Full Text Archive

Full Text Archive
https://www.fulltextarchive.com
can depend on me. Oh, Frank, I love you so! I'm so sorry. Oh, I do hope you don't fail! But it
doesn't make any difference, dear, between you and me, whatever happens, does it? We will
love each other just the same. I'll do anything for you, honey! I'll do anything you say. You can
trust me. They sha'n't know anything from me."
She looked at his still, pale face, and a sudden strong determination to fight for him welled up in
her heart. Her love was unjust, illegal, outlawed; but it was love, just the same, and had much of
the fiery daring of the outcast from justice.
"I love you! I love you! I love you, Frank!" she declared. He unloosed her hands.
"Run, sweet. To-morrow at four. Don't fail. And don't talk. And don't admit anything, whatever
you do."
"I won't."
"And don't worry about me. I'll be all right."
He barely had time to straighten his tie, to assume a nonchalant attitude by the window, when in
hurried Stener's chief clerk--pale, disturbed, obviously out of key with himself.
"Mr. Cowperwood! You know that check I gave you last night? Mr. Stener says it's illegal, that I
shouldn't have given it to you, that he will hold me responsible. He says I can be arrested for
compounding a felony, and that he will discharge me and have me sent to prison if I don't get it
back. Oh, Mr. Cowperwood, I am only a young man! I'm just really starting out in life. I've got my
wife and little boy to look after. You won't let him do that to me? You'll give me that check back,
won't you? I can't go back to the office without it. He says you're going to fail, and that you knew
it, and that you haven't any right to it."
Cowperwood looked at him curiously. He was surprised at the variety and character of these
emissaries of disaster. Surely, when troubles chose to multiply they had great skill in presenting
themselves in rapid order. Stener had no right to make any such statement. The transaction
was not illegal. The man had gone wild. True, he, Cowperwood, had received an order after
these securities were bought not to buy or sell any more city loan, but that did not invalidate
previous purchases. Stener was browbeating and frightening his poor underling, a better man
than himself, in order to get back this sixty-thousand-dollar check. What a petty creature he
was! How true it was, as somebody had remarked, that you could not possibly measure the
petty meannesses to which a fool could stoop!
"You go back to Mr. Stener, Albert, and tell him that it can't be done. The certificates of loan
were purchased before his order arrived, and the records of the exchange will prove it. There is
no illegality here. I am entitled to that check and could have collected it in any qualified court of
law. The man has gone out of his head. I haven't failed yet. You are not in any danger of any
legal proceedings; and if you are, I'll help defend you. I can't give you the check back because I
haven't it to give; and if I had, I wouldn't. That would be allowing a fool to make a fool of me. I'm
sorry, very, but I can't do anything for you."
"Oh, Mr. Cowperwood!" Tears were in Stires's eyes. "He'll discharge me! He'll forfeit my
sureties. I'll be turned out into the street. I have only a little property of my own--outside of my
149 / 312

---