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She caressed him while he looked at her in that quiet way which betokened at once his self-
poise and yet his interest and satisfaction in her. He couldn't help loving Aileen, he thought who
could? She was so passionate, vibrant, desireful. He couldn't help admiring her tremendously,
now more than ever, because literally, in spite of all his intellectual strength, he really could not
rule her. She went at him, even when he stood off in a calm, critical way, as if he were her
special property, her toy. She would talk to him always, and particularly when she was excited,
as if he were just a baby, her pet; and sometimes he felt as though she would really overcome
him mentally, make him subservient to her, she was so individual, so sure of her importance as
a woman.
Now on this occasion she went babbling on as if he were broken-hearted, in need of her
greatest care and tenderness, although he really wasn't at all; and for the moment she actually
made him feel as though he was.
"It isn't as bad as that, Aileen," he ventured to say, eventually; and with a softness and
tenderness almost unusual for him, even where she was concerned, but she went on forcefully,
paying no heed to him.
"Oh, yes, it is, too, honey. I know. Oh, my poor Frank! But I'll see you. I know how to manage,
whatever happens. How often do they let visitors come out to see the prisoners there?"
"Only once in three months, pet, so they say, but I think we can fix that after I get there; only do
you think you had better try to come right away, Aileen? You know what the feeling now is.
Hadn't you better wait a while? Aren't you in danger of stirring up your father? He might cause a
lot of trouble out there if he were so minded."
"Only once in three months!" she exclaimed, with rising emphasis, as he began this explanation.
"Oh, Frank, no! Surely not! Once in three months! Oh, I can't stand that! I won't! I'll go and see
the warden myself. He'll let me see you. I'm sure he will, if I talk to him."
She fairly gasped in her excitement, not willing to pause in her tirade, but Cowperwood
interposed with her, "You're not thinking what you're saying, Aileen. You're not thinking.
Remember your father! Remember your family! Your father may know the warden out there.
You don't want it to get all over town that you're running out there to see me, do you? Your
father might cause you trouble. Besides you don't know the small party politicians as I do. They
gossip like a lot of old women. You'll have to be very careful what you do and how you do it. I
don't want to lose you. I want to see you. But you'll have to mind what you're doing. Don't try to
see me at once. I want you to, but I want to find out how the land lies, and I want you to find out
too. You won't lose me. I'll be there, well enough."
He paused as he thought of the long tier of iron cells which must be there, one of which would
be his--for how long?--and of Aileen seeing him through the door of it or in it. At the same time
he was thinking, in spite of all his other calculations, how charming she was looking to-day. How
young she kept, and how forceful! While he was nearing his full maturity she was a
comparatively young girl, and as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a black-and-white-striped
silk in the curious bustle style of the times, and a set of sealskin furs, including a little sealskin
cap set jauntily on top her red-gold hair.
"I know, I know," replied Aileen, firmly. "But think of three months! Honey, I can't! I won't! It's
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