ars. If there were any
possible way in which we could help to tide you over the difficulties at
this time, we would be glad to do so, but as a banker yourself you must
realize just how impossible that would be. Everything is in a turmoil.
If things were settled--if we knew how soon this would blow over--" He
paused, for he felt that he could not go on and say that he or the bank
was sorry to be forced to lose Mr. Cowperwood in this way at present.
Mr. Cowperwood himself would have to speak.

During all this Cowperwood, Sr., had been doing his best to pull himself
together in order to be able to speak at all. He had gotten out a
large white linen handkerchief and blown his nose, and had straightened
himself in his chair, and laid his hands rather peacefully on his desk.
Still he was intensely wrought up.

"I can't stand this!" he suddenly exclaimed. "I wish you would leave me
alone now."

Kasson, very carefully dressed and manicured, arose and walked out of
the room for a few moments. He appreciated keenly the intensity of the
strain he had just witnessed. The moment the door was closed Cowperwood
put his head in his hands and shook convulsively. "I never thought I'd
come to this," he muttered. "I never thought it." Then he wiped away his
salty hot tears, and went to the window to look out and to think of what
else to do from now on.

Chapter XXXV

As time went on Butler grew more and more puzzled and restive as to his
duty in regard to his daughter. He was sure by her furtive manner and
her apparent desire to avoid him, that she was still in touch with
Cowperwood in some way, and that this would bring about a social
disaster of some kind. He thought once of going to Mrs. Cowperwood and
having her bring pressure to bear on her husband, but afterwards he
decided that that would not do. He was not really positive as yet that
Aileen was secretly meeting Cowperwood, and, besides, Mrs. Cowperwood
might not know of her husband's duplicity. He thought also of going to
Cowperwood personally and threatening him, but that would be a severe
measure, and again, as in the other case, he lacked proof. He hesitated
to appeal to a detective agency, and he did not care to take the other
members of the family into his confidence. He did go out and scan the
neighborhood of 931 North Tenth Street once, looking at the house;
but that helped him little. The place was for rent, Cowperwood having
already abandoned his connection