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looming　up　horribly　in　the　background）　as　should　have　cured　him　forever　of　a　penchant　for　stenographers　and　employees　generally。　　Thereafter　for　a　long　time　he　confined　himself　strictly　to　such　acquaintances　as　he　could　make　through　agents；　brokers；　and　manufacturers　who　did　business　with　him；　and　who　occasionally　invited　him　to　one　form　of　bacchanalian　feast　or　another。

As　time　went　on　he　became　wiser；　if；　alas；　a　little　more　eager。　　By　association　with　merchants　and　some　superior　politicians　whom　he　chanced　to　encounter；　and　because　the　ward　in　which　he　lived　happened　to　be　a　pivotal　one；　he　began　to　speak　publicly　on　occasion　and　to　gather　dimly　the　import　of　that　logic　which　sees　life　as　a　pagan　wild；　and　religion　and　convention　as　the　forms　man　puts　on　or　off　to　suit　his　fancy；　mood；　and　whims　during　the　onward　drift　of　the　ages。　　Not　for　Chaffee　Thayer　Sluss　to　grasp　the　true　meaning　of　it　all。　　His　brain　was　not　big　enough。　　Men　led　dual　lives；　it　was　true；　but　say　what　you　would；　and　in　the　face　of　his　own　erring　conduct；　this　was　very　bad。　　On　Sunday；　when　he　went　to　church　with　his　wife；　he　felt　that　religion　was　essential　and　purifying。　In　his　own　business　he　found　himself　frequently　confronted　by　various　little　flaws　of　logic　relating　to　undue　profits；　misrepresentations；　and　the　like；　but　say　what　you　would；　nevertheless　and　notwithstanding；　God　was　God；　morality　was　superior；　the　church　was　important。　　It　was　wrong　to　yield　to　one's　impulses；　as　he　found　it　so　fascinating　to　do。　　One　should　be　better　than　his　neighbor；　or　pretend　to　be。

What　is　to　be　done　with　such　a　rag…bag；　moralistic　ass　as　this？　In　spite　of　all　his　philanderings；　and　the　resultant　qualms　due　to　his　fear　of　being　found　out；　he　prospered　in　business　and　rose　to　some　eminence　in　his　own　community。　　As　he　had　grown　more　lax　he　had　become　somewhat　more　genial　and　tolerant；　more　generally　acceptable。　　He　was　a　good　Republican；　a　follower　in　the　wake　of　Norrie　Simms　and　young　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald。　　His　father…in…law　was　both　rich　and　moderately　influential。　　Having　lent　himself　to　some　campaign　speaking；　and　to　party　work　in　general；　he　proved　quite　an　adept。　　Because　of　all　these　thingshis　ability；　such　as　it　was；　his　pliability；　and　his　thoroughly　respectable　savor　he　had　been　slated　as　candidate　for　mayor　on　the　Republican　ticket；　which　had　subsequently　been　elected。

Cowperwood　was　well　aware；　from　remarks　made　in　the　previous　campaign；　of　the　derogatory　attitude　of　Mayor　Sluss。　　Already　he　had　discussed　it　in　a　conversation　with　the　Hon。　Joel　Avery　（ex…state　senator）；　who　was　in　his　employ　at　the　time。　　Avery　had　recently　been　in　all　sorts　of　corporation　work；　and　knew　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　courtslawyers；　judges；　politiciansas　he　knew　his　revised　statutes。　　He　was　a　very　little　mannot　more　than　five　feet　one　inch　tallwith　a　wide　forehead；　saffron　hair　and　brows；　brown；　cat…like　eyes　and　a　mushy　underlip　that　occasionally　covered　the　upper　one　as　he　thought。　　After　years　and　years　Mr。　Avery　had　leamed　to　smile；　but　it　was　in　a　strange；　exotic　way。　　Mostly　he　gazed　steadily；　folded　his　lower　lip　over　his　upper　one；　and　expressed　his　almost　unchangeable　conclusions　in　slow　Addisonian　phrases。　　In　the　present　crisis　it　was　Mr。　Avery　who　had　a　suggestion　to　make。

〃One　thing　that　I　think　could　be　done；〃　he　said　to　Cowperwood　one　day　in　a　very　confidential　conference；　〃would　be　to　have　a　look　into　thetheshall　I　say　the　heart　affairsof　the　Hon。　Chaffee　Thayer　Sluss。〃　Mr。　Avery's　cat…like　eyes　gleamed　sardonically。　　〃Unless　I　am　greatly　mistaken；　judging　the　man　by　his　personal　presence　merely；　he　is　the　sort　of　person　who　probably　has　had；　or　if　not　might　readily　be　induced　to　have；　some　compromising　affair　with　a　woman　which　would　require　considerable　sacrifice　on　his　part　to　smooth　over。　　We　are　all　human　and　vulnerable〃up　went　Mr。　Avery's　lower　lip　covering　the　upper　one；　and　then　down　again〃and　it　does　not　behoove　any　of　us　to　be　too　severely　ethical　and　self…righteous。　　Mr。　Sluss　is　a　well…meaning　man；　but　a　trifle　sentimental；　as　I　take　it。〃

As　Mr。　Avery　paused　Cowperwood　merely　contemplated　him；　amused　no　less　by　his　personal　appearance　than　by　his　suggestion。

〃Not　a　bad　idea；〃　he　said；　〃though　I　don't　like　to　mix　heart　affairs　with　politics。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Avery；　soulfully；　〃there　may　be　something　in　it。　　I　don't　know。　　You　never　can　tell。〃

The　upshot　of　this　was　that　the　task　of　obtaining　an　account　of　Mr。　Sluss's　habits；　tastes；　and　proclivities　was　assigned　to　that　now　rather　dignified　legal　personage；　Mr。　Burton　Stimson；　who　in　turn　assigned　it　to　an　assistant；　a　Mr。　Marchbanks。　　It　was　an　amazing　situation　in　some　respects；　but　those　who　know　anything　concerning　the　intricacies　of　politics；　finance；　and　corporate　control；　as　they　were　practised　in　those　palmy　days；　would　never　marvel　at　the　wells　of　subtlety；　sinks　of　misery；　and　morasses　of　disaster　which　they　represented。

From　another　quarter；　the　Hon。　Patrick　Gilgan　was　not　slow　in　responding　to　Cowperwood's　message。　　Whatever　his　political　connections　and　proclivities；　he　did　not　care　to　neglect　so　powerful　a　man。

〃And　what　can　I　be　doing　for　you　to…day；　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃　he　inquired；　when　he　arrived　looking　nice　and　fresh；　very　spick　and　span　after　his　victory。

〃Listen；　Mr。　Gilgan；〃　said　Cowperwood；　simply；　eying　the　Republican　county　chairman　very　fixedly　and　twiddling　his　thumbs　with　fingers　interlocked；　〃are　you　going　to　let　the　city　council　jam　through　the　General　Electric　and　that　South　Side　'L'　road　ordinance　without　giving　me　a　chance　to　say　a　word　or　do　anything　about　it？〃

Mr。　Gilgan；　so　Cowperwood　knew；　was　only　one　of　a　new　quadrumvirate　setting　out　to　rule　the　city；　but　he　pretended　to　believe　that　he　was　the　last　wordan　all　power　and　authorityafter　the　fashion　of　McKenty。　　〃Me　good　man；〃　replied　Gilgan；　archly；　〃you　flatter　me。　　I　haven't　the　city　council　in　me　vest　pocket。　　I've　been　county　chairman；　it's　true；　and　helped　to　elect　some　of　these　men；　but　I　don't　own　'em。　　Why　shouldn't　they　pass　the　General　Electric　ordinance？　It's　an　honest　ordinance；　as　far　as　I　know。　　All　the　newspapers　have　been　for　it。　　As　for　this　'L'　road　ordinance；　I　haven't　anything　to　do　with　it。　　It　isn't　anything　I　know　much　about。　　Young　MacDonald　and　Mr。　Schryhart　are　looking　after　that。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact；　all　that　Mr。　Gilgan　was　saying　was　decidedly　true。　　A　henchman　of　young　MacDonald's　who　was　beginning　to　learn　to　play　politicsan　alderman　bythe　name　of　Klemmhad　been　scheduled　as　a　kind　of　field…marshal；　and　it　was　MacDonaldnot　Gilgan；　Tiernan；　Kerrigan；　or　Edstromwho　was　to　round　up　the　recalcitrant　aldermen；　telling　them　their　duty。　　Gilgan's　quadrumvirate　had　not　as　yet　got　their　machine　in　good　working　order；　though　they　were　doing　their　best　to　bring　this　about。　　〃I　helped　to　elect　every　one　of　these　men；　it's　true；　but　that　doesn't　mean　I'm　running　'em　by　any　means；〃　concluded　Gilgan。　　〃Not　yet；　anyhow。〃

At　the　〃not　yet〃　Cowperwood　smiled。

〃Just　the　same；　Mr。　Gilgan；〃　he　went　on；　smoothly；　〃you're　the　nominal　head　and　front　of　this　whole　movement　in　opposition　to　me　at　present；　and　you're　the　one　I　have　to　look　to。　　You　have　this　present　Republican　situation　almost　entirely　in　your　own　fingers；　and　you　can　do　about　as　you　like　if　you're　so　minded。　　If　you　choose　you　can　persuade　the　members　of　council　to　take　considerable　more　time　than　they　otherwise　would　in　passing　these　ordinances　of　that　I'm　sure。　　I　don't　know　whether　you　know　or　not；　Mr。　Gilgan；　though　I　suppose　you　do；　that　this　whole　fight　against　me　is　a　strike　campaign　intended　to　drive　me　out　of　Chicago。　　Now　you're　a　man　of　sense　and　judgment　and　considerable　business　experience；　and　I　want　to　ask　you　if　you　think　that　is　fair。　　I　came　here　some　sixteen　or　seventeen　years　ago　and　went　into　the　gas　business。　　　It　was　an　open　field；　the　field　I　undertook　to　developoutlying　towns　on　the　North；　South；　and　West　sides。　　Yet　the　moment　I　started　the　old…line　companies　began　to　fight　me；　though　I　wasn't　invading　their　territory　at　all　at　the　time。〃

〃I　remember　it　well　enough；〃　replied　Gilgan。　　〃I　was　one　of　the　men　that　helped　you　to　get　your　Hyde　Park　franchise。　　You'd　never　have　got　it　if　it　hadn't　been　for　me。　　That　fellow　McKibben；〃　added　Gilgan；　with　a　grin；　〃a　likely　chap；　him。　　He　always　walked　as　if　he　had　on　rubber　shoes。　　He's　with　you　yet；　I　suppose？〃

〃Yes；　he's　around　here　somewhere；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　loftily。　　〃But　to　go　back　to　this　other　matter；　most　of　the　men　that　are　behind　this　General　Electric　ordinance　and　this　'L'　road　franchise　were　in　the　gas　businessBlackman；　Jules；　Baker；　Schryhart；　and　othersand　they　are　angry　because　I　came　into　their　field；　and　angrier　still　because　they　had　eventually　to　buy　me　out。　　They're　angry　because　I　reorganized　these　old…fashioned　street…railway　companies　here　and　put　them　on　their　feet。　　Merrill　is　angry　because　I　didn't　run　a　loop　around　his　store；　and　the　others　are　angry　because　I　ever　got　a　loop　at　all。　　They're　all　angry　because　I　managed　to　step　in　and　do　the　things　that　they　should　have　done　long　before。　　I　came　hereand　that's　the　whole　story　in　a　nutshell。　I've　had　to　have　the　city　council　with　me　to　be　able　to　do　anything　at　all；　and　because　I　managed　to　make　it　friendly　and　keep　it　so　they've　turned　on　me　in　that　section　and　gone　into　politics。　　I　know　well　enough；　Mr。　Gilgan；〃　concluded　Cowperwood；　〃who　has　been　behind　you　in　this　fight。　　I've　known　all　along　where　the　money　has　been　coming　from。　　You've　won；　and　you've　won　handsomely；　and　I　for　one　don't　begrudge　you　your　victory　in　the　least；　but　what　I　want　to　know　now　is；　are　you　going　to　help　them　carry　this　fight　on　against　me　in　this　way；　or　are　you　not？　Are　you　going　to　give　me　a　fighting　chance？　There's　going　to　be　another　election　in　two　years。　　Politics　isn't　a　bed　of　roses　that　stays　made　just　because　you　make　it　once。　　These　fellows　that　you　have　got　in　with　are　a　crowd　of　silk　stockings。　　They　haven't　any　sympathy　with　you　or　any　one　like　you。　　They're　willing　to　be　friendly　with　you　now　just　long　enough　to　get　something　out　of　you　and　club　me　to　death。　But　after　that　how　long　do　you　think　they　will　have　any　use　for　youhow　long？〃

〃Not　very　long；　maybe