spite their faces. These stock and bond issues are
perfectly good investments, and no one knows it better than you do.
All this hue and cry in the newspapers against Cowperwood doesn't
amount to anything. He's perfectly solvent. Chicago is growing. His
lines are becoming more valuable every year."

"I know that," replied Simmons. "But what about this talk of a rival
elevated system? Won't that injure his lines for the time being,
anyhow, if it comes into the field?"

"If I know anything about Cowperwood," replied Addison, simply, "there
isn't going to be any rival elevated road. It's true they got the city
council to give them a franchise for one line on the South Side; but
that's out of his territory, anyhow, and that other one to the Chicago
General Company doesn't amount to anything. It will be years and years
before it can be made to pay a dollar, and when the time comes he will
probably take it over if he wants it. Another election will be held in
two years, and then the city administration may not be so unfavorable.
As it is, they haven't been able to hurt him through the council as
much as they thought they would."

"Yes; but he lost the election."

"True; but it doesn't follow he's going to lose the next one, or every
one."

"Just the same," replied Simmons, very secretively, "I understand
there's a concerted effort on to drive him out. Schryhart, Hand,
Merrill, Arneel--they're the most powerful men we have. I understand
Hand says that he'll never get his franchises renewed except on terms
that'll make his lines unprofitable. There's going to be an awful
smash here one of these days if that's true." Mr. Simmons looked very
wise and solemn.

"Never believe it," replied Addison, contemptuously. "Hand isn't
Chicago, neither is Schryhart, nor Arneel. Cowperwood is a brainy man.
He isn't going to be put under so easily. Did you ever hear what was
the real bottom cause of all this disturbance?"

"Yes, I've heard," replied Simmons.

"Do you believe it?"

"Oh, I don't know. Yes, I suppose I do. Still, I don't know that that
need have anything to do with it. Money envy is enough to make any man
fight. This man Hand is very powerful."

Not long after this Cowperwood, strolling into the president's office
of the Chicago Trust Company, inquired: "Well, Judah, how about those
Northwestern 'L' bonds?"

"It's just as I thought, Frank," replied Addison, softly. "We'll have
to go outside of Chic