in Mrs. Simms and others, welcomed the
opportunity to find out something definite.

"By the way, did you ever chance to hear of a Frank Algernon Cowperwood
or his wife in Philadelphia?" she inquired of Mrs. Walker.

"Why, my dear Nellie," replied her friend, nonplussed that a woman so
smart as Mrs. Merrill should even refer to them, "have those people
established themselves in Chicago? His career in Philadelphia was, to
say the least, spectacular. He was connected with a city treasurer
there who stole five hundred thousand dollars, and they both went to
the penitentiary. That wasn't the worst of it! He became intimate with
some young girl--a Miss Butler, the sister of Owen Butler, by the way,
who is now such a power down there, and--" She merely lifted her eyes.
"While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke
up. I even heard it rumored that the old gentleman killed himself."
(She was referring to Aileen's father, Edward Malia Butler.) "When he
came out of the penitentiary Cowperwood disappeared, and I did hear
some one say that he had gone West, and divorced his wife and married
again. His first wife is still living in Philadelphia somewhere with
his two children."

Mrs. Merrill was properly astonished, but she did not show it. "Quite
an interesting story, isn't it?" she commented, distantly, thinking how
easy it would be to adjust the Cowperwood situation, and how pleased
she was that she had never shown any interest in them. "Did you ever
see her--his new wife?"

"I think so, but I forget where. I believe she used to ride and drive
a great deal in Philadelphia."

"Did she have red hair?"

"Oh yes. She was a very striking blonde."

"I fancy it must be the same person. They have been in the papers
recently in Chicago. I wanted to be sure."

Mrs. Merrill was meditating some fine comments to be made in the future.

"I suppose now they're trying to get into Chicago society?" Mrs. Walker
smiled condescendingly and contemptuously--as much at Chicago society
as at the Cowperwoods.

"It's possible that they might attempt something like that in the East
and succeed--I'm sure I don't know," replied Mrs. Merrill, caustically,
resenting the slur, "but attempting and achieving are quite different
things in Chicago."

The answer was sufficient. It ended the discussion. When next Mrs.
Simms was rash enough to mention the Cowperwoods, or, rather, the
peculiar publicity in connection with