y　one；　most　of　all　to　the　Machiavellian　counsel　of　Cowperwood；　Sengstack　left。
  Needless　to　say；　Mollenhauer　was　greatly　gratified　by　this　turn　of　affairs。　　Cowperwood　was　now　most　likely　in　a　position　where　he　would　have　to　come　and　see　him；　or　if　not；　a　good　share　of　the　properties　he　controlled　were　already　in　Mollenhauer's　possession。　If　by　some　hook　or　crook　he　could　secure　the　remainder；　Simpson　and　Butler　might　well　talk　to　him　about　this　street…railway　business。　His　holdings　were　now　as　large　as　any；　if　not　quite　the　largest。
  Chapter　XXVIII
  It　was　in　the　face　of　this　very　altered　situation　that　Cowperwood　arrived　at　Stener's　office　late　this　Monday　afternoon。
  Stener　was　quite　alone；　worried　and　distraught。　　He　was　anxious　to　see　Cowperwood；　and　at　the　same　time　afraid。
  〃George；〃　began　Cowperwood；　briskly；　on　seeing　him；　〃I　haven't　much　time　to　spare　now；　but　I've　come；　finally；　to　tell　you　that　you'll　have　to　let　me　have　three　hundred　thousand　more　if　you　don't　want　me　to　fail。　　Things　are　looking　very　bad　today。　　They've　caught　me　in　a　corner　on　my　loans；　but　this　storm　isn't　going　to　last。　　You　can　see　by　the　very　character　of　it　that　it　can't。〃
  He　was　looking　at　Stener's　face；　and　seeing　fear　and　a　pained　and　yet　very　definite　necessity　for　opposition　written　there。　　〃Chicago　is　burning；　but　it　will　be　built　up　again。　　Business　will　be　all　the　better　for　it　later　on。　　Now；　I　want　you　to　be　reasonable　and　help　me。　　Don't　get　frightened。〃
  Stener　stirred　uneasily。　　〃Don't　let　these　politicians　scare　you　to　death。　　It　will　all　blow　over　in　a　few　days；　and　then　we'll　be　better　off　than　ever。　　Did　you　see　Mollenhauer？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃Well；　what　did　he　have　to　say？〃
  〃He　said　just　what　I　thought　he'd　say。　　He　won't　let　me　do　this。　I　can't；　Frank；　I　tell　you！〃　exclaimed　Stener；　jumping　up。　　He　was　so　nervous　that　he　had　had　a　hard　time　keeping　his　seat　during　this　short；　direct　conversation。　　〃I　can't！　They've　got　me　in　a　corner！　They're　after　me！　They　all　know　what　we've　been　doing。　　Oh；　say；　Frank〃he　threw　up　his　arms　wildly〃you've　got　to　get　me　out　of　this。　　You've　got　to　let　me　have　that　five　hundred　thousand　back　and　get　me　out　of　this。　　If　you　don't；　and　you　should　fail；　they'll　send　me　to　the　penitentiary。　　I've　got　a　wife　and　four　children；　Frank。　　I　can't　go　on　in　this。　　It's　too　big　for　me。　　I　never　should　have　gone　in　on　it　in　the　first　place。　　I　never　would　have　if　you　hadn't　persuaded　me；　in　a　way。　　I　never　thought　when　I　began　that　I　would　ever　get　in　as　bad　as　all　this。　　I　can't　go　on；　Frank。　I　can't！　I'm　willing　you　should　have　all　my　stock。　　Only　give　me　back　that　five　hundred　thousand；　and　we'll　call　it　even。〃　　His　voice　rose　nervously　as　he　talked；　and　he　wiped　his　wet　forehead　with　his　hand　and　stared　at　Cowperwood　pleadingly；　foolishly。
  Cowperwood　stared　at　him　in　return　for　a　few　moments　with　a　cold；　fishy　eye。　　He　knew　a　great　deal　about　human　nature；　and　he　was　ready　for　and　expectant　of　any　queer　shift　in　an　individual's　attitude；　particularly　in　time　of　panic；　but　this　shift　of　Stener's　was　quite　too　much。　　〃Whom　else　have　you　been　talking　to；　George；　since　I　saw　you？　Whom　have　you　seen？　What　did　Sengstack　have　to　say？〃
  〃He　says　just　what　Mollenhauer　does；　that　I　mustn't　loan　any　more　money　under　any　circumstances；　and　he　says　I　ought　to　get　that　five　hundred　thousand　back　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
  〃And　you　think　Mollenhauer　wants　to　help　you；　do　you？〃　inquired　Cowperwood；　finding　it　hard　to　efface　the　contempt　which　kept　forcing　itself　into　his　voice。
  〃I　think　he　does；　yes。　　I　don't　know　who　else　will；　Frank；　if　he　don't。　　He's　one　of　the　big　political　forces　in　this　town。〃
  〃Listen　to　me；〃　began　Cowperwood；　eyeing　him　fixedly。　　Then　he　paused。　　〃What　did　he　say　you　should　do　about　your　holdings？〃
  〃Sell　them　through　Tighe　&　Company　and　put　the　money　back　in　the　treasury；　if　you　won't　take　them。〃
  〃Sell　them　to　whom？〃　asked　Cowperwood；　thinking　of　Stener's　last　words。
  〃To　any　one　on　'change　who'll　take　them；　I　suppose。　　I　don't　know。〃
  〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Cowperwood；　comprehendingly。　　〃I　might　have　known　as　much。　　They're　working　you；　George。　　They're　simply　trying　to　get　your　stocks　away　from　you。　　Mollenhauer　is　leading　you　on。　He　knows　I　can't　do　what　you　wantgive　you　back　the　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。　　He　wants　you　to　throw　your　stocks　on　the　market　so　that　he　can　pick　them　up。　　Depend　on　it；　that's　all　arranged　for　already。　　When　you　do；　he's　got　me　in　his　clutches；　or　he　thinks　he　hashe　and　Butler　and　Simpson。　　They　want　to　get　together　on　this　local　street…railway　situation；　and　I　know　it；　I　feel　it。　I've　felt　it　coming　all　along。　　Mollenhauer　hasn't　any　more　intention　of　helping　you　than　he　has　of　flying。　　Once　you've　sold　your　stocks　he's　through　with　youmark　my　word。　　Do　you　think　he'll　turn　a　hand　to　keep　you　out　of　the　penitentiary　once　you're　out　of　this　street…railway　situation？　He　will　not。　　And　if　you　think　so；　you're　a　bigger　fool　than　I　take　you　to　be；　George。　　Don't　go　crazy。　Don't　lose　your　head。　　Be　sensible。　　Look　the　situation　in　the　face。　　Let　me　explain　it　to　you。　　If　you　don't　help　me　nowif　you　don't　let　me　have　three　hundred　thousand　dollars　by　to…morrow　noon；　at　the　very　latest；　I'm　through；　and　so　are　you。　　There　is　not　a　thing　the　matter　with　our　situation。　　Those　stocks　of　ours　are　as　good　to…day　as　they　ever　were。　　Why；　great　heavens；　man；　the　railways　are　there　behind　them。　　They're　paying。　　The　Seventeenth　and　Nineteenth　Street　line　is　earning　one　thousand　dollars　a　day　right　now。　　What　better　evidence　do　you　want　than　that？　Green　&　Coates　is　earning　five　hundred　dollars。　　You're　frightened；　George。　These　damned　political　schemers　have　scared　you。　　Why；　you've　as　good　a　right　to　loan　that　money　as　Bode　and　Murtagh　had　before　you。　They　did　it。　　You've　been　doing　it　for　Mollenhauer　and　the　others；　only　so　long　as　you　do　it　for　them　it's　all　right。　　What's　a　designated　city　depository　but　a　loan？〃
  Cowperwood　was　referring　to　the　system　under　which　certain　portions　of　city　money；　like　the　sinking…fund；　were　permitted　to　be　kept　in　certain　banks　at　a　low　rate　of　interest　or　no　ratebanks　in　which　Mollenhauer　and　Butler　and　Simpson　were　interested。　　This　was　their　safe　graft。
  〃Don't　throw　your　chances　away；　George。　　Don't　quit　now。　　You'll　be　worth　millions　in　a　few　years；　and　you　won't　have　to　turn　a　hand。　All　you　will　have　to　do　will　be　to　keep　what　you　have。　　If　you　don't　help　me；　mark　my　word；　they'll　throw　you　over　the　moment　I'm　out　of　this；　and　they'll　let　you　go　to　the　penitentiary。　　Who's　going　to　put　up　five　hundred　thousand　dollars　for　you；　George？　Where　is　Mollenhauer　going　to　get　it；　or　Butler；　or　anybody；　in　these　times？　They　can't。　　They　don't　intend　to。　　When　I'm　through；　you're　through；　and　you'll　be　exposed　quicker　than　any　one　else。　　They　can't　hurt　me；　George。　　I'm　an　agent。　　I　didn't　ask　you　to　come　to　me。　　You　came　to　me　in　the　first　place　of　your　own　accord。　　If　you　don't　help　me；　you're　through；　I　tell　you；　and　you're　going　to　be　sent　to　the　penitentiary　as　sure　as　there　are　jails。　　Why　don't　you　take　a　stand；　George？　Why　don't　you　stand　your　ground？　You　have　your　wife　and　children　to　look　after。　　You　can't　be　any　worse　off　loaning　me　three　hundred　thousand　more　than　you　are　right　now。　　What　difference　does　it　makefive　hundred　thousand　or　eight　hundred　thousand？　It's　all　one　and　the　same　thing；　if　you're　going　to　be　tried　for　it。　　Besides；　if　you　loan　me　this；　there　isn't　going　to　be　any　trial。　　I'm　not　going　to　fail。　　This　storm　will　blow　over　in　a　week　or　ten　days；　and　we'll　be　rich　again。　　For　Heaven's　sake；　George；　don't　go　to　pieces　this　way！　Be　sensible！　Be　reasonable！〃
  He　paused；　for　Stener's　face　had　become　a　jelly…like　mass　of　woe。
  〃I　can't；　Frank；〃　he　wailed。　　〃I　tell　you　I　can't。　　They'll　punish　me　worse　than　ever　if　I　do　that。　　They'll　never　let　up　on　me。　　You　don't　know　these　people。〃
  In　Stener's　crumpling　weakness　Cowperwood　read　his　own　fate。　　What　could　you　do　with　a　man　like　that？　How　brace　him　up？　You　couldn't！　And　with　a　gesture　of　infinite　understanding；　disgust；　noble　indifference；　he　threw　up　his　hands　and　started　to　walk　out。　　At　the　door　he　turned。
  〃George；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　sorry。　　I'm　sorry　for　you；　not　for　myself。　I'll　come　out　of　things　all　right；　eventually。　　I'll　be　rich。　　But；　George；　you're　making　the　one　great　mistake　of　your　life。　　You'll　be　poor；　you'll　be　a　convict；　and　you'll　have　only　yourself　to　blame。　　There　isn't　a　thing　the　matter　with　this　money　situation　except　the　fire。　　There　isn't　a　thing　wrong　with　my　affairs　except　this　slump　in　stocksthis　panic。　　You　sit　there；　a　fortune　in　your　hands；　and　you　allow　a　lot　of　schemers；　highbinders；　who　don't　know　any　more　of　your　affairs　or　mine　than　a　rabbit；　and　who　haven't　any　interest　in　you　except　to　plan　what　they　can　get　out　of　you；　to　frighten　you　and　prevent　you　from　doing　the　one　thing　that　will　save　your　life。　　Three　hundred　thousand　paltry　dollars　that　in　three　or　four　weeks　from　now　I　can　pay　back　to　you　four　and　five　times　over；　and　for　that　you　will　see　me　go　broke　and　yourself　to　the　penitentiary。　　I　can't　understand　it；　George。　　You're　out　of　your　mind。　　You're　going　to　rue　this　the　l