old iron
thing, his reason, which never forsook him. There was no further appeal
possible save to the United States Supreme Court, as Steger pointed out,
and there only on the constitutionality of some phase of the decision
and his rights as a citizen, of which the Supreme Court of the United
States must take cognizance. This was a tedious and expensive thing to
do. It was not exactly obvious at the moment on what point he could make
an appeal. It would involve a long delay--perhaps a year and a half,
perhaps longer, at the end of which period he might have to serve his
prison term anyhow, and pending which he would certainly have to undergo
incarceration for a time.

Cowperwood mused speculatively for a few moments after hearing Steger's
presentation of the case. Then he said: "Well, it looks as if I have to
go to jail or leave the country, and I've decided on jail. I can fight
this out right here in Philadelphia in the long run and win. I can get
that decision reversed in the Supreme Court, or I can get the Governor
to pardon me after a time, I think. I'm not going to run away, and
everybody knows I'm not. These people who think they have me down
haven't got one corner of me whipped. I'll get out of this thing after
a while, and when I do I'll show some of these petty little politicians
what it means to put up a real fight. They'll never get a damned dollar
out of me now--not a dollar! I did intend to pay that five hundred
thousand dollars some time if they had let me go. Now they can whistle!"

He set his teeth and his gray eyes fairly snapped their determination.

"Well, I've done all I can, Frank," pleaded Steger, sympathetically.
"You'll do me the justice to say that I put up the best fight I knew
how. I may not know how--you'll have to answer for that--but within my
limits I've done the best I can. I can do a few things more to carry
this thing on, if you want me to, but I'm going to leave it to you now.
Whatever you say goes."

"Don't talk nonsense at this stage, Harper," replied Cowperwood almost
testily. "I know whether I'm satisfied or not, and I'd soon tell you if
I wasn't. I think you might as well go on and see if you can find some
definite grounds for carrying it to the Supreme Court, but meanwhile
I'll begin my sentence. I suppose Payderson will be naming a day to have
me brought before him now shortly."

"It depends on how you'd like to have it, Frank. I could get a stay
of sentence for a week mayb