architecture of ancient Egypt--which served as the city hall
and county court-house combined. On this evening the four streets
surrounding it were packed with thousands of people. To this throng
Cowperwood has become an astounding figure: his wealth fabulous, his
heart iron, his intentions sinister--the acme of cruel, plotting
deviltry. Only this day, the Chronicle, calculating well the hour and
the occasion, has completely covered one of its pages with an intimate,
though exaggerated, description of Cowperwood's house in New York: his
court of orchids, his sunrise room, the baths of pink and blue
alabaster, the finishings of marble and intaglio. Here Cowperwood was
represented as seated in a swinging divan, his various books, art
treasures, and comforts piled about him. The idea was vaguely
suggested that in his sybaritic hours odalesques danced before him and
unnamable indulgences and excesses were perpetrated.

At this same hour in the council-chamber itself were assembling as
hungry and bold a company of gray wolves as was ever gathered under one
roof. The room was large, ornamented to the south by tall windows, its
ceiling supporting a heavy, intricate chandelier, its sixty-six
aldermanic desks arranged in half-circles, one behind the other; its
woodwork of black oak carved and highly polished; its walls a dark
blue-gray decorated with arabesques in gold--thus giving to all
proceedings an air of dignity and stateliness. Above the speaker's
head was an immense portrait in oil of a former mayor--poorly done,
dusty, and yet impressive. The size and character of the place gave on
ordinary occasions a sort of resonance to the voices of the speakers.
To-night through the closed windows could be heard the sound of distant
drums and marching feet. In the hall outside the council door were
packed at least a thousand men with ropes, sticks, a fife-and-drum
corps which occasionally struck up "Hail! Columbia, Happy Land," "My
Country, 'Tis of Thee," and "Dixie." Alderman Schlumbohm, heckled to
within an inch of his life, followed to the council door by three
hundred of his fellow-citizens, was there left with the admonition that
they would be waiting for him when he should make his exit. He was at
last seriously impressed.

"What is this?" he asked of his neighbor and nearest associate,
Alderman Gavegan, when he gained the safety of his seat. "A free
country?"

"Search me!" replied his compatriot, wearily. "I ne