or
bite the hands that fed him. It was also made perfectly plain to him,
that once he was well in office a little money for himself was to be
made. As has been indicated, he had always been a poor man. He had seen
all those who had dabbled in politics to any extent about him heretofore
do very well financially indeed, while he pegged along as an insurance
and real-estate agent. He had worked hard as a small political henchman.
Other politicians were building themselves nice homes in newer portions
of the city. They were going off to New York or Harrisburg or Washington
on jaunting parties. They were seen in happy converse at road-houses or
country hotels in season with their wives or their women favorites,
and he was not, as yet, of this happy throng. Naturally now that he was
promised something, he was interested and compliant. What might he not
get?

When it came to this visit from Mollenhauer, with its suggestion
in regard to bringing city loan to par, although it bore no obvious
relation to Mollenhauer's subsurface connection with Stener, through
Strobik and the others, Stener did definitely recognize his own
political subservience--his master's stentorian voice--and immediately
thereafter hurried to Strobik for information.

"Just what would you do about this?" he asked of Strobik, who knew of
Mollenhauer's visit before Stener told him, and was waiting for Stener
to speak to him. "Mr. Mollenhauer talks about having this new loan
listed on 'change and brought to par so that it will sell for one
hundred."

Neither Strobik, Harmon, nor Wycroft knew how the certificates of city
loan, which were worth only ninety on the open market, were to be made
to sell for one hundred on 'change, but Mollenhauer's secretary, one
Abner Sengstack, had suggested to Strobik that, since Butler was dealing
with young Cowperwood and Mollenhauer did not care particularly for his
private broker in this instance, it might be as well to try Cowperwood.

So it was that Cowperwood was called to Stener's office. And once there,
and not as yet recognizing either the hand of Mollenhauer or Simpson
in this, merely looked at the peculiarly shambling, heavy-cheeked,
middle-class man before him without either interest or sympathy,
realizing at once that he had a financial baby to deal with. If he could
act as adviser to this man--be his sole counsel for four years!

"How do you do, Mr. Stener?" he said in his soft, ingratiating voice,
as the la