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But Stener was so frightened that at the moment it looked as though there was little to be done
with him. His face was a grayish-blue: his eyelids and eye rings puffy and his hands and lips
moist. God, what a hole he was in now!
"Say that's all right, Frank," he exclaimed desperately. "I know what you say is true. But look at
me and my position, if I do give you this money. What can't they do to me, and won't. If you only
look at it from my point of view. If only you hadn't gone to Butler before you saw me."
"As though I could see you, George, when you were off duck shooting and when I was wiring
everywhere I knew to try to get in touch with you. How could I? The situation had to be met.
Besides, I thought Butler was more friendly to me than he proved. But there's no use being
angry with me now, George, for going to Butler as I did, and anyhow you can't afford to be now.
We're in this thing together. It's a case of sink or swim for just us two--not any one else--just
us--don't you get that? Butler couldn't or wouldn't do what I wanted him to do--get Mollenhauer
and Simpson to support the market. Instead of that they are hammering it. They have a game of
their own. It's to shake us out--can't you see that? Take everything that you and I have
gathered. It is up to you and me, George, to save ourselves, and that's what I'm here for now. If
you don't let me have three hundred and fifty thousand dollars--three hundred thousand,
anyhow--you and I are ruined. It will be worse for you, George, than for me, for I'm not involved
in this thing in any way--not legally, anyhow. But that's not what I'm thinking of. What I want to
do is to save us both--put us on easy street for the rest of our lives, whatever they say or do,
and it's in your power, with my help, to do that for both of us. Can't you see that? I want to save
my business so then I can help you to save your name and money." He paused, hoping this had
convinced Stener, but the latter was still shaking.
"But what can I do, Frank?" he pleaded, weakly. "I can't go against Mollenhauer. They can
prosecute me if I do that. They can do it, anyhow. I can't do that. I'm not strong enough. If they
didn't know, if you hadn't told them, it might be different, but this way--" He shook his head
sadly, his gray eyes filled with a pale distress.
"George," replied Cowperwood, who realized now that only the sternest arguments would have
any effect here, "don't talk about what I did. What I did I had to do. You're in danger of losing
your head and your nerve and making a serious mistake here, and I don't want to see you make
it. I have five hundred thousand of the city's money invested for you--partly for me, and partly for
you, but more for you than for me"--which, by the way, was not true--"and here you are
hesitating in an hour like this as to whether you will protect your interest or not. I can't
understand it. This is a crisis, George. Stocks are tumbling on every side--everybody's stocks.
You're not alone in this--neither am I. This is a panic, brought on by a fire, and you can't expect
to come out of a panic alive unless you do something to protect yourself. You say you owe your
place to Mollenhauer and that you're afraid of what he'll do. If you look at your own situation and
mine, you'll see that it doesn't make much difference what he does, so long as I don't fail. If I
fail, where are you? Who's going to save you from prosecution? Will Mollenhauer or any one
else come forward and put five hundred thousand dollars in the treasury for you? He will not. If
Mollenhauer and the others have your interests at heart, why aren't they helping me on 'change
today? I'll tell you why. They want your street-railway holdings and mine, and they don't care
whether you go to jail afterward or not. Now if you're wise you will listen to me. I've been loyal to
you, haven't I? You've made money through me--lots of it. If you're wise, George, you'll go to
your office and write me your check for three hundred thousand dollars, anyhow, before you do
a single other thing. Don't see anybody and don't do anything till you've done that. You can't be
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