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that was that if Cowperwood were convicted, Stener must needs be also. There was no escape
in so far as any one could see for the city treasurer. If Cowperwood was guilty of securing by
trickery sixty thousand dollars' worth of the city money, Stener was guilty of securing five
hundred thousand dollars. The prison term for this was five years. He might plead not guilty, and
by submitting as evidence that what he did was due to custom save himself from the odious
necessity of pleading guilty; but he would be convicted nevertheless. No jury could get by the
fact in regard to him. In spite of public opinion, when it came to a trial there might be
considerable doubt in Cowperwood's case. There was none in Stener's.
The practical manner in which the situation was furthered, after Cowperwood and Stener were
formally charged may be quickly noted. Steger, Cowperwood's lawyer, learned privately
beforehand that Cowperwood was to be prosecuted. He arranged at once to have his client
appear before any warrant could be served, and to forestall the newspaper palaver which would
follow it if he had to be searched for.
The mayor issued a warrant for Cowperwood's arrest, and, in accordance with Steger's plan,
Cowperwood immediately appeared before Borchardt in company with his lawyer and gave bail
in twenty thousand dollars (W. C. Davison, president of the Girard National Bank, being his
surety), for his appearance at the central police station on the following Saturday for a hearing.
Marcus Oldslaw, a lawyer, had been employed by Strobik as president of the common council,
to represent him in prosecuting the case for the city. The mayor looked at Cowperwood
curiously, for he, being comparatively new to the political world of Philadelphia, was not so
familiar with him as others were; and Cowperwood returned the look pleasantly enough.
"This is a great dumb show, Mr. Mayor," he observed once to Borchardt, quietly, and the latter
replied, with a smile and a kindly eye, that as far as he was concerned, it was a form of
procedure which was absolutely unavoidable at this time.
"You know how it is, Mr. Cowperwood," he observed. The latter smiled. "I do, indeed," he said.
Later there followed several more or less perfunctory appearances in a local police court, known
as the Central Court, where when arraigned he pleaded not guilty, and finally his appearance
before the November grand jury, where, owing to the complicated nature of the charge drawn
up against him by Pettie, he thought it wise to appear. He was properly indicted by the latter
body (Shannon, the newly elected district attorney, making a demonstration in force), and his
trial ordered for December 5th before a certain Judge Payderson in Part I of Quarter Sessions,
which was the local branch of the State courts dealing with crimes of this character. His
indictment did not occur, however, before the coming and going of the much-mooted fall
election, which resulted, thanks to the clever political manipulations of Mollenhauer and
Simpson (ballot-box stuffing and personal violence at the polls not barred), in another victory,
by, however, a greatly reduced majority. The Citizens' Municipal Reform Association, in spite of
a resounding defeat at the polls, which could not have happened except by fraud, continued to
fire courageously away at those whom it considered to be the chief malefactors.
Aileen Butler, during all this time, was following the trend of Cowperwood's outward vicissitudes
as heralded by the newspapers and the local gossip with as much interest and bias and
enthusiasm for him as her powerful physical and affectional nature would permit. She was no
great reasoner where affection entered in, but shrewd enough without it; and, although she saw
him often and he told her much--as much as his natural caution would permit--she yet gathered
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