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"I don't see," said Mollenhauer, "unless we can make Stener get the money back before this
man Cowperwood fails, how we can save ourselves from considerable annoyance later; but if
we did anything which would look as though we were going to compel restitution, he would
probably shut up shop anyhow. So there's no remedy in that direction. And it wouldn't be very
kind to our friend Edward here to do it until we hear how he comes out on his affair." He was
referring to Butler's loan.
"Certainly not," said Senator Simpson, with true political sagacity and feeling.
"I'll have that one hundred thousand dollars in the mornin'," said Butler, "and never fear."
"I think," said Simpson, "if anything comes of this matter that we will have to do our best to hush
it up until after the election. The newspapers can just as well keep silent on that score as not.
There's one thing I would suggest"--and he was now thinking of the street-railway properties
which Cowperwood had so judiciously collected--"and that is that the city treasurer be cautioned
against advancing any more money in a situation of this kind. He might readily be compromised
into advancing much more. I suppose a word from you, Henry, would prevent that."
"Yes; I can do that," said Mollenhauer, solemnly.
"My judgement would be," said Butler, in a rather obscure manner, thinking of Cowperwood's
mistake in appealing to these noble protectors of the public, "that it's best to let sleepin' dogs
run be thimselves."
Thus ended Frank Cowperwood's dreams of what Butler and his political associates might do
for him in his hour of distress.
The energies of Cowperwood after leaving Butler were devoted to the task of seeing others who
might be of some assistance to him. He had left word with Mrs. Stener that if any message
came from her husband he was to be notified at once. He hunted up Walter
Leigh, of Drexel & Co., Avery Stone of Jay Cooke & Co., and President Davison of the Girard
National Bank. He wanted to see what they thought of the situation and to negotiate a loan with
President Davison covering all his real and personal property.
"I can't tell you, Frank," Walter Leigh insisted, "I don't know how things will be running by to-
morrow noon. I'm glad to know how you stand. I'm glad you're doing what you're doing--getting
all your affairs in shape. It will help a lot. I'll favor you all I possibly can. But if the chief decides
on a certain group of loans to be called, they'll have to be called, that's all. I'll do my best to
make things look better. If the whole of Chicago is wiped out, the insurance companies--some of
them, anyhow--are sure to go, and then look out. I suppose you'll call in all your loans?"
"Not any more than I have to."
"Well, that's just the way it is here--or will be."
The two men shook hands. They liked each other. Leigh was of the city's fashionable coterie, a
society man to the manner born, but with a wealth of common sense and a great deal of worldly
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