young banker let it
pass.

"Jump in, George," he said. "I have something very important to talk to
you about. I told you in my telegram about the likelihood of a panic.
It's on. There isn't a moment to lose. Stocks are 'way down, and most of
my loans are being called. I want to know if you won't let me have three
hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a few days at four or five per
cent. I'll pay it all back to you. I need it very badly. If I don't get
it I'm likely to fail. You know what that means, George. It will tie up
every dollar I have. Those street-car holdings of yours will be tied up
with me. I won't be able to let you realize on them, and that will put
those loans of mine from the treasury in bad shape. You won't be able
to put the money back, and you know what that means. We're in this thing
together. I want to see you through safely, but I can't do it without
your help. I had to go to Butler last night to see about a loan of his,
and I'm doing my best to get money from other sources. But I can't see
my way through on this, I'm afraid, unless you're willing to help
me." Cowperwood paused. He wanted to put the whole case clearly and
succinctly to him before he had a chance to refuse--to make him realize
it as his own predicament.

As a matter of fact, what Cowperwood had keenly suspected was literally
true. Stener had been reached. The moment Butler and Simpson had left
him the night before, Mollenhauer had sent for his very able secretary,
Abner Sengstack, and despatched him to learn the truth about Stener's
whereabouts. Sengstack had then sent a long wire to Strobik, who was
with Stener, urging him to caution the latter against Cowperwood. The
state of the treasury was known. Stener and Strobik were to be met by
Sengstack at Wilmington (this to forefend against the possibility of
Cowperwood's reaching Stener first)--and the whole state of affairs
made perfectly plain. No more money was to be used under penalty of
prosecution. If Stener wanted to see any one he must see Mollenhauer.
Sengstack, having received a telegram from Strobik informing him of
their proposed arrival at noon the next day, had proceeded to Wilmington
to meet them. The result was that Stener did not come direct into the
business heart of the city, but instead got off at West Philadelphia,
proposing to go first to his house to change his clothes and then to see
Mollenhauer before meeting Cowperwood. He was very badly frightened and
want