood's　plans？　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　as　has　been　said；　did　not　see　life　from　his　father's　point　of　view　at　all。　　He　had　in　mind　a　sharp　bargain；　which　he　could　drive　with　Cowperwood　during　the　old　gentleman's　absence。　　The　General　need　never　know。

〃I　understand　your　point　of　view；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　commented；　loftily；　〃but　where　does　the　city　come　in？　I　see　very　clearly　how　important　this　is　to　the　people　of　the　North　Side；　and　even　to　the　merchants　and　real…estate　owners　in　the　down…town　section；　but　that　simply　means　that　it　is　ten　times　as　important　to　you。　Undoubtedly；　it　will　help　the　city；　but　the　city　is　growing；　anyhow；　and　that　will　help　you。　　I've　said　all　along　that　these　public　franchises　were　worth　more　than　they　used　to　be　worth。　　Nobody　seems　to　see　it　very　clearly　as　yet；　but　it's　true　just　the　same。　That　tunnel　is　worth　more　now　than　the　day　it　was　built。　　Even　if　the　city　can't　use　it；　somebody　can。

He　was　meaning　to　indicate　a　rival　car　line。

Cowperwood　bristled　internally。

〃That's　all　very　well；〃　he　said；　preserving　his　surface　composure；　〃but　why　make　fish　of　one　and　flesh　of　another？　The　South　Side　company　has　a　loop　for　which　it　never　paid　a　dollar。　　So　has　the　Chicago　City　Passenger　Railway。　　The　North　Side　company　is　planning　more　extensive　improvements　than　were　ever　undertaken　by　any　single　company　before。　　I　hardly　think　it　is　fair　to　raise　the　question　of　compensation　and　a　franchise　tax　at　this　time；　and　in　connection　with　this　one　company　only。〃

〃Umwell；　that　may　be　true　of　the　other　companies。　　The　South　Side　company　had　those　streets　long　ago。　　They　merely　connected　them　up。　　But　this　tunnel；　nowthat's　a　different　matter；　isn't　it？　The　city　bought　and　paid　for　that；　didn't　it？〃

〃Quite　trueto　help　out　men　who　saw　that　they　couldn't　make　another　dollar　out　of　it；〃　said　Cowperwood；　acidly。　　〃But　it's　of　no　use　to　the　city。　　It　will　cave　in　pretty　soon　if　it　isn't　repaired。　　Why；　the　consent　of　property…owners　alone；　along　the　line　of　this　loop；　is　going　to　aggregate　a　considerable　sum。　　It　seems　to　me　instead　of　hampering　a　great　work　of　this　kind　the　public　ought　to　do　everything　in　its　power　to　assist　it。　　It　means　giving　a　new　metropolitan　flavor　to　this　down…town　section。　　It　is　time　Chicago　was　getting　out　of　its　swaddling　clothes。〃

Mr。　MacDonald；　the　younger；　shook　his　head。　　He　saw　clearly　enough　the　significance　of　the　points　made；　but　he　was　jealous　of　Cowperwood　and　of　his　success。　　This　loop　franchise　and　tunnel　gift　meant　millions　for　some　one。　　Why　shouldn't　there　be　something　in　it　for　him？　He　called　in　Mr。　Du　Bois　and　went　over　the　proposition　with　him。　　Quite　without　effort　the　latter　sensed　the　drift　of　the　situation。

〃It's　an　excellent　proposition；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　see　but　that　the　city　should　have　something；　though。　　Public　sentiment　is　rather　against　gifts　to　corporations　just　at　present。〃

Cowperwood　caught　the　drift　of　what　was　in　young　MacDonald's　mind。

〃Well；　what　would　you　suggest　as　a　fair　rate　of　compensation　to　the　city？〃　he　asked；　cautiously；　wondering　whether　this　aggressive　youth　would　g