t she went on forcefully, paying no heed to him.

"Oh, yes, it is, too, honey. I know. Oh, my poor Frank! But I'll see
you. I know how to manage, whatever happens. How often do they let
visitors come out to see the prisoners there?"

"Only once in three months, pet, so they say, but I think we can fix
that after I get there; only do you think you had better try to come
right away, Aileen? You know what the feeling now is. Hadn't you better
wait a while? Aren't you in danger of stirring up your father? He might
cause a lot of trouble out there if he were so minded."

"Only once in three months!" she exclaimed, with rising emphasis, as
he began this explanation. "Oh, Frank, no! Surely not! Once in three
months! Oh, I can't stand that! I won't! I'll go and see the warden
myself. He'll let me see you. I'm sure he will, if I talk to him."

She fairly gasped in her excitement, not willing to pause in her tirade,
but Cowperwood interposed with her, "You're not thinking what you're
saying, Aileen. You're not thinking. Remember your father! Remember your
family! Your father may know the warden out there. You don't want it to
get all over town that you're running out there to see me, do you? Your
father might cause you trouble. Besides you don't know the small party
politicians as I do. They gossip like a lot of old women. You'll have to
be very careful what you do and how you do it. I don't want to lose you.
I want to see you. But you'll have to mind what you're doing. Don't try
to see me at once. I want you to, but I want to find out how the land
lies, and I want you to find out too. You won't lose me. I'll be there,
well enough."

He paused as he thought of the long tier of iron cells which must be
there, one of which would be his--for how long?--and of Aileen seeing
him through the door of it or in it. At the same time he was thinking,
in spite of all his other calculations, how charming she was looking
to-day. How young she kept, and how forceful! While he was nearing his
full maturity she was a comparatively young girl, and as beautiful as
ever. She was wearing a black-and-white-striped silk in the curious
bustle style of the times, and a set of sealskin furs, including a
little sealskin cap set jauntily on top her red-gold hair.

"I know, I know," replied Aileen, firmly. "But think of three months!
Honey, I can't! I won't! It's nonsense. Three months! I know that
my father wouldn't have to wait any three months if he