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hbors。　　Cowperwood's　credit　had　hitherto　been　good　because　it　was　known　that　he　had　a　〃soft　thing〃　in　the　Chicago　street…railway　field；　that　he　paid　his　interest　charges　promptly；　that　he　had　organized　the　group　of　men　who　now；　under　him；　controlled　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　and　the　North　and　West　Chicago　Street　Railways；　and　that　the　Lake　City　Bank；　of　which　Addison　was　still　president；　considered　his　collateral　sound。　　Nevertheless；　even　previous　to　this　time　there　had　been　a　protesting　element　in　the　shape　of　Schryhart；　Simms；　and　others　of　considerable　import　in　the　Douglas　Trust；　who　had　lost　no　chance　to　say　to　one　and　all　that　Cowperwood　was　an　interloper；　and　that　his　course　was　marked　by　political　and　social　trickery　and　chicanery；　if　not　by　financial　dishonesty。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Schryhart；　who　had　once　been　a　director　of　the　Lake　City　National　along　with　Hand；　Arneel；　and　others；　had　resigned　and　withdrawn　all　his　deposits　sometime　before　because　he　found；　as　he　declared；　that　Addison　was　favoring　Cowperwood　and　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　with　loans；　when　there　was　no　need　of　so　doingwhen　it　was　not　essentially　advantageous　for　the　bank　so　to　do。　　Both　Arneel　and　Hand；　having　at　this　time　no　personal　quarrel　with　Cowperwood　on　any　score；　had　considered　this　protest　as　biased。　　Addison　had　maintained　that　the　loans　were　neither　unduly　large　nor　out　of　proportion　to　the　general　loans　of　the　bank。　　The　collateral　offered　was　excellent。　〃I　don't　want　to　quarrel　with　Schryhart；〃　Addison　had　protested　at　the　time；　〃but　I　am　afraid　his　charge　is　unfair。　　He　is　trying　to　vent　a　private　grudge　through　the　Lake　National。　　That　is　not　the　way　nor　this　the　place　to　do　it。〃

Both　Hand　and　Arneel；　sober　men　both；　agreed　with　thisadmiring　Addisonand　so　the　case　stood。　　Schryhart；　however；　frequently　intimated　to　them　both　that　Cowperwood　was　merely　building　up　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　at　the　expense　of　the　Lake　City　National；　in　order　to　make　the　former　strong　enough　to　do　without　any　aid；　at　which　time　Addison　would　resign　and　the　Lake　City　would　be　allowed　to　shift　for　itself。　　Hand　had　never　acted　on　this　suggestion　but　he　had　thought。

It　was　not　until　the　incidents　relating　to　Cowperwood　and　Mrs。　Hand　had　come　to　light　that　things　financial　and　otherwise　began　to　darken　up。　　Hand；　being　greatly　hurt　in　his　pride；　contemplated　only　severe　reprisal。　　Meeting　Schryhart　at　a　directors'　meeting　one　day　not　long　after　his　difficulty　had　come　upon　him；　he　remarked：

〃I　thought　a　few　years　ago；　Norman；　when　you　talked　to　me　about　this　man　Cowperwood　that　you　were　merely　jealousa　dissatisfied　business　rival。　　Recently　a　few　things　have　come　to　my　notice　which　cause　me　to　think　differently。　　It　is　very　plain　to　me　now　that　the　man　is　thoroughly　badfrom　the　crown　of　his　head　to　the　soles　of　his　feet。　　It's　a　pity　the　city　has　to　endure　him。〃

〃So　you're　just　beginning　to　find　that　out；　are　you；　Hosmer？〃　answered　Schryhart。　　〃Well；　I'll　not　say　I　told　you　so。　　Perhaps　you'll　agree　with　me　now　that　the　responsible　people　of　Chicago　ought　to　do　something　about　it。〃

Hand；　a　very　heavy；　taciturn　man；　merely　looked　at　him。　　〃I'll　be　ready　enough　to　do；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　see　how　and　what's　to　be　done。〃

A　little　later　Schryhart；　meeting　Duane　Kingsland；　learned　the　true　source　of　Hand's　feeling　against　Cowperwood；　and　was　not　slow　in　transferring　this　titbit　to　Merrill；　Simms；　and　others。　　Merrill；　who；　though　Cowperwood　had　refused　to　extend　his　La　Salle　Street　tunnel　loop　about　State　Street　and　his　store；　had　hitherto　always　liked　him　after　a　fashionremotely　admired　his　courage　and　daringwas　now　appropriately　shocked。

〃Why；　Anson；〃　observed　Schryhart；　〃the　man　is　no　good。　　He　has　the　heart　of　a　hyena　and　the　friendliness　of　a　scorpion。　　You　heard　how　he　treated　Hand；　didn't　you？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Merrill；　〃I　didn't。〃

〃Well；　it's　this　way；　so　I　hear。〃　And　Schryhart　leaned　over　and　confidentially　communicated　considerable　information　into　Mr。　Merrill's　left　ear。

The　latter　raised　his　eyebrows。　　〃Indeed！〃　he　said。

〃And　the　way　he　came　to　meet　her；〃　added　Schryhart；　contemptuously；　〃was　this。　　He　went　to　Hand　originally　to　borrow　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　on　West　Chicago　Street　Railway。　　Angry？　The　word　is　no　name　for　it。〃

〃You　don't　say　so；〃　commented　Merrill；　dryly；　though　privately　interested　and　fascinated；　for　Mrs。　Hand　had　always　seemed　very　attractive　to　him。　　〃I　don't　wonder。〃

He　recalled　that　his　own　wife　had　recently　insisted　on　inviting　Cowperwood　once。

Similarly　Hand；　meeting　Arneel　not　so　long　afterward；　confided　to　him　that　Cowperwood　was　trying　to　repudiate　a　sacred　agreement。　　Arneel　was　grieved　and　surprised。　　It　was　enough　for　him　to　know　that　Hand　had　been　seriously　injured。　　Between　the　two　of　them　they　now　decided　to　indicate　to　Addison；　as　president　of　the　Lake　City　Bank；　that　all　relations　with　Cowperwood　and　the　Chicago　Trust　Company　must　cease。　　The　result　of　this　was；　not　long　after；　that　Addison；　very　suave　and　gracious；　agreed　to　give　Cowperwood　due　warning　that　all　his　loans　would　have　to　be　taken　care　of　and　then　resignedto　become；　seven　months　later；　president　of　the　Chicago　Trust　Company。　　This　desertion　created　a　great　stir　at　the　time；　astonishing　the　very　men　who　had　suspected　that　it　might　come　to　pass。　　The　papers　were　full　of　it。

〃Well；　let　him　go；〃　observed　Arneel　to　Hand；　sourly；　on　the　day　that　Addison　notified　the　board　of　directors　of　the　Lake　City　of　his　contemplated　resignation。　　〃If　he　wants　to　sever　his　connection　with　a　bank　like　this　to　go　with　a　man　like　that；　it's　his　own　lookout。　　He　may　live　to　regret　it。〃

It　so　happened　that　by　now　another　election　was　pending　Chicago；　and　Hand；　along　with　Schryhart　and　Arneelwho　joined　their　forces　because　of　his　friendship　for　Handdecided　to　try　to　fight　Cowperwood　through　this　means。

Hosmer　Hand；　feeling　that　he　had　the　burden　of　a　great　duty　upon　him；　was　not　slow　in　acting。　　He　was　always；　when　aroused；　a　determined　and　able　fighter。　　Needing　an　able　lieutenant　in　the　impending　political　conflict；　he　finally　bethought　himself　of　a　man　who　had　recently　come　to　figure　somewhat　conspicuously　in　Chicago　politicsone　Patrick　Gilgan；　the　same　Patrick　Gilgan　of　Cowperwood's　old　Hyde　Park　gas…war　days。　　Mr。　Gilgan　was　now　a　comparatively　well…to…do　man。　　Owing　to　a　genial　capacity　for　mixing　with　people；　a　close　mouth；　and　absolutely　no　understanding　of；　and　consequently　no　conscience　in　matters　of　large　public　import　（in　so　far　as　they　related　to　the　so…called　rights　of　the　mass）；　he　was　a　fit　individual　to　succeed　politically。　　His　saloon　was　the　finest　in　all　Wentworth　Avenue。　　It　fairly　glittered　with　the　newly　introduced　incandescent　lamp　reflected　in　a　perfect　world　of　beveled　and　faceted　mirrors。　　His　ward；　or　district；　was　full　of　low；　rain…beaten　cottages　crowded　together　along　half…made　streets；　but　Patrick　Gilgan　was　now　a　state　senator；　slated　for　Congress　at　the　next　Congressional　election；　and　a　possible　successor　of　the　Hon。　John　J。　McKenty　as　dictator　of　the　city；　if　only　the　Republican　party　should　come　into　power。　　（Hyde　Park；　before　it　had　been　annexed　to　the　city；　had　always　been　Republican；　and　since　then；　although　the　larger　city　was　normally　Democratic；　Gilgan　could　not　conveniently　change。）　Hearing　from　the　political　discussion　which　preceded　the　election　that　Gilgan　was　by　far　the　most　powerful　politician　on　the　South　Side；　Hand　sent　for　him。　　Personally；　Hand　had　far　less　sympathy　with　the　polite　moralistic　efforts　of　men　like　Haguenin；　Hyssop；　and　others；　who　were　content　to　preach　morality　and　strive　to　win　by　the　efforts　of　the　unco　good；　than　he　had　with　the　cold　political　logic　of　a　man　like　Cowperwood　himself。　　If　Cowperwood　could　work　through　McKenty　to　such　a　powerful　end；　he；　Hand；　could　find　some　one　else　who　could　be　made　as　powerful　as　McKenty。

〃Mr。　Gilgan；〃　said　Hand；　when　the　Irishman　came　in；　medium　tall；　beefy；　with　shrewd；　twinkling　gray　eyes　and　hairy　hands；　〃you　don't　know　me〃

〃I　know　of　you　well　enough；〃　smiled　the　Irishman；　with　a　soft　brogue。　　〃You　don't　need　an　introduction　to　talk　to　me。〃

〃Very　good；〃　replied　Hand；　extending　his　hand。　　〃I　know　of　you；　too。　　Then　we　can　talk。　　It's　the　political　situation　here　in　Chicago　I'd　like　to　discuss　with　you。　　I'm　not　a　politician　myself；　but　I　take　some　interest　in　what's　going　on。　　I　want　to　know　what　you　think　will　be　the　probable　outcome　of　the　present　situation　here　in　the　city。〃

Gilgan；　having　no　reason　for　laying　his　private　political　convictions　bare　to　any　one　whose　motive　he　did　not　know；　merely　replied：　〃Oh；　I　think　the　Republicans　may　have　a　pretty　good　show。　　They　have　all　but　one　or　two　of　the　papers　with　them；　I　see。　　I　don't　know　much　outside　of　what　I　read　and　hear　people　talk。〃

Mr。　Hand　knew　that　Gilgan　was　sparring；　and　was　glad　to　find　his　man　canny　and　calculating。

〃I　haven't　asked　you　to　come　here　just　to　be　talking　over　politics　in　general；　as　you　may　imagine；　Mr。　Gilgan。　　I　want　to　put　a　particular　problem　before　you。　　Do　you　happen　to　know　either　Mr。　McKenty　or　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃

〃I　never　met　either　of　them　to　talk　to；〃　replied　Gilgan。　　〃I　know　Mr。　McKenty　by　sight；　and　I've　seen　Mr。　Cowperwood　once。〃　He　said　no　more。

〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Hand；　〃suppose　a　group　of　influential　men　here　in　Chicago　were　to　get　together　and　guarantee　sufficient　funds　for　a　city…wide　campaign；　now；　if　you　had　the　complete　support　of　the　newspapers　and　the　Republican　organization　in　the　bargain；　could　you　organize　the　opposition　here　so　that　the　Democratic　party　could　be　beaten　this　fall？　I'm　not　talking　about　the　mayor　merely　and　the　principal　city　officers；　but　the　council；　toothe　aldermen。　　I　want　to　fix　things　so　that　the　McKenty…Cowperwood　crowd　couldn't　get　an　alderman　or　a　city　official　to　sell　out；　once　they　are　elected。　　I　want　the　Democratic　party　beaten　so　thoroughly　that　there　won't　be　any　question　in　anybody's　mind　as　to　the　fact　that　it　has　been　done。　　There　will　be　plenty　of　money　forthcoming　if　you　can　prove　to　me；　or；　rather；　to　the　group　of　men　I　am　thinking　of；　that　the　thing　can　be　done。〃

Mr。　Gilgan　blinked　his　eyes　solemnly。　　He　rubbed　his　knees；　put　his　thumbs　in　the　armholes　of　his　ves