I couldn't get them to call a conference with any of the big moneyed
men as yet," he added, warily. "They'd rather wait and see what happens
in the mornin'. Still, I wouldn't be down-hearted if I were you. If
things turn out very bad they may change their minds. I had to tell them
about Stener. It's pretty bad, but they're hopin' you'll come through
and straighten that out. I hope so. About my own loan--well, I'll see
how things are in the mornin'. If I raisonably can I'll lave it with
you. You'd better see me again about it. I wouldn't try to get any more
money out of Stener if I were you. It's pretty bad as it is."

Cowperwood saw at once that he was to get no aid from the politicians.
The one thing that disturbed him was this reference to Stener. Had they
already communicated with him--warned him? If so, his own coming to
Butler had been a bad move; and yet from the point of view of his
possible failure on the morrow it had been advisable. At least now the
politicians knew where he stood. If he got in a very tight corner he
would come to Butler again--the politicians could assist him or not,
as they chose. If they did not help him and he failed, and the election
were lost, it was their own fault. Anyhow, if he could see Stener first
the latter would not be such a fool as to stand in his own light in a
crisis like this.

"Things look rather dark to-night, Mr. Butler," he said, smartly, "but I
still think I'll come through. I hope so, anyhow. I'm sorry to have put
you to so much trouble. I wish, of course, that you gentlemen could
see your way clear to assist me, but if you can't, you can't. I have a
number of things that I can do. I hope that you will leave your loan as
long as you can."

He went briskly out, and Butler meditated. "A clever young chap that,"
he said. "It's too bad. But he may come out all right at that."

Cowperwood hurried to his own home only to find his father awake
and brooding. To him he talked with that strong vein of sympathy and
understanding which is usually characteristic of those drawn by ties
of flesh and blood. He liked his father. He sympathized with his
painstaking effort to get up in the world. He could not forget that as a
boy he had had the loving sympathy and interest of his father. The loan
which he had from the Third National, on somewhat weak Union Street
Railway shares he could probably replace if stocks did not drop too
tremendously. He must replace this at all costs. But hi