e　was　no　chance　for　any　clear；　purifying　sunlight　here。　Cleanliness　depended　entirely　on　whitewash；　soap　and　water　and　sweeping；　which　in　turn　depended　on　the　prisoners　themselves。
  He　also　took　in　Chapin；　the　homely；　good…natured；　cell　overseer　whom　he　now　saw　for　the　first　timea　large；　heavy；　lumbering　man；　rather　dusty　and　misshapen…looking；　whose　uniform　did　not　fit　him　well；　and　whose　manner　of　standing　made　him　look　as　though　he　would　much　prefer　to　sit　down。　　He　was　obviously　bulky；　but　not　strong；　and　his　kindly　face　was　covered　with　a　short　growth　of　grayish…brown　whiskers。　　His　hair　was　cut　badly　and　stuck　out　in　odd　strings　or　wisps　from　underneath　his　big　cap。　　Nevertheless；　Cowperwood　was　not　at　all　unfavorably　impressedquite　the　contraryand　he　felt　at　once　that　this　man　might　be　more　considerate　of　him　than　the　others　had　been。　　He　hoped　so；　anyhow。　　He　did　not　know　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　the　overseer　of　the　〃manners　squad；〃　who　would　have　him　in　charge　for　two　weeks　only；　instructing　him　in　the　rules　of　the　prison；　and　that　he　was　only　one　of　twenty…six；　all　told；　who　were　in　Chapin's　care。
  That　worthy；　by　way　of　easy　introduction；　now　went　over　to　the　bed　and　seated　himself　on　it。　　He　pointed　to　the　hard　wooden　chair；　which　Cowperwood　drew　out　and　sat　on。
  〃Well；　now　you're　here；　hain't　yuh？〃　he　asked；　and　answered　himself　quite　genially；　for　he　was　an　unlettered　man；　generously　disposed；　of　long　experience　with　criminals；　and　inclined　to　deal　kindly　with　kindly　temperament　and　a　form　of　religious　beliefQuakerismhad　inclined　him　to　be　merciful；　and　yet　his　official　duties；　as　Cowperwood　later　found　out；　seemed　to　have　led　him　to　the　conclusion　that　most　criminals　were　innately　bad。　　Like　Kendall；　he　regarded　them　as　weaklings　and　ne'er…do…wells　with　evil　streaks　in　them；　and　in　the　main　he　was　not　mistaken。　　Yet　he　could　not　help　being　what　he　was；　a　fatherly；　kindly　old　man；　having　faith　in　those　shibboleths　of　the　weak　and　inexperienced　mentallyhuman　justice　and　human　decency。
  〃Yes；　I'm　here；　Mr。　Chapin；〃　Cowperwood　replied；　simply；　remembering　his　name　from　the　attendant；　and　flattering　the　keeper　by　the　use　of　it。
  To　old　Chapin　the　situation　was　more　or　less　puzzling。　　This　was　the　famous　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　whom　he　had　read　about；　the　noted　banker　and　treasury…looter。　　He　and　his　co…partner　in　crime；　Stener；　were　destined　to　serve；　as　he　had　read；　comparatively　long　terms　here。　　Five　hundred　thousand　dollars　was　a　large　sum　of　money　in　those　days；　much　more　than　five　million　would　have　been　forty　years　later。　　He　was　awed　by　the　thought　of　what　had　become　of　ithow　Cowperwood　managed　to　do　all　the　things　the　papers　had　said　he　had　done。　　He　had　a　little　formula　of　questions　which　he　usually　went　through　with　each　new　prisonerasking　him　if　he　was　sorry　now　for　the　crime　he　had　committed；　if　he　meant　to　do　better　with　a　new　chance；　if　his　father　and　mother　were　alive；　etc。；　and　by　the　manner　in　which　they　answered　these　questionssimply；　regretfully；　defiantly；　or　otherwisehe　judged　whether　they　were　being　adequately　punished　or　not。　　Yet　he　could　not　talk　to　Cowperwood　as　he　now　saw　or　as　he　would　to　the　average　second…story　burglar；　store…looter；　pickpocket；　and　plain　cheap　thief　and　swindler。　　And　yet　he　scarcely　knew　how　else　to　talk。
  〃Well；　now；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　don't　suppose　you　ever　thought　you'd　get　to　a　place　like　this；　did　you；　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃
  〃I　never　did；〃　replied　Frank；　simply。　　〃I　wouldn't　have　believed　it　a　few　months　ago；　Mr。　Chapin。　　I　don't　think　I　deserve　to　be　here　now；　though　of　course　there　is　no　use　of　my　telling　you　that。〃
  He　saw　that　old　Chapin　wanted　to　moralize　a　little；　and　he　was　only　too　glad　to　fall　in　with　his　mood。　　He　would　soon　be　alone　with　no　one　to　talk　to　perhaps；　and　if　a　sympathetic　understanding　could　be　reached　with　this　man　now；　so　much　the　better。　　Any　port　in　a　storm；　any　straw　to　a　drowning　man。
  〃Well；　no　doubt　all　of　us　makes　mistakes；〃　continued　Mr。　Chapin；　superiorly；　with　an　amusing　faith　in　his　own　value　as　a　moral　guide　and　reformer。　　〃We　can't　just　always　tell　how　the　plans　we　think　so　fine　are　coming　out；　can　we？　You're　here　now；　an'　I　suppose　you're　sorry　certain　things　didn't　come　out　just　as　you　thought；　but　if　you　had　a　chance　I　don't　suppose　you'd　try　to　do　just　as　you　did　before；　now　would　yuh？〃
  〃No；　Mr。　Chapin；　I　wouldn't；　exactly；〃　said　Cowperwood；　truly　enough；　〃though　I　believed　I　was　right　in　everything　I　did。　　I　don't　think　legal　justice　has　really　been　done　me。〃
  〃Well；　that's　the　way；〃　continued　Chapin；　meditatively；　scratching　his　grizzled　head　and　looking　genially　about。　　〃Sometimes；　as　I　allers　says　to　some　of　these　here　young　fellers　that　comes　in　here；　we　don't　know　as　much　as　we　thinks　we　does。　　We　forget　that　others　are　just　as　smart　as　we　are；　and　that　there　are　allers　people　that　are　watchin'　us　all　the　time。　　These　here　courts　and　jails　and　detectivesthey're　here　all　the　time；　and　they　get　us。　　I　gad〃　Chapin's　moral　version　of　〃by　God〃〃they　do；　if　we　don't　behave。〃
  〃Yes；〃　Cowperwood　replied；　〃that's　true　enough；　Mr。　Chapin。〃
  〃Well；〃　continued　the　old　man　after　a　time；　after　he　had　made　a　few　more　solemn；　owl…like；　and　yet　well…intentioned　remarks；　〃now　here's　your　bed；　and　there's　your　chair；　and　there's　your　wash…stand；　and　there's　your　water…closet。　　Now　keep　'em　all　clean　and　use　'em　right。〃　　（You　would　have　thought　he　was　making　Cowperwood　a　present　of　a　fortune。）　　〃You're　the　one's　got　to　make　up　your　bed　every　mornin'　and　keep　your　floor　swept　and　your　toilet　flushed　and　your　cell　clean。　　There　hain't　anybody　here'll　do　that　for　yuh。　　You　want　to　do　all　them　things　the　first　thing　in　the　mornin'　when　you　get　up；　and　afterward　you'll　get　sumpin'　to　eat；　about　six…thirty。　You're　supposed　to　get　up　at　five…thirty。〃
  〃Yes；　Mr。　Chapin；〃　Cowperwood　said；　politely。　　〃You　can　depend　on　me　to　do　all　those　things　promptly。〃
  〃There　hain't　so　much　more；〃　added　Chapin。　　〃You're　supposed　to　wash　yourself　all　over　once　a　week　an'　I'll　give　you　a　clean　towel　for　that。　　Next　you　gotta　wash　this　floor　up　every　Friday　mornin'。〃　Cowperwood　winced　at　that。　　〃You　kin　have　hot　water　for　that　if　you　want　it。　　I'll　have　one　of　the　runners　bring　it　to　you。　　An'　as　for　your　friends　and　relations〃he　got　up　and　shook　himself　like　a　big　Newfoundland　dog。　　〃You　gotta　wife；　hain't　you？〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　Cowperwood。
  〃Well；　the　rules　here　are　that　your　wife　or　your　friends　kin　come　to　see　you　once　in　three　months；　and　your　lawyeryou　gotta　lawyer　hain't　yuh？〃
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　amused。
  〃Well；　he　kin　come　every　week　or　so　if　he　likesevery　day；　I　guessthere　hain't　no　rules　about　lawyers。　　But　you　kin　only　write　one　letter　once　in　three　months　yourself；　an'　if　you　want　anything　like　tobaccer　or　the　like　o'　that；　from　the　store…room；　you　gotta　sign　an　order　for　it；　if　you　got　any　money　with　the　warden；　an'　then　I　can　git　it　for　you。〃
  The　old　man　was　really　above　taking　small　tips　in　the　shape　of　money。　　He　was　a　hold…over　from　a　much　more　severe　and　honest　regime；　but　subsequent　presents　or　constant　flattery　were　not　amiss　in　making　him　kindly　and　generous。　　Cowperwood　read　him　accurately。
  〃Very　well；　Mr。　Chapin；　I　understand；〃　he　said；　getting　up　as　the　old　man　did。
  〃Then　when　you　have　been　here　two　weeks；〃　added　Chapin；　rather　ruminatively　（he　had　forgot　to　state　this　to　Cowperwood　before）；　〃the　warden　'll　come　and　git　yuh　and　give　yuh　yer　regular　cell　summers　down…stairs。　　Yuh　kin　make　up　yer　mind　by　that　time　what　y'u'd　like　tuh　do；　what　y'u'd　like　to　work　at。　　If　you　behave　yourself　proper；　more'n　like　they'll　give　yuh　a　cell　with　a　yard。　Yuh　never　can　tell。〃
  He　went　out；　locking　the　door　with　a　solemn　click；　and　Cowperwood　stood　there；　a　little　more　depressed　than　he　had　been；　because　of　this　latest　intelligence。　　Only　two　weeks；　and　then　he　would　be　transferred　from　this　kindly　old　man's　care　to　another's；　whom　he　did　not　know　and　with　whom　he　might　not　fare　so　well。
  〃If　ever　you　want　me　for　anythingif　ye're　sick　or　sumpin'　like　that；〃　Chapin　now　returned　to　say；　after　he　had　walked　a　few　paces　away；　〃we　have　a　signal　here　of　our　own。　　Just　hang　your　towel　out　through　these　here　bars。　　I'll　see　it；　and　I'll　stop　and　find　out　what　yuh　want；　when　I'm　passin'。〃
  Cowperwood；　whose　spirits　had　sunk；　revived　for　the　moment。
  〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　replied；　〃thank　you；　Mr。　Chapin。〃
  The　old　man　walked　away；　and　Cowperwood　heard　his　steps　dying　down　the　cement…paved　hall。　　He　stood　and　listened；　his　ears　being　greeted　occasionally　by　a　distant　cough；　a　faint　scraping　of　some　one's　feet；　the　hum　or　whir　of　a　machine；　or　the　iron　scratch　of　a　key　in　a　lock。　　None　of　the　noises　was　loud。　　Rather　they　were　all　faint　and　far　away。　　He　went　over　and　looked　at　the　bed；　which　was　not　very　clean　and　without　linen；　and　anything　but　wide　or　soft；　and　felt　it　curiously。　　So　here　was　where　he　was　to　sleep　from　now　onhe　who　so　craved　and　appreciated　luxury　and　refinement。　If　Aileen　or　some　of　his　rich　friends　should　see　him　here。　　Worse；　he　was　sickened　by　the　thought　of　possible　vermin。　　How　could　he　tell？　How　would　he　do？　The　one　chair　was　abominable。　　The　skylight　was　weak。　　He　tried　to　think　of　himself　a