ed before the storm
broke. If Cowperwood failed, and Stener was short in his accounts,
the whole budget might be investigated, and then their loans would be
brought to light. The thing to do was to return what they owed, and
then, at least, no charge of malfeasance would lie against them.

"Go to Mollenhauer," Strobik had advised Stener, shortly after
Cowperwood had left the latter's office, "and tell him the whole story.
He put you here. He was strong for your nomination. Tell him just where
you stand and ask him what to do. He'll probably be able to tell you.
Offer him your holdings to help you out. You have to. You can't help
yourself. Don't loan Cowperwood another damned dollar, whatever you
do. He's got you in so deep now you can hardly hope to get out. Ask
Mollenhauer if he won't help you to get Cowperwood to put that money
back. He may be able to influence him."

There was more in this conversation to the same effect, and then Stener
hurried as fast as his legs could carry him to Mollenhauer's office. He
was so frightened that he could scarcely breathe, and he was quite ready
to throw himself on his knees before the big German-American financier
and leader. Oh, if Mr. Mollenhauer would only help him! If he could just
get out of this without going to jail!

"Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!" he repeated, over and over to himself,
as he walked. "What shall I do?"

The attitude of Henry A. Mollenhauer, grim, political boss that he
was--trained in a hard school--was precisely the attitude of every such
man in all such trying circumstances.

He was wondering, in view of what Butler had told him, just how much he
could advantage himself in this situation. If he could, he wanted to get
control of whatever street-railway stock Stener now had, without in any
way compromising himself. Stener's shares could easily be transferred on
'change through Mollenhauer's brokers to a dummy, who would eventually
transfer them to himself (Mollenhauer). Stener must be squeezed
thoroughly, though, this afternoon, and as for his five hundred thousand
dollars' indebtedness to the treasury, Mollenhauer did not see what
could be done about that. If Cowperwood could not pay it, the city would
have to lose it; but the scandal must be hushed up until after election.
Stener, unless the various party leaders had more generosity than
Mollenhauer imagined, would have to suffer exposure, arrest, trial,
confiscation of his property, and possibly se