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；　if　I　could　come　to　terms；　I　would　be　glad　to　make　it　a　hundred　centsonly　I　would　want　a　little　more　time。　　Stocks　are　bound　to　recover；　as　you　know；　and；　barring　my　losses　at　this　time；　I　will　be　all　right。　　I　realize　that　the　matter　has　gone　pretty　far　already。　　The　newspapers　are　likely　to　start　talking　at　any　time；　unless　they　are　stopped　by　those　who　can　control　them。〃　　（He　looked　at　Mollenhauer　in　a　complimentary　way。）　　〃But　if　I　could　be　kept　out　of　the　general　proceedings　as　much　as　possible；　my　standing　would　not　be　injured；　and　I　would　have　a　better　chance　of　getting　on　my　feet。　　It　would　be　better　for　the　city；　for　then　I　could　certainly　pay　it　what　I　owe　it。〃　　He　smiled　his　most　winsome　and　engaging　smile。　　And　Mollenhauer　seeing　him　for　the　first　time；　was　not　unimpressed。　Indeed　he　looked　at　this　young　financial　David　with　an　interested　eye。　　If　he　could　have　seen　a　way　to　accept　this　proposition　of　Cowperwood's；　so　that　the　money　offered　would　have　been　eventually　payable　to　him；　and　if　Cowperwood　had　had　any　reasonable　prospect　of　getting　on　his　feet　soon；　he　would　have　considered　carefully　what　he　had　to　say。　　For　then　Cowperwood　could　have　assigned　his　recovered　property　to　him。　　As　it　was；　there　was　small　likelihood　of　this　situation　ever　being　straightened　out。　　The　Citizens'　Municipal　Reform　Association；　from　all　he　could　hear；　was　already　on　the　moveinvestigating；　or　about　to；　and　once　they　had　set　their　hands　to　this；　would　unquestionably　follow　it　closely　to　the　end。

〃The　trouble　with　this　situation；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　said；　affably；　〃is　that　it　has　gone　so　far　that　it　is　practically　out　of　my　hands。　I　really　have　very　little　to　do　with　it。　　I　don't　suppose；　though；　really；　it　is　this　matter　of　the　five…hundred…thousand…dollar　loan　that　is　worrying　you　so　much；　as　it　is　this　other　matter　of　the　sixty…thousand…dollar　check　you　received　the　other　day。　　Mr。　Stener　insists　that　you　secured　that　illegally；　and　he　is　very　much　wrought　up　about　it。　　The　mayor　and　the　other　city　officials　know　of　it　now；　and　they　may　force　some　action。　　I　don't　know。〃

Mollenhauer　was　obviously　not　frank　in　his　attitudea　little　bit　evasive　in　his　sly　reference　to　his　official　tool；　the　mayor；　and　Cowperwood　saw　it。　　It　irritated　him　greatly；　but　he　was　tactful　enough　to　be　quite　suave　and　respectful。

〃I　did　get　a　check　for　sixty　thousand　dollars；　that's　true；〃　he　replied；　with　apparent　frankness；　〃the　day　before　I　assigned。　　It　was　for　certificates　I　had　purchased；　however；　on　Mr。　Stener's　order；　and　was　due　me。　　I　needed　the　money；　and　asked　for　it。　　I　don't　see　that　there　is　anything　illegal　in　that。〃

〃Not　if　the　transaction　was　completed　in　all　its　details；〃　replied　Mollenhauer；　blandly。　　〃As　I　understand　it；　the　certificates　were　bought　for　the　sinking…fund；　and　they　are　not　there。　　How　do　you　explain　that？〃

〃An　oversight；　merely；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　innocently；　and　quite　as　blandly　as　Mollenhauer。　　〃They　would　have　been　there　if　I　had　not　been　compelled　to　assign　so　unexpectedly。　　It　was　not　possible　for　me　to　attend　to　everything　in　person。　　It　has　not　been　our　custom　to　deposit　them　at　once。　　Mr。　Stener　will　tell　you　that；　if　you　ask　him。〃

〃You　don't　say；〃　replied　Mollenhauer。　　〃He　did　not　give　me　that　impression。　　However；　they　are　not　there；　and　I　believe　that　that　makes　some　difference　legally。　　I　have　no　interest　in　the　matter　one　way　or　the　other；　more　than　that　of　any　other　good　Republican。　I　don't　see　exactly　what　I　can　do　for　you。　　What　did　you　think　I　could　do？〃

〃I　don't　believe　you　can　do　anything　for　me；　Mr。　Mollenhauer；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　a　little　tartly；　〃unless　you　are　willing　to　deal　quite　frankly　with　me。　　I　am　not　a　beginner　in　politics　in　Philadelphia。　　I　know　something　about　the　powers　in　command。　　I　thought　that　you　could　stop　any　plan　to　prosecute　me　in　this　matter；　and　give　me　time　to　get　on　my　feet　again。　　I　am　not　any　more　criminally　responsible　for　that　sixty　thousand　dollars　than　I　am　for　the　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　that　I　had　as　loan　before　itnot　as　much　so。　　I　did　not　create　this　panic。　　I　did　not　set　Chicago　on　fire。　　Mr。　Stener　and　his　friends　have　been　reaping　some　profit　out　of　dealing　with　me。　　I　certainly　was　entitled　to　make　some　effort　to　save　myself　after　all　these　years　of　service；　and　I　can't　understand　why　I　should　not　receive　some　courtesy　at　the　hands　of　the　present　city　administration；　after　I　have　been　so　useful　to　it。　　I　certainly　have　kept　city　loan　at　par；　and　as　for　Mr。　Stener's　money；　he　has　never　wanted　for　his　interest　on　that；　and　more　than　his　interest。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　replied　Mollenhauer；　looking　Cowperwood　in　the　eye　steadily　and　estimating　the　force　and　accuracy　of　the　man　at　their　real　value。　　〃I　understand　exactly　how　it　has　all　come　about；　Mr。　Cowperwood。　　No　doubt　Mr。　Stener　owes　you　a　debt　of　gratitude；　as　does　the　remainder　of　the　city　administration。　　I'm　not　saying　what　the　city　administration　ought　or　ought　not　do。　　All　I　know　is　that　you　find　yourself　wittingly　or　unwittingly　in　a　dangerous　situation；　and　that　public　sentiment　in　some　quarters　is　already　very　strong　against　you。　　I　personally　have　no　feeling　one　way　or　the　other；　and　if　it　were　not　for　the　situation　itself；　which　looks　to　be　out　of　hand；　would　not　be　opposed　to　assisting　you　in　any　reasonable　way。　　But　how？　The　Republican　party　is　in　a　very　bad　position；　so　far　as　this　election　is　concerned。　　In　a　way；　however　innocently；　you　have　helped　to　put　it　there；　Mr；　Cowperwood。　　Mr。　Butler；　for　some　reason　to　which　I　am　not　a　party；　seems　deeply　and　personally　incensed。　　And　Mr。　Butler　is　a　great　power　here〃　（Cowperwood　began　to　wonder　whether　by　any　chance　Butler　had　indicated　the　nature　of　his　social　offense　against　himself；　but　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　believe　that。　　It　was　not　probable。）　〃I　sympathize　with　you　greatly；　Mr。　Cowperwood；　but　what　I　suggest　is　that　you　first　See　Mr。　Butler　and　Mr。　Simpson。　　If　they　agree　to　any　program　of　aid；　I　will　not　be　opposed　to　joining。　　But　apart　from　that　I　do　not　know　exactly　what　I　can　do。　　I　am　only　one　of　those　who　have　a　slight　say　in　the　affairs　of　Philadelphia。〃

At　this　point；　Mollenhauer　rather　expected　Cowperwood　to　make　an　offer　of　his　own　holdings；　but　he　did　not。　　Instead　he　said；　〃I'm　very　much　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　Mollenhauer；　for　the　courtesy　of　this　interview。　　I　believe　you　would　help　me　if　you　could。　　I　shall　just　have　to　fight　it　out　the　best　way　I　can。　　Good　day。〃

And　he　bowed　himself　out。　　He　saw　clearly　how　hopeless　was　his　quest。

In　the　meanwhile；　finding　that　the　rumors　were　growing　in　volume　and　that　no　one　appeared　to　be　willing　to　take　steps　to　straighten　the　matter　out；　Mr。　Skelton　C。　Wheat；　President　of　the　Citizens'　Municipal　Reform　Association；　was；　at　last　and　that　by　no　means　against　his　will；　compelled　to　call　together　the　committee　of　ten　estimable　Philadelphians　of　which　he　was　chairman；　in　a　local　committee…hall　on　Market　Street；　and　lay　the　matter　of　the　Cowperwood　failure　before　it。

〃It　strikes　me；　gentlemen；〃　he　announced；　〃that　this　is　an　occasion　when　this　organization　can　render　a　signal　service　to　the　city　and　the　people　of　Philadelphia；　and　prove　the　significance　and　the　merit　of　the　title　originally　selected　for　it；　by　making　such　a　thoroughgoing　investigation　as　will　bring　to　light　all　the　facts　in　this　case；　and　then　by　standing　vigorously　behind　them　insist　that　such　nefarious　practices　as　we　are　informed　were　indulged　in　in　this　case　shall　cease。　　I　know　it　may　prove　to　be　a　difficult　task。　　The　Republican　party　and　its　local　and　State　interests　are　certain　to　be　against　us。　　Its　leaders　are　unquestionably　most　anxious　to　avoid　comment　and　to　have　their　ticket　go　through　undisturbed；　and　they　will　not　contemplate　with　any　equanimity　our　opening　activity　in　this　matter；　but　if　we　persevere；　great　good　will　surely　come　of　it。　　There　is　too　much　dishonesty　in　public　life　as　it　is。　　There　is　a　standard　of　right　in　these　matters　which　cannot　permanently　be　ignored；　and　which　must　eventually　be　fulfilled。　I　leave　this　matter　to　your　courteous　consideration。〃

Mr。　Wheat　sat　down；　and　the　body　before　him　immediately　took　the　matter　which　he　proposed　under　advisement。　　It　was　decided　to　appoint　a　subcommittee　〃to　investigate〃　（to　quote　the　statement　eventually　given　to　the　public）　〃the　peculiar　rumors　now　affecting　one　of　the　most　important　and　distinguished　offices　of　our　municipal　government；〃　and　to　report　at　the　next　meeting；　which　was　set　for　the　following　evening　at　nine　o'clock。　　The　meeting　adjourned；　and　the　following　night　at　nine　reassembled；　four　individuals　of　very　shrewd　financial　judgment　having　meantime　been　about　the　task　assigned　them。　　They　drew　up　a　very　elaborate　statement；　not　wholly　in　accordance　with　the　facts；　but　as　nearly　so　as　could　be　ascertained　in　so　short　a　space　of　time。

　　〃It　appears　＇read　the　report；　after　a　preamble　which　explained　　　why　the　committee　had　been　appointed＇　that　it　has　been　the　custom　　　of　city　treasurers　for　years；　when　loans　have　been　authorized　　　by　councils；　to　place　them　in　the　hands　of　some　favorite　broker　　　for　sale；　the　broker　accounting　to　the　treasurer　for　the　moneys　　　received　by　such　sales　at　short　periods；　general