earness with which he put the matter, and by
his assurance that they could continue their relations as before
uninterrupted, once this was settled, she decided to return. In a way,
her father's surrender was a great triumph. She made her farewells to
the Calligans, saying, with a smile, that they could not do without her
at home, and that she would send for her belongings later, and returned
with Cowperwood to his own door. There he asked her to wait in the
runabout while he sent her father down.

"Well?" said Butler, turning on him when he opened the door, and not
seeing Aileen.

"You'll find her outside in my runabout," observed Cowperwood. "You may
use that if you choose. I will send my man for it."

"No, thank you; we'll walk," said Butler.

Cowperwood called his servant to take charge of the vehicle, and Butler
stalked solemnly out.

He had to admit to himself that the influence of Cowperwood over his
daughter was deadly, and probably permanent. The best he could do would
be to keep her within the precincts of the home, where she might still,
possibly, be brought to her senses. He held a very guarded conversation
with her on his way home, for fear that she would take additional
offense. Argument was out of the question.

"Ye might have talked with me once more, Aileen," he said, "before ye
left. Yer mother would be in a terrible state if she knew ye were gone.
She doesn't know yet. Ye'll have to say ye stayed somewhere to dinner."

"I was at the Calligans," replied Aileen. "That's easy enough. Mama
won't think anything about it."

"It's a sore heart I have, Aileen. I hope ye'll think over your ways and
do better. I'll not say anythin' more now."

Aileen returned to her room, decidedly triumphant in her mood for the
moment, and things went on apparently in the Butler household as before.
But those who imagine that this defeat permanently altered the attitude
of Butler toward Cowperwood are mistaken.

In the meanwhile between the day of his temporary release and the
hearing of his appeal which was two months off, Cowperwood was going on
doing his best to repair his shattered forces. He took up his work
where he left off; but the possibility of reorganizing his business
was distinctly modified since his conviction. Because of his action in
trying to protect his largest creditors at the time of his failure, he
fancied that once he was free again, if ever he got free, his credit,
other things being equal, wo