I can't understand it, George. You're out of your mind.
You're going to rue this the longest day that you live."

He waited a few moments to see if this, by any twist of chance, would
have any effect; then, noting that Stener still remained a wilted,
helpless mass of nothing, he shook his head gloomily and walked out.

It was the first time in his life that Cowperwood had ever shown the
least sign of weakening or despair. He had felt all along as though
there were nothing to the Greek theory of being pursued by the furies.
Now, however, there seemed an untoward fate which was pursuing him.
It looked that way. Still, fate or no fate, he did not propose to be
daunted. Even in this very beginning of a tendency to feel despondent he
threw back his head, expanded his chest, and walked as briskly as ever.

In the large room outside Stener's private office he encountered Albert
Stires, Stener's chief clerk and secretary. He and Albert had exchanged
many friendly greetings in times past, and all the little minor
transactions in regard to city loan had been discussed between them, for
Albert knew more of the intricacies of finance and financial bookkeeping
than Stener would ever know.

At the sight of Stires the thought in regard to the sixty thousand
dollars' worth of city loan certificates, previously referred to,
flashed suddenly through his mind. He had not deposited them in the
sinking-fund, and did not intend to for the present--could not, unless
considerable free money were to reach him shortly--for he had used them
to satisfy other pressing demands, and had no free money to buy them
back--or, in other words, release them. And he did not want to just at
this moment. Under the law governing transactions of this kind with the
city treasurer, he was supposed to deposit them at once to the credit of
the city, and not to draw his pay therefor from the city treasurer until
he had. To be very exact, the city treasurer, under the law, was not
supposed to pay him for any transaction of this kind until he or his
agents presented a voucher from the bank or other organization carrying
the sinking-fund for the city showing that the certificates so purchased
had actually been deposited there. As a matter of fact, under the custom
which had grown up between him and Stener, the law had long been
ignored in this respect. He could buy certificates of city loan for
the sinking-fund up to any reasonable amount, hypothecate them where he