of. He knew by associating with
one political light and another just what the situation was. The
party, as the leaders saw it, had been put in a very bad position by
Cowperwood's subtlety. He had led Stener astray--more than an ordinary
city treasurer should have been led astray--and, although Stener was
primarily guilty as the original mover in the scheme, Cowperwood was
more so for having led him imaginatively to such disastrous lengths.
Besides, the party needed a scapegoat--that was enough for Payderson,
in the first place. Of course, after the election had been won, and it
appeared that the party had not suffered so much, he did not understand
quite why it was that Cowperwood was still so carefully included in the
Proceedings; but he had faith to believe that the leaders had some just
grounds for not letting him off. From one source and another he learned
that Butler had some private grudge against Cowperwood. What it was no
one seemed to know exactly. The general impression was that Cowperwood
had led Butler into some unwholesome financial transactions. Anyhow, it
was generally understood that for the good of the party, and in order to
teach a wholesome lesson to dangerous subordinates--it had been decided
to allow these several indictments to take their course. Cowperwood was
to be punished quite as severely as Stener for the moral effect on the
community. Stener was to be sentenced the maximum sentence for his crime
in order that the party and the courts should appear properly righteous.
Beyond that he was to be left to the mercy of the governor, who could
ease things up for him if he chose, and if the leaders wished. In the
silly mind of the general public the various judges of Quarter Sessions,
like girls incarcerated in boarding-schools, were supposed in their
serene aloofness from life not to know what was going on in the
subterranean realm of politics; but they knew well enough, and,
knowing particularly well from whence came their continued position and
authority, they were duly grateful.

Chapter XL

When Cowperwood came into the crowded courtroom with his father
and Steger, quite fresh and jaunty (looking the part of the shrewd
financier, the man of affairs), every one stared. It was really too
much to expect, most of them thought, that a man like this would be
convicted. He was, no doubt, guilty; but, also, no doubt, he had ways
and means of evading the law. His lawyer, Harper Steger, looked