ed time to think.

"I can't do it, Frank," he pleaded, piteously. "I'm in pretty bad in
this matter. Mollenhauer's secretary met the train out at Wilmington
just now to warn me against this situation, and Strobik is against it.
They know how much money I've got outstanding. You or somebody has told
them. I can't go against Mollenhauer. I owe everything I've got to him,
in a way. He got me this place."

"Listen, George. Whatever you do at this time, don't let this political
loyalty stuff cloud your judgment. You're in a very serious position and
so am I. If you don't act for yourself with me now no one is going to
act for you--now or later--no one. And later will be too late. I proved
that last night when I went to Butler to get help for the two of us.
They all know about this business of our street-railway holdings and
they want to shake us out and that's the big and little of it--nothing
more and nothing less. It's a case of dog eat dog in this game and
this particular situation and it's up to us to save ourselves against
everybody or go down together, and that's just what I'm here to tell
you. Mollenhauer doesn't care any more for you to-day than he does
for that lamp-post. It isn't that money you've paid out to me that's
worrying him, but who's getting something for it and what. Well they
know that you and I are getting street-railways, don't you see, and they
don't want us to have them. Once they get those out of our hands they
won't waste another day on you or me. Can't you see that? Once we've
lost all we've invested, you're down and so am I--and no one is going to
turn a hand for you or me politically or in any other way. I want you to
understand that, George, because it's true. And before you say you won't
or you will do anything because Mollenhauer says so, you want to think
over what I have to tell you."

He was in front of Stener now, looking him directly in the eye and by
the kinetic force of his mental way attempting to make Stener take the
one step that might save him--Cowperwood--however little in the long run
it might do for Stener. And, more interesting still, he did not care.
Stener, as he saw him now, was a pawn in whosoever's hands he happened
to be at the time, and despite Mr. Mollenhauer and Mr. Simpson and Mr.
Butler he proposed to attempt to keep him in his own hands if possible.
And so he stood there looking at him as might a snake at a bird
determined to galvanize him into selfish self-intere