only I would want a little more time. Stocks are
bound to recover, as you know, and, barring my losses at this time,
I will be all right. I realize that the matter has gone pretty far
already. The newspapers are likely to start talking at any time,
unless they are stopped by those who can control them." (He looked at
Mollenhauer in a complimentary way.) "But if I could be kept out of
the general proceedings as much as possible, my standing would not be
injured, and I would have a better chance of getting on my feet. It
would be better for the city, for then I could certainly pay it what I
owe it." He smiled his most winsome and engaging smile. And Mollenhauer
seeing him for the first time, was not unimpressed. Indeed he looked at
this young financial David with an interested eye. If he could have
seen a way to accept this proposition of Cowperwood's, so that the money
offered would have been eventually payable to him, and if Cowperwood had
had any reasonable prospect of getting on his feet soon, he would have
considered carefully what he had to say. For then Cowperwood could
have assigned his recovered property to him. As it was, there was small
likelihood of this situation ever being straightened out. The Citizens'
Municipal Reform Association, from all he could hear, was already on the
move--investigating, or about to, and once they had set their hands to
this, would unquestionably follow it closely to the end.

"The trouble with this situation, Mr. Cowperwood," he said, affably, "is
that it has gone so far that it is practically out of my hands. I really
have very little to do with it. I don't suppose, though, really, it is
this matter of the five-hundred-thousand-dollar loan that is worrying
you so much, as it is this other matter of the sixty-thousand-dollar
check you received the other day. Mr. Stener insists that you secured
that illegally, and he is very much wrought up about it. The mayor and
the other city officials know of it now, and they may force some action.
I don't know."

Mollenhauer was obviously not frank in his attitude--a little bit
evasive in his sly reference to his official tool, the mayor; and
Cowperwood saw it. It irritated him greatly, but he was tactful enough
to be quite suave and respectful.

"I did get a check for sixty thousand dollars, that's true," he
replied, with apparent frankness, "the day before I assigned. It was for
certificates I had purchased, however, on Mr. Stener's order,