nufacturing companies--one
that made cars, another elevators, another binders, another windmills,
another engines. Apparently, any new industry seemed to do well in
Chicago. In his talk with the one director of the Board of Trade to
whom he had a letter he had learned that few, if any, local stocks were
dealt in on 'change. Wheat, corn, and grains of all kinds were
principally speculated in. The big stocks of the East were gambled in
by way of leased wires on the New York Stock Exchange--not otherwise.

As he looked at these men, all pleasantly civil, all general in their
remarks, each safely keeping his vast plans under his vest, Cowperwood
wondered how he would fare in this community. There were such
difficult things ahead of him to do. No one of these men, all of whom
were in their commercial-social way agreeable, knew that he had only
recently been in the penitentiary. How much difference would that make
in their attitude? No one of them knew that, although he was married
and had two children, he was planning to divorce his wife and marry the
girl who had appropriated to herself the role which his wife had once
played.

"Are you seriously contemplating looking into the Northwest?" asked Mr.
Rambaud, interestedly, toward the close of the luncheon.

"That is my present plan after I finish here. I thought I'd take a
short run up there."

"Let me put you in touch with an interesting party that is going as far
as Fargo and Duluth. There is a private car leaving Thursday, most of
them citizens of Chicago, but some Easterners. I would be glad to have
you join us. I am going as far as Minneapolis."

Cowperwood thanked him and accepted. A long conversation followed
about the Northwest, its timber, wheat, land sales, cattle, and
possible manufacturing plants.

What Fargo, Minneapolis, and Duluth were to be civically and
financially were the chief topics of conversation. Naturally, Mr.
Rambaud, having under his direction vast railroad lines which
penetrated this region, was confident of the future of it. Cowperwood
gathered it all, almost by instinct. Gas, street-railways, land
speculations, banks, wherever located, were his chief thoughts.

Finally he left the club to keep his other appointments, but something
of his personality remained behind him. Mr. Addison and Mr. Rambaud,
among others, were sincerely convinced that he was one of the most
interesting men they had met in years. And he scarcely had