father, honey," he declared, "I could have this indictment quashed in
no time. Neither Mollenhauer nor Simpson has anything against me
personally, I am sure. They want me to get out of the street-railway
business here in Philadelphia, and, of course, they wanted to make
things look better for Stener at first; but depend upon it, if your
father hadn't been against me they wouldn't have gone to any such length
in making me the victim. Your father has this fellow Shannon and these
minor politicians just where he wants them, too. That's where the
trouble lies. They have to go on."

"Oh, I know," replied Aileen. "It's me, just me, that's all. If
it weren't for me and what he suspects he'd help you in a minute.
Sometimes, you know, I think I've been very bad for you. I don't know
what I ought to do. If I thought it would help you any I'd not see you
any more for a while, though I don't see what good that would do now.
Oh, I love you, love you, Frank! I would do anything for you. I don't
care what people think or say. I love you."

"Oh, you just think you do," he replied, jestingly. "You'll get over it.
There are others."

"Others!" echoed Aileen, resentfully and contemptuously. "After you
there aren't any others. I just want one man, my Frank. If you ever
desert me, I'll go to hell. You'll see."

"Don't talk like that, Aileen," he replied, almost irritated. "I don't
like to hear you. You wouldn't do anything of the sort. I love you. You
know I'm not going to desert you. It would pay you to desert me just
now."

"Oh, how you talk!" she exclaimed. "Desert you! It's likely, isn't it?
But if ever you desert me, I'll do just what I say. I swear it."

"Don't talk like that. Don't talk nonsense."

"I swear it. I swear by my love. I swear by your success--my own
happiness. I'll do just what I say. I'll go to hell."

Cowperwood got up. He was a little afraid now of this deep-seated
passion he had aroused. It was dangerous. He could not tell where it
would lead.

It was a cheerless afternoon in November, when Alderson, duly informed
of the presence of Aileen and Cowperwood in the South Sixth Street
house by the detective on guard drove rapidly up to Butler's office and
invited him to come with him. Yet even now Butler could scarcely believe
that he was to find his daughter there. The shame of it. The horror.
What would he say to her? How reproach her? What would he do to
Cowperwood? His large hands shook as he thought. They