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in his customary jaunty way, greeting all those whom he had known there many years and
pretending, when asked, to be very hopeful, to be doing very well; but they did not believe him,
and he really did not care whether they did or not. His business was to persuade or over-
persuade any one who could really be of assistance to him, and at this task he worked
untiringly, ignoring all others.
"Why, hello, Frank," his friends would call, on seeing him. "How are you getting on?"
"Fine! Fine!" he would reply, cheerfully. "Never better," and he would explain in a general way
how his affairs were being handled. He conveyed much of his own optimism to all those who
knew him and were interested in his welfare, but of course there were many who were not.
In these days also, he and Steger were constantly to be met with in courts of law, for he was
constantly being reexamined in some petition in bankruptcy. They were heartbreaking days, but
he did not flinch. He wanted to stay in Philadelphia and fight the thing to a finish--putting himself
where he had been before the fire; rehabilitating himself in the eyes of the public. He felt that he
could do it, too, if he were not actually sent to prison for a long term; and even then, so naturally
optimistic was his mood, when he got out again. But, in so far as Philadelphia was concerned,
distinctly he was dreaming vain dreams.
One of the things militating against him was the continued opposition of Butler and the
politicians. Somehow--no one could have said exactly why--the general political feeling was that
the financier and the former city treasurer would lose their appeals and eventually be sentenced
together. Stener, in spite of his original intention to plead guilty and take his punishment without
comment, had been persuaded by some of his political friends that it would be better for his
future's sake to plead not guilty and claim that his offense had been due to custom, rather than
to admit his guilt outright and so seem not to have had any justification whatsoever. This he did,
but he was convicted nevertheless. For the sake of appearances, a trumped-up appeal was
made which was now before the State Supreme Court.
Then, too, due to one whisper and another, and these originating with the girl who had written
Butler and Cowperwood's wife, there was at this time a growing volume of gossip relating to the
alleged relations of Cowperwood with Butler's daughter, Aileen. There had been a house in
Tenth Street. It had been maintained by Cowperwood for her. No wonder Butler was so
vindictive. This, indeed, explained much. And even in the practical, financial world, criticism was
now rather against Cowperwood than his enemies. For, was it not a fact, that at the inception of
his career, he had been befriended by Butler? And what a way to reward that friendship! His
oldest and firmest admirers wagged their heads. For they sensed clearly that this was another
illustration of that innate "I satisfy myself" attitude which so regulated Cowperwood's conduct.
He was a strong man, surely--and a brilliant one. Never had Third Street seen a more
pyrotechnic, and yet fascinating and financially aggressive, and at the same time, conservative
person. Yet might one not fairly tempt Nemesis by a too great daring and egotism? Like Death,
it loves a shining mark. He should not, perhaps, have seduced Butler's daughter;
unquestionably he should not have so boldly taken that check, especially after his quarrel and
break with Stener. He was a little too aggressive. Was it not questionable whether--with such a
record--he could be restored to his former place here? The bankers and business men who
were closest to him were decidedly dubious.
But in so far as Cowperwood and his own attitude toward life was concerned, at this time--the
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