They　stepped　apart　from　the　pandemonium；　to　discuss　ways　and　means。　Under　his　agreement　with　Stener；　Cowperwood　could　buy　up　to　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　of　city　loan；　above　the　customary　wash　sales；　or　market　manipulation；　by　which　they　were　making　money。　This　was　in　case　the　market　had　to　be　genuinely　supported。　　He　decided　to　buy　sixty　thousand　dollars　worth　now；　and　use　this　to　sustain　his　loans　elsewhere。　　Stener　would　pay　him　for　this　instantly；　giving　him　more　ready　cash。　　It　might　help　him　in　one　way　and　another；　and；　anyhow；　it　might　tend　to　strengthen　the　other　securities　long　enough　at　least　to　allow　him　to　realize　a　little　something　now　at　better　than　ruinous　rates。　　If　only　he　had　the　means　〃to　go　short〃　on　this　market！　If　only　doing　so　did　not　really　mean　ruin　to　his　present　position。　　It　was　characteristic　of　the　man　that　even　in　this　crisis　he　should　be　seeing　how　the　very　thing　that　of　necessity；　because　of　his　present　obligations；　might　ruin　him；　might　also；　under　slightly　different　conditions；　yield　him　a　great　harvest。　　He　could　not　take　advantage　of　it；　however。　　He　could　not　be　on　both　sides　of　this　market。　　It　was　either　〃bear〃　or　〃bull；〃　and　of　necessity　he　was　〃bull。〃　　It　was　strange　but　true。　　His　subtlety　could　not　avail　him　here。　　He　was　about　to　turn　and　hurry　to　see　a　certain　banker　who　might　loan　him　something　on　his　house；　when　the　gong　struck　again。　　Once　more　trading　ceased。　　Arthur　Rivers；　from　his　position　at　the　State　securities　post；　where　city　loan　was　sold；　and　where　he　had　started　to　buy　for　Cowperwood；　looked　significantly　at　him。　Newton　Targool　hurried　to　Cowperwood's　side。
  〃You're　up　against　it；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I　wouldn't　try　to　sell　against　this　market。　　It's　no　use。　　They're　cutting　the　ground　from　under　you。　　The　bottom's　out。　　Things　are　bound　to　turn　in　a　few　days。　　Can't　you　hold　out？　Here's　more　trouble。〃
  He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　announcer's　balcony。
  〃The　Eastern　and　Western　Fire　Insurance　Company　of　New　York　announces　that　it　cannot　meet　its　obligations。〃
  A　low　sound　something　like　〃Haw！〃　broke　forth。　　The　announcer's　gavel　struck　for　order。
  〃The　Erie　Fire　Insurance　Company　of　Rochester　announces　that　it　cannot　meet　its　obligations。〃
  Again　that　〃H…a…a…a…w！〃
  Once　more　the　gavel。
  〃The　American　Trust　Company　of　New　York　has　suspended　payment。〃
  〃H…a…a…a…w！〃
  The　storm　was　on。
  What　do　you　think？〃　asked　Targool。　　〃You　can't　brave　this　storm。　Can't　you　quit　selling　and　hold　out　for　a　few　days？　Why　not　sell　short？〃
  〃They　ought　to　close　this　thing　up；〃　Cowperwood　said；　shortly。　〃It　would　be　a　splendid　way　out。　　Then　nothing　could　be　done。〃
  He　hurried　to　consult　with　those　who；　finding　themselves　in　a　similar　predicament　with　himself；　might　use　their　influence　to　bring　it　about。　　It　was　a　sharp　trick　to　play　on　those　who；　now　finding　the　market　favorable　to　their　designs　in　its　falling　condition；　were　harvesting　a　fortune。　　But　what　was　that　to　him？　Business　was　business。　　There　was　no　use　selling　at　ruinous　figures；　and　he　gave　his　lieutenants　orders　to　stop。　　Unless　the　bankers　favored　him　heavily；　or　the　stock　exchange　was　closed；　or　Stener　could　be　induced　to　deposit　an　additional　three　hundred　thousand　with　him　at　once；　he　was　ruined。　　He　hurried　down　the　street　to　various　bankers　and　brokers　suggesting　that　they　do　thisclose　the　exchange。　　At　a　few　minutes　before　twelve　o'clock　he　drove　rapidly　to　the　station　to　meet　Stener；　but　to　his　great　disappointment　the　latter　did　not　arrive。　　It　looked　as　though　he　had　missed　his　train。　　Cowperwood　sensed　something；　some　trick；　and　decided　to　go　to　the　city　hall　and　also　to　Stener's　house。　　Perhaps　he　had　returned　and　was　trying　to　avoid　him。
  Not　finding　him　at　his　office；　he　drove　direct　to　his　house。　　Here　he　was　not　surprised　to　meet　Stener　just　coming　out；　looking　very　pale　and　distraught。　　At　the　sight　of　Cowperwood　he　actually　blanched。
  〃Why；　hello；　Frank；〃　he　exclaimed；　sheepishly；　〃where　do　you　come　from？〃
  〃What's　up；　George？〃　asked　Cowperwood。　　〃I　thought　you　were　coming　into　Broad　Street。〃
  〃So　I　was；〃　returned　Stener；　foolishly；　〃but　I　thought　I　would　get　off　at　West　Philadelphia　and　change　my　clothes。　　I've　a　lot　of　things　to　'tend　to　yet　this　afternoon。　　I　was　coming　in　to　see　you。〃　　After　Cowperwood's　urgent　telegram　this　was　silly；　but　the　young　banker　let　it　pass。
  〃Jump　in；　George；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　something　very　important　to　talk　to　you　about。　　I　told　you　in　my　telegram　about　the　likelihood　of　a　panic。　　It's　on。　　There　isn't　a　moment　to　lose。　　Stocks　are　'way　down；　and　most　of　my　loans　are　being　called。　　I　want　to　know　if　you　won't　let　me　have　three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars　for　a　few　days　at　four　or　five　per　cent。　　I'll　pay　it　all　back　to　you。　　I　need　it　very　badly。　　If　I　don't　get　it　I'm　likely　to　fail。　You　know　what　that　means；　George。　　It　will　tie　up　every　dollar　I　have。　　Those　street…car　holdings　of　yours　will　be　tied　up　with　me。　I　won't　be　able　to　let　you　realize　on　them；　and　that　will　put　those　loans　of　mine　from　the　treasury　in　bad　shape。　　You　won't　be　able　to　put　the　money　back；　and　you　know　what　that　means。　　We're　in　this　thing　together。　　I　want　to　see　you　through　safely；　but　I　can't　do　it　without　your　help。　　I　had　to　go　to　Butler　last　night　to　see　about　a　loan　of　his；　and　I'm　doing　my　best　to　get　money　from　other　sources。　　But　I　can't　see　my　way　through　on　this；　I'm　afraid；　unless　you're　willing　to　help　me。〃　　Cowperwood　paused。　　He　wanted　to　put　the　whole　case　clearly　and　succinctly　to　him　before　he　had　a　chance　to　refuseto　make　him　realize　it　as　his　own　predicament。
  As　a　matter　of　fact；　what　Cowperwood　had　keenly　suspected　was　literally　true。　　Stener　had　been　reached。　　The　moment　Butler　and　Simpson　had　left　him　the　night　before；　Mollenhauer　had　sent　for　his　very　able　secretary；　Abner　Sengstack；　and　despatched　him　to　learn　the　truth　about　Stener's　whereabouts。　　Sengstack　had　then　sent　a　long　wire　to　Strobik；　who　was　with　Stener；　urging　him　to　caution　the　latter　against　Cowperwood。　　The　state　of　the　treasury　was　known。　　Stener　and　Strobik　were　to　be　met　by　Sengstack　at　Wilmington　（this　to　forefend　against　the　possibility　of　Cowperwood's　reaching　Stener　first）and　the　whole　state　of　affairs　made　perfectly　plain。　　No　more　money　was　to　be　used　under　penalty　of　prosecution。　　If　Stener　wanted　to　see　any　one　he　must　see　Mollenhauer。　　Sengstack；　having　received　a　telegram　from　Strobik　informing　him　of　their　proposed　arrival　at　noon　the　next　day；　had　proceeded　to　Wilmington　to　meet　them。　　The　result　was　that　Stener　did　not　come　direct　into　the　business　heart　of　the　city；　but　instead　got　off　at　West　Philadelphia；　proposing　to　go　first　to　his　house　to　change　his　clothes　and　then　to　see　Mollenhauer　before　meeting　Cowperwood。　　He　was　very　badly　frightened　and　wanted　time　to　think。
  〃I　can't　do　it；　Frank；〃　he　pleaded；　piteously。　　〃I'm　in　pretty　bad　in　this　matter。　　Mollenhauer's　secretary　met　the　train　out　at　Wilmington　just　now　to　warn　me　against　this　situation；　and　Strobik　is　against　it。　　They　know　how　much　money　I've　got　outstanding。　You　or　somebody　has　told　them。　　I　can't　go　against　Mollenhauer。　I　owe　everything　I've　got　to　him；　in　a　way。　　He　got　me　this　place。〃
  〃Listen；　George。　　Whatever　you　do　at　this　time；　don't　let　this　political　loyalty　stuff　cloud　your　judgment。　　You're　in　a　very　serious　position　and　so　am　I。　　If　you　don't　act　for　yourself　with　me　now　no　one　is　going　to　act　for　younow　or　laterno　one。　　And　later　will　be　too　late。　　I　proved　that　last　night　when　I　went　to　Butler　to　get　help　for　the　two　of　us。　　They　all　know　about　this　business　of　our　street…railway　holdings　and　they　want　to　shake　us　out　and　that's　the　big　and　little　of　itnothing　more　and　nothing　less。　　It's　a　case　of　dog　eat　dog　in　this　game　and　this　particular　situation　and　it's　up　to　us　to　save　ourselves　against　everybody　or　go　down　together；　and　that's　just　what　I'm　here　to　tell　you。　Mollenhauer　doesn't　care　any　more　for　you　to…day　than　he　does　for　that　lamp…post。　　It　isn't　that　money　you've　paid　out　to　me　that's　worrying　him；　but　who's　getting　something　for　it　and　what。　　Well　they　know　that　you　and　I　are　getting　street…railways；　don't　you　see；　and　they　don't　want　us　to　have　them。　　Once　they　get　those　out　of　our　hands　they　won't　waste　another　day　on　you　or　me。　　Can't　you　see　that？　Once　we've　lost　all　we've　invested；　you're　down　and　so　am　Iand　no　one　is　going　to　turn　a　hand　for　you　or　me　politically　or　in　any　other　way。　　I　want　you　to　understand　that；　George；　because　it's　true。　　And　before　you　say　you　won't　or　you　will　do　anything　because　Mollenhauer　says　so；　you　want　to　think　over　what　I　have　to　tell　you。〃
  He　was　in　front　of　Stener　now；　looking　him　directly　in　the　eye　and　by　the　kinetic　force　of　his　mental　way　attempting　to　make　Stener　take　the　one　step　that　might　save　himCowperwoodhowever　little　in　the　long　run　it　might　do　for　Stener。　　And；　more　interesting　still；　he　did　not　care。　　Stener；　as　he　saw　him　now；　was　a　pawn　in　whosoever's　hands　he　happened　to　be　at　the　time；　and　despite　Mr。　Mollenhauer　and　Mr。　Simpson　and　Mr。　Butler　he　proposed　to　attempt　to　keep　him　in　his　own　hands　if　possible。　　And　so　he　stood　there　looking　at　him　as　might　a　snake　at　a　bird　determined　to　galvanize　h