. It
was early in May. Outside the trees were budding, the sparrows and
robins were voicing their several moods. A delicious haze was in the
air, and some early mosquitoes were reconnoitering the screens which
protected the windows and doors. Cowperwood, in spite of his various
troubles, was in a complacent state of mind himself. He liked
life--even its very difficult complications--perhaps its complications
best of all. Nature was beautiful, tender at times, but difficulties,
plans, plots, schemes to unravel and make smooth--these things were
what made existence worth while.

"Well now, Mr. Cowperwood," McKenty began, when they finally entered
the cool, pleasant library, "what can I do for you?"

"Well, Mr. McKenty," said Cowperwood, choosing his words and bringing
the finest resources of his temperament into play, "it isn't so much,
and yet it is. I want a franchise from the Chicago city council, and I
want you to help me get it if you will. I know you may say to me why
not go to the councilmen direct. I would do that, except that there
are certain other elements--individuals--who might come to you. It
won't offend you, I know, when I say that I have always understood that
you are a sort of clearing-house for political troubles in Chicago."

Mr. McKenty smiled. "That's flattering," he replied, dryly.

"Now, I am rather new myself to Chicago," went on Cowperwood, softly.
"I have been here only a year or two. I come from Philadelphia. I
have been interested as a fiscal agent and an investor in several gas
companies that have been organized in Lake View, Hyde Park, and
elsewhere outside the city limits, as you may possibly have seen by the
papers lately. I am not their owner, in the sense that I have provided
all or even a good part of the money invested in them. I am not even
their manager, except in a very general way. I might better be called
their promoter and guardian; but I am that for other people and myself."

Mr. McKenty nodded.

"Now, Mr. McKenty, it was not very long after I started out to get
franchises to do business in Lake View and Hyde Park before I found
myself confronted by the interests which control the three old city gas
companies. They were very much opposed to our entering the field in
Cook County anywhere, as you may imagine, although we were not really
crowding in on their field. Since then they have fought me with
lawsuits, injunctions, and charges of bribery and conspirac