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thing together. I want to see you through safely, but I can't do it without your help. I had to go to
Butler last night to see about a loan of his, and I'm doing my best to get money from other
sources. But I can't see my way through on this, I'm afraid, unless you're willing to help me."
Cowperwood paused. He wanted to put the whole case clearly and succinctly to him before he
had a chance to refuse--to make him realize it as his own predicament.
As a matter of fact, what Cowperwood had keenly suspected was literally true. Stener had been
reached. The moment Butler and Simpson had left him the night before, Mollenhauer had sent
for his very able secretary, Abner Sengstack, and despatched him to learn the truth about
Stener's whereabouts. Sengstack had then sent a long wire to Strobik, who was with Stener,
urging him to caution the latter against Cowperwood. The state of the treasury was known.
Stener and Strobik were to be met by Sengstack at Wilmington (this to forefend against the
possibility of Cowperwood's reaching Stener first)--and the whole state of affairs made perfectly
plain. No more money was to be used under penalty of prosecution. If Stener wanted to see any
one he must see Mollenhauer. Sengstack, having received a telegram from Strobik informing
him of their proposed arrival at noon the next day, had proceeded to Wilmington to meet them.
The result was that Stener did not come direct into the business heart of the city, but instead got
off at West Philadelphia, proposing to go first to his house to change his clothes and then to see
Mollenhauer before meeting Cowperwood. He was very badly frightened and wanted time to
think.
"I can't do it, Frank," he pleaded, piteously. "I'm in pretty bad in this matter. Mollenhauer's
secretary met the train out at Wilmington just now to warn me against this situation, and Strobik
is against it. They know how much money I've got outstanding. You or somebody has told them.
I can't go against Mollenhauer. I owe everything I've got to him, in a way. He got me this place."
"Listen, George. Whatever you do at this time, don't let this political loyalty stuff cloud your
judgment. You're in a very serious position and so am I. If you don't act for yourself with me now
no one is going to act for you--now or later--no one. And later will be too late. I proved that last
night when I went to Butler to get help for the two of us. They all know about this business of our
street-railway holdings and they want to shake us out and that's the big and little of it--nothing
more and nothing less. It's a case of dog eat dog in this game and this particular situation and
it's up to us to save ourselves against everybody or go down together, and that's just what I'm
here to tell you. Mollenhauer doesn't care any more for you to-day than he does for that lamp-
post. It isn't that money you've paid out to me that's worrying him, but who's getting something
for it and what. Well they know that you and I are getting street-railways, don't you see, and they
don't want us to have them. Once they get those out of our hands they won't waste another day
on you or me. Can't you see that? Once we've lost all we've invested, you're down and so am
I--and no one is going to turn a hand for you or me politically or in any other way. I want you to
understand that, George, because it's true. And before you say you won't or you will do anything
because Mollenhauer says so, you want to think over what I have to tell you."
He was in front of Stener now, looking him directly in the eye and by the kinetic force of his
mental way attempting to make Stener take the one step that might save
him--Cowperwood--however little in the long run it might do for Stener. And, more interesting
still, he did not care. Stener, as he saw him now, was a pawn in whosoever's hands he
happened to be at the time, and despite Mr. Mollenhauer and Mr. Simpson and Mr. Butler he
proposed to attempt to keep him in his own hands if possible. And so he stood there looking at
him as might a snake at a bird determined to galvanize him into selfish self-interest if possible.
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