Impression that Cowperwood had desperately misused the City Treasurer.

treasurer. The fact that he had taken a sixty-thousand-dollar DEAR SIR,—Information has been given me that check for certificates which were not in the sinking-fund was certificates of city loan to a large amount, issued hinted at, though until they could actually confirm this for by you for sale on account of the city, and, I pre-themselves both the newspapers and the committee were too sume, after the usual requisition from the mayor fearful of the State libel laws to say so.

of the city, have passed out of your custody, and In due time there were brought forth several noble mu-that the proceeds of the sale of said certificates nicipal letters, purporting to be a stern call on the part of the have not been paid into the city treasury.

mayor, Mr. Jacob Borchardt, on Mr. George W. Stener for I have also been informed that a large amount an immediate explanation of his conduct, and the latter’s of the city’s

reply, which were at once given to the newspapers and the money has been permitted to pass into the Citizens’ Municipal Reform Association. These letters were hands of some one or more brokers or bankers enough to show, so the politicians figured, that the Republi-doing business on Third Street, and that said can party was anxious to purge itself of any miscreant within brokers or bankers have since met with finan-its ranks, and they also helped to pass the time until after cial difficulties, whereby, and by reason of the election.

above generally, the interests of the city are likely to be very seriously affected.

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I have therefore to request that you will OFFICE OF THE TREASURER

promptly advise me of the truth or falsity of OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

these statements, so that such duties as devolve upon me as the chief magistrate of the city, in HON. JACOB BORCHARDT. October 19, 1871.

view of such facts, if they exist, may be intelli-DEAR SIR,—I have to acknowledge the receipt gently discharged.

of your communication of the 21st instant, and Yours respectfully,

to express my regret that I cannot at this time give you the information you ask. There is un-JACOB BORCHARDT,

doubtedly an embarrassment in the city trea-Mayor of Philadelphia.

sury, owing to the delinquency of the broker who for several years past has negotiated the city loans, and I have been, since the discovery of this fact, and still am occupied in endeavoring to avert or lessen the loss with which the city is threatened.

I am, very respectfully,

GEORGE W. STENER.

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OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

And did Mr. Jacob Borchardt write the letters to which his OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

name was attached? He did not. Mr. Abner Sengstack wrote them in Mr. Mollenhauer’s office, and Mr. Mollenhauer’s GEORGE W. STENER, ESQ., October 21, 1871.

comment when he saw them was that he thought they would City Treasurer.

do—that they were very good, in fact. And did Mr. George DEAR SIR—Under the existing circumstances W. Stener, city treasurer of Philadelphia, write that very politic you will consider this as a notice of withdrawal reply? He did not. Mr. Stener was in a state of complete and revocation of any requisition or authority collapse, even crying at one time at home in his bathtub.

by me for the sale of loan, so far as the same Mr. Abner Sengstack wrote that also, and had Mr. Stener has not been fulfilled. Applications for loans may sign it. And Mr. Mollenhauer’s comment on that, before it for the present be made at this office.

was sent, was that he thought it was “all right.” It was a time Very respectfully,

when all the little rats and mice were scurrying to cover because of the presence of a great, fiery-eyed public cat some-JACOB BORCHARDT,

where in the dark, and only the older and wiser rats were Mayor of Philadelphia.

able to act.

Indeed, at this very time and for some days past now, Messrs. Mollenhauer, Butler, and Simpson were, and had been, considering with Mr. Pettie, the district attorney, just what could be done about Cowperwood, if anything, and in order to further emphasize the blame in that direction, and just what defense, if any, could be made for Stener. Butler, of 257

The Financier

course, was strong for Cowperwood’s prosecution. Pettie did Chapter XXXIV

not see that any defense could be made for Stener, since various records of street-car stocks purchased for him were spread THE CONTRASTING PICTURES presented by Cowperwood and upon Cowperwood’s books; but for Cowperwood—”Let me Stener at this time are well worth a moment’s consideration.

see,” he said. They were speculating, first of all, as to whether Stener’s face was grayish-white, his lips blue. Cowperwood, it might not be good policy to arrest Cowperwood, and if despite various solemn thoughts concerning a possible pe-necessary try him, since his mere arrest would seem to the riod of incarceration which this hue and cry now suggested, general public, at least, positive proof of his greater guilt, to and what that meant to his parents, his wife and children, say nothing of the virtuous indignation of the administra-his business associates, and his friends, was as calm and col-tion, and in consequence might tend to divert attention from lected as one might assume his great mental resources would the evil nature of the party until after election.

permit him to be. During all this whirl of disaster he had So finally, on the afternoon of October 26, 1871, Edward never once lost his head or his courage. That thing conscience, Strobik, president of the common council of Philadelphia, which obsesses and rides some people to destruction, did appeared before the mayor, as finally ordered by Mollenhauer, not trouble him at all. He had no consciousness of what is and charged by affidavit that Frank A. Cowperwood, as bro-currently known as sin. There were just two faces to the shield ker, employed by the treasurer to sell the bonds of the city, of life from the point of view of his peculiar mind-strength had committed embezzlement and larceny as bailee. It did and weakness. Right and wrong? He did not know about not matter that he charged George W. Stener with embezzle-those. They were bound up in metaphysical abstrusities about ment at the same time. Cowperwood was the scapegoat they which he did not care to bother. Good and evil? Those were were after.

toys of clerics, by which they made money. And as for social favor or social ostracism which, on occasion, so quickly fol-258

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lowed upon the heels of disaster of any kind, well, what was lose. He must rely on swiftness of thought, accuracy, his judg-social ostracism? Had either he or his parents been of the ment, and on nothing else. He was really a brilliant picture best society as yet? And since not, and despite this present of courage and energy—moving about briskly in a jaunty, mix-up, might not the future hold social restoration and dapper way, his mustaches curled, his clothes pressed, his position for him? It might. Morality and immorality? He nails manicured, his face clean-shaven and tinted with health.

never considered them. But strength and weakness—oh, yes!

In the meantime, Cowperwood had gone personally to If you had strength you could protect yourself always and be Skelton C. Wheat and tried to explain his side of the situa-something. If you were weak—pass quickly to the rear and tion, alleging that he had done no differently from many get out of the range of the guns. He was strong, and he knew others before him, but Wheat was dubious. He did not see it, and somehow he always believed in his star. Something—

how it was that the sixty thousand dollars’ worth of certifi-he could not say what—it was the only metaphysics he both-cates were not in the sinking-fund. Cowperwood’s explana-ered about—was doing something for him. It had always tion of custom did not avail. Nevertheless, Mr. Wheat saw helped him. It made things come out right at times. It put that others in politics had been profiting quite as much as excellent opportunities in his way. Why had he been given Cowperwood in other ways and he advised Cowperwood to so fine a mind? Why always favored financially, personally?

turn state’s evidence. This, however, he promptly refused to He had not deserved it—earned it. Accident, perhaps, but do—he was no “squealer,” and indicated as much to Mr.

somehow the thought that he would always be protected—

Wheat, who only smiled wryly.

these intuitions, the “hunches” to act which he frequently Butler, Sr., was delighted (concerned though he was about had—could not be so easily explained. Life was a dark, in-party success at the polls), for now he had this villain in the soluble mystery, but whatever it was, strength and weakness toils and he would have a fine time getting out of this. The were its two constituents. Strength would win—weakness incoming district attorney to succeed David Pettie if the 259

The Financier

Republican party won would be, as was now planned, an get by the fact in regard to him. In spite of public opinion, appointee of Butler’s—a young Irishman who had done con-when it came to a trial there might be considerable doubt in siderable legal work for him—one Dennis Shannon. The Cowperwood’s case. There was none in Stener’s.

other two party leaders had already promised Butler that. Sh-The practical manner in which the situation was furthered, annon was a smart, athletic, good-looking fellow, all of five after Cowperwood and Stener were formally charged may feet ten inches in height, sandy-haired, pink-cheeked, blue-be quickly noted. Steger, Cowperwood’s lawyer, learned pri-eyed, considerable of an orator and a fine legal fighter. He was vately beforehand that Cowperwood was to be prosecuted.

very proud to be in the old man’s favor—to be promised a He arranged at once to have his client appear before any place on the ticket by him—and would, he said, if elected, do warrant could be served, and to forestall the newspaper pala-his bidding to the best of his knowledge and ability.

ver which would follow it if he had to be searched for.

There was only one fly in the ointment, so far as some of The mayor issued a warrant for Cowperwood’s arrest, and, the politicians were concerned, and that was that if in accordance with Steger’s plan, Cowperwood immediately Cowperwood were convicted, Stener must needs be also.

appeared before Borchardt in company with his lawyer and There was no escape in so far as any one could see for the gave bail in twenty thousand dollars (W. C. Davison, presi-city treasurer. If Cowperwood was guilty of securing by trick-dent of the Girard National Bank, being his surety), for his ery sixty thousand dollars’ worth of the city money, Stener appearance at the central police station on the following Sat-was guilty of securing five hundred thousand dollars. The urday for a hearing. Marcus Oldslaw, a lawyer, had been prison term for this was five years. He might plead not guilty, employed by Strobik as president of the common council, to and by submitting as evidence that what he did was due to represent him in prosecuting the case for the city. The mayor custom save himself from the odious necessity of pleading looked at Cowperwood curiously, for he, being compara-guilty; but he would be convicted nevertheless. No jury could tively new to the political world of Philadelphia, was not so 260

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familiar with him as others were; and Cowperwood returned thanks to the clever political manipulations of Mollenhauer the look pleasantly enough.

and Simpson (ballot-box stuffing and personal violence at

“This is a great dumb show, Mr. Mayor,” he observed once the polls not barred), in another victory, by, however, a greatly to Borchardt, quietly, and the latter replied, with a smile and reduced majority. The Citizens’ Municipal Reform Associa-a kindly eye, that as far as he was concerned, it was a form of tion, in spite of a resounding defeat at the polls, which could procedure which was absolutely unavoidable at this time.

not have happened except by fraud, continued to fire coura-

“You know how it is, Mr. Cowperwood,” he observed. The geously away at those whom it considered to be the chief latter smiled. “I do, indeed,” he said.

malefactors.

Later there followed several more or less perfunctory ap-Aileen Butler, during all this time, was following the trend pearances in a local police court, known as the Central Court, of Cowperwood’s outward vicissitudes as heralded by the where when arraigned he pleaded not guilty, and finally his newspapers and the local gossip with as much interest and appearance before the November grand jury, where, owing bias and enthusiasm for him as her powerful physical and to the complicated nature of the charge drawn up against affectional nature would permit. She was no great reasoner him by Pettie, he thought it wise to appear. He was properly where affection entered in, but shrewd enough without it; indicted by the latter body (Shannon, the newly elected dis-and, although she saw him often and he told her much—as trict attorney, making a demonstration in force), and his trial much as his natural caution would permit—she yet gath-ordered for December 5th before a certain Judge Payderson ered from the newspapers and private conversation, at her in Part I of Quarter Sessions, which was the local branch of own family’s table and elsewhere, that, as bad as they said he the State courts dealing with crimes of this character. His was, he was not as bad as he might be. One item only, clipped indictment did not occur, however, before the coming and from the Philadelphia Public Ledger soon after Cowperwood going of the much-mooted fall election, which resulted, had been publicly accused of embezzlement, comforted and 261

The Financier

consoled her. She cut it out and carried it in her bosom; for, ment. Nevertheless, the committee can only somehow, it seemed to show that her adored Frank was far regard the prosecution instituted against the more sinned against than sinning. It was a part of one of broker, Mr. Cowperwood, as an effort to divert those very numerous pronunciamientos or reports issued by public attention from more guilty parties while the Citizens’ Municipal Reform Association, and it ran: those concerned may be able to ‘fix’ matters to suit themselves.”

“The aspects of the case are graver than have yet been allowed to reach the public. Five hun-

“There,” thought Aileen, when she read it, “there you have dred thousand dollars of the deficiency arises it.” These politicians—her father among them as she gath-not from city bonds sold and not accounted for, ered after his conversation with her—were trying to put the but from loans made by the treasurer to his blame of their own evil deeds on her Frank. He was not broker. The committee is also informed, on what nearly as bad as he was painted. The report said so. She gloated it believes to be good authority, that the loans over the words “an effort to divert public attention from more sold by the broker were accounted for in the guilty parties.” That was just what her Frank had been tell-monthly settlements at the lowest prices curing her in those happy, private hours when they had been rent during the month, and that the difference together recently in one place and another, particularly the between this rate and that actually realized was new rendezvous in South Sixth Street which he had estab-divided between the treasurer and the broker, lished, since the old one had to be abandoned. He had stroked thus making it to the interest of both parties to her rich hair, caressed her body, and told her it was all a

‘bear’ the market at some time during the prearranged political scheme to cast the blame as much as month, so as to obtain a low quotation for settle-possible on him and make it as light as possible for Stener 262

Dreiser

and the party generally. He would come out of it all right, he thought. She was so utterly unhappy. Her fortieth year had said, but he cautioned her not to talk. He did not deny his come for her at a time when life ought naturally to stand fixed long and profitable relations with Stener. He told her exactly and firm on a solid base, and here she was about to be torn how it was. She understood, or thought she did. Anyhow, bodily from the domestic soil in which she was growing and her Frank was telling her, and that was enough.

blooming, and thrown out indifferently to wither in the blis-As for the two Cowperwood households, so recently and tering noonday sun of circumstance.

pretentiously joined in success, now so gloomily tied in fail-As for Cowperwood, Senior, his situation at his bank and ure, the life was going out of them. Frank Algernon was that elsewhere was rapidly nearing a climax. As has been said, he life. He was the courage and force of his father: the spirit had had tremendous faith in his son; but he could not help and opportunity of his brothers, the hope of his children, seeing that an error had been committed, as he thought, and the estate of his wife, the dignity and significance of the that Frank was suffering greatly for it now. He considered, Cowperwood name. All that meant opportunity, force, of course, that Frank had been entitled to try to save himself emolument, dignity, and happiness to those connected with as he had; but he so regretted that his son should have put him, he was. And his marvelous sun was waning apparently his foot into the trap of any situation which could stir up to a black eclipse.

discussion of the sort that was now being aroused. Frank was Since the fatal morning, for instance, when Lillian wonderfully brilliant. He need never have taken up with the Cowperwood had received that utterly destructive note, like a city treasurer or the politicians to have succeeded marvel-cannonball ripping through her domestic affairs, she had been ously. Local street-railways and speculative politicians were walking like one in a trance. Each day now for weeks she had his undoing. The old man walked the floor all of the days, been going about her duties placidly enough to all outward realizing that his sun was setting, that with Frank’s failure he seeming, but inwardly she was running with a troubled tide of failed, and that this disgrace—these public charges—meant 263

The Financier

his own undoing. His hair had grown very gray in but a few

“I know it’s hard, Mr. Cowperwood,” he said, sympa-weeks, his step slow, his face pallid, his eyes sunken. His thetically. “We—and I can speak for the other members of rather showy side-whiskers seemed now like flags or orna-the board—we feel keenly the unfortunate nature of your ments of a better day that was gone. His only consolation position. We know exactly how it is that your son has be-through it all was that Frank had actually got out of his rela-come involved in this matter. He is not the only banker tionship with the Third National Bank without owing it a who has been involved in the city’s affairs. By no means. It single dollar. Still as he knew the directors of that institution is an old system. We appreciate, all of us, keenly, the ser-could not possibly tolerate the presence of a man whose son vices you have rendered this institution during the past had helped loot the city treasury, and whose name was now thirty-five years. If there were any possible way in which in the public prints in this connection. Besides, Cowperwood, we could help to tide you over the difficulties at this time, Sr., was too old. He ought to retire.

we would be glad to do so, but as a banker yourself you The crisis for him therefore came on the day when Frank must realize just how impossible that would be. Everything was arrested on the embezzlement charge. The old man, is in a turmoil. If things were settled—if we knew how through Frank, who had it from Steger, knew it was coming, soon this would blow over—” He paused, for he felt that still had the courage to go to the bank but it was like strug-he could not go on and say that he or the bank was sorry to gling under the weight of a heavy stone to do it. But before be forced to lose Mr. Cowperwood in this way at present.

going, and after a sleepless night, he wrote his resignation to Mr. Cowperwood himself would have to speak.

Frewen Kasson, the chairman of the board of directors, in During all this Cowperwood, Sr., had been doing his best order that he should be prepared to hand it to him, at once.

to pull himself together in order to be able to speak at all. He Kasson, a stocky, well-built, magnetic man of fifty, breathed had gotten out a large white linen handkerchief and blown an inward sigh of relief at the sight of it.

his nose, and had straightened himself in his chair, and laid 264

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his hands rather peacefully on his desk. Still he was intensely Chapter XXXV

wrought up.

“I can’t stand this!” he suddenly exclaimed. “I wish you AS TIME WENT ON Butler grew more and more puzzled and would leave me alone now.”

restive as to his duty in regard to his daughter. He was sure Kasson, very carefully dressed and manicured, arose and by her furtive manner and her apparent desire to avoid him, walked out of the room for a few moments. He appreciated that she was still in touch with Cowperwood in some way, keenly the intensity of the strain he had just witnessed. The and that this would bring about a social disaster of some moment the door was closed Cowperwood put his head in kind. He thought once of going to Mrs. Cowperwood and his hands and shook convulsively. “I never thought I’d come having her bring pressure to bear on her husband, but after-to this,” he muttered. “I never thought it.” Then he wiped wards he decided that that would not do. He was not really away his salty hot tears, and went to the window to look out positive as yet that Aileen was secretly meeting Cowperwood, and to think of what else to do from now on.

and, besides, Mrs. Cowperwood might not know of her husband’s duplicity. He thought also of going to Cowperwood personally and threatening him, but that would be a severe measure, and again, as in the other case, he lacked proof. He hesitated to appeal to a detective agency, and he did not care to take the other members of the family into his confidence.

He did go out and scan the neighborhood of 931 North Tenth Street once, looking at the house; but that helped him little. The place was for rent, Cowperwood having already abandoned his connection with it.

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Finally he hit upon the plan of having Aileen invited to go joyed. She wanted to see something of Europe, and had al-somewhere some distance off—Boston or New Orleans, ways been hoping for some such opportunity. Aileen was where a sister of his wife lived. It was a delicate matter to pleased from the point of view that Mrs. Mollenhauer should engineer, and in such matters he was not exactly the soul of invite her. Years before she would have accepted in a flash.

tact; but he undertook it. He wrote personally to his wife’s But now she felt that it only came as a puzzling interruption, sister at New Orleans, and asked her if she would, without one more of the minor difficulties that were tending to in-indicating in any way that she had heard from him, write his terrupt her relations with Cowperwood. She immediately wife and ask if she would not permit Aileen to come and threw cold water on the proposition, which was made one visit her, writing Aileen an invitation at the same time; but evening at dinner by Mrs. Butler, who did not know of her he tore the letter up. A little later he learned accidentally that husband’s share in the matter, but had received a call that Mrs. Mollenhauer and her three daughters, Caroline, Felicia, afternoon from Mrs. Mollenhauer, when the invitation had and Alta, were going to Europe early in December to visit been extended.

Paris, the Riviera, and Rome; and he decided to ask

“She’s very anxious to have you two come along, if your Mollenhauer to persuade his wife to invite Norah and Aileen, father don’t mind,” volunteered the mother, “and I should or Aileen only, to go along, giving as an excuse that his own think ye’d have a fine time. They’re going to Paris and the wife would not leave him, and that the girls ought to go. It Riveera.”

would be a fine way of disposing of Aileen for the present.

“Oh, fine!” exclaimed Norah. “I’ve always wanted to go to The party was to be gone six months. Mollenhauer was glad Paris. Haven’t you, Ai? Oh, wouldn’t that be fine?” to do so, of course. The two families were fairly intimate.

“I don’t know that I want to go,” replied Aileen. She did Mrs. Mollenhauer was willing—delighted from a politic point not care to compromise herself by showing any interest at of view—and the invitation was extended. Norah was over-the start. “It’s coming on winter, and I haven’t any clothes.

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I’d rather wait and go some other time.” tempt at gayety. “A fine thing I’d be doing for meself—

“Oh, Aileen Butler!” exclaimed Norah. “How you talk! I’ve objectin’. I’d be glad if I could get shut of the whole pack of heard you say a dozen times you’d like to go abroad some ye for a time.”

winter. Now when the chance comes—besides you can get

“What talk ye have!” said his wife. “A fine mess you’d make your clothes made over there.” of it livin’ alone.”

“Couldn’t you get somethin’ over there?” inquired Mrs.

“I’d not be alone, belave me,” replied Butler. “There’s many Butler. “Besides, you’ve got two or three weeks here yet.” a place I’d be welcome in this town—no thanks to ye.”

“They wouldn’t want a man around as a sort of guide and

“And there’s many a place ye wouldn’t have been if it hadn’t adviser, would they, mother?” put in Callum.

been for me. I’m tellin’ ye that,” retorted Mrs. Butler, ge-

“I might offer my services in that capacity myself,” ob-nially.

served Owen, reservedly.

“And that’s not stretchin’ the troot much, aither,” he an-

“I’m sure I don’t know,” returned Mrs. Butler, smiling, and swered, fondly.

at the same time chewing a lusty mouthful. “You’ll have to Aileen was adamant. No amount of argument both on the ast ‘em, my sons.”

part of Norah and her mother had any effect whatever. But-Aileen still persisted. She did not want to go. It was too ler witnessed the failure of his plan with considerable dissat-sudden. It was this. It was that. Just then old Butler came in isfaction, but he was not through. When he was finally con-and took his seat at the head of the table. Knowing all about vinced that there was no hope of persuading her to accept it, he was most anxious to appear not to.

the Mollenhauer proposition, he decided, after a while, to

“You wouldn’t object, Edward, would you?” queried his employ a detective.

wife, explaining the proposition in general.

At that time, the reputation of William A. Pinkerton, of

“Object!” he echoed, with a well simulated but rough at-detective fame, and of his agency was great. The man had 267

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come up from poverty through a series of vicissitudes to a and with short, fat-fingered hands, which drummed idly on high standing in his peculiar and, to many, distasteful pro-his desk as he talked. He was dressed in a suit of dark-brown fession; but to any one in need of such in themselves calami-wool cloth, which struck Butler as peculiarly showy, and wore tous services, his very famous and decidedly patriotic con-a large horseshoe diamond pin. The old man himself invari-nection with the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln was a rec-ably wore conservative gray.

ommendation. He, or rather his service, had guarded the

“How do you do?” said Butler, when a boy ushered him latter all his stormy incumbency at the executive mansion.

into the presence of this worthy, whose name was There were offices for the management of the company’s Martinson—Gilbert Martinson, of American and Irish ex-business in Philadelphia, Washington, and New York, to say traction. The latter nodded and looked at Butler shrewdly, nothing of other places. Butler was familiar with the Phila-recognizing him at once as a man of force and probably of delphia sign, but did not care to go to the office there. He position. He therefore rose and offered him a chair.

decided, once his mind was made up on this score, that he

“Sit down,” he said, studying the old Irishman from under would go over to New York, where he was told the principal thick, bushy eyebrows. “What can I do for you?” offices were.

“You’re the manager, are you?” asked Butler, solemnly, eye-He made the simple excuse one day of business, which was ing the man with a shrewd, inquiring eye.

common enough in his case, and journeyed to New York—

“Yes, sir,” replied Martinson, simply. “That’s my position nearly five hours away as the trains ran then—arriving at here.”

two o’clock. At the offices on lower Broadway, he asked to

“This Mr. Pinkerton that runs this agency—he wouldn’t see the manager, whom he found to be a large, gross-fea-be about this place, now, would he?” asked Butler, carefully.

tured, heavy-bodied man of fifty, gray-eyed, gray-haired,

“I’d like to talk to him personally, if I might, meaning no puffily outlined as to countenance, but keen and shrewd, offense to you.”

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“Mr. Pinkerton is in Chicago at present,” replied Mr.

heavy, brown, smoothly polished; four leather-backed chairs; Martinson. “I don’t expect him back for a week or ten days.

and some pictures of the Civil War battles in which the North You can talk to me, though, with the same confidence that had been victorious. Butler followed doubtfully. He hated you could to him. I’m the responsible head here. However, very much to take any one into his confidence in regard to you’re the best judge of that.” Aileen. He was not sure that he would, even now. He wanted Butler debated with himself in silence for a few moments, to “look these fellys over,” as he said in his mind. He would estimating the man before him. “Are you a family man your-decide then what he wanted to do. He went to one of the self?” he asked, oddly.

windows and looked down into the street, where there was a

“Yes, sir, I’m married,” replied Martinson, solemnly. “I have perfect swirl of omnibuses and vehicles of all sorts. Mr.

a wife and two children.”

Martinson quietly closed the door.

Martinson, from long experience conceived that this must

“Now then, if there’s anything I can do for you,” Mr.

be a matter of family misconduct—a son, daughter, wife.

Martinson paused. He thought by this little trick to elicit Such cases were not infrequent.

Buder’s real name—it often “worked”— but in this instance

“I thought I would like to talk to Mr. Pinkerton himself, the name was not forthcoming. Butler was too shrewd.

but if you’re the responsible head—” Butler paused.

“I’m not so sure that I want to go into this,” said the old

“I am,” replied Martinson. “You can talk to me with the man solemnly. “Certainly not if there’s any risk of the thing same freedom that you could to Mr. Pinkerton. Won’t you not being handled in the right way. There’s somethin’ I want come into my private office? We can talk more at ease in to find out about—somethin’ that I ought to know; but it’s a there.”

very private matter with me, and—” He paused to think He led the way into an adjoining room which had two and conjecture, looking at Mr. Martinson the while. The windows looking down into Broadway; an oblong table, latter understood his peculiar state of mind. He had seen 269

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many such cases.

anybody’s affairs. If we decide that we cannot find out what

“Let me say right here, to begin with, Mr.—” you want to know, we are the first to say so. Many cases are

“Scanlon,” interpolated Butler, easily; “that’s as good a name rejected right here in this office before we ever begin. Yours as any if you want to use one. I’m keepin’ me own to meself might be such a one. We don’t want cases merely for the sake for the present.”

of having them, and we are frank to say so. Some matters

“Scanlon,” continued Martinson, easily. “I really don’t care that involve public policy, or some form of small persecu-whether it’s your right name or not. I was just going to say tion, we don’t touch at all—we won’t be a party to them. You that it might not be necessary to have your right name under can see how that is. You look to me to be a man of the world.

any circumstances—it all depends upon what you want to I hope I am one. Does it strike you that an organization like know. But, so far as your private affairs are concerned, they ours would be likely to betray any one’s confidence?” He are as safe with us, as if you had never told them to any one.

paused and looked at Butler for confirmation of what he Our business is built upon confidence, and we never betray had just said.