d to formulate the public
opinion, so influential in the success of Cowperwood's plans? Truman
Leslie MacDonald, as has been said, did not see life from his father's
point of view at all. He had in mind a sharp bargain, which he could
drive with Cowperwood during the old gentleman's absence. The General
need never know.

"I understand your point of view, Mr. Cowperwood," he commented,
loftily, "but where does the city come in? I see very clearly how
important this is to the people of the North Side, and even to the
merchants and real-estate owners in the down-town section; but that
simply means that it is ten times as important to you. Undoubtedly, it
will help the city, but the city is growing, anyhow, and that will help
you. I've said all along that these public franchises were worth more
than they used to be worth. Nobody seems to see it very clearly as
yet, but it's true just the same. That tunnel is worth more now than
the day it was built. Even if the city can't use it, somebody can."

He was meaning to indicate a rival car line.

Cowperwood bristled internally.

"That's all very well," he said, preserving his surface composure, "but
why make fish of one and flesh of another? The South Side company has a
loop for which it never paid a dollar. So has the Chicago City
Passenger Railway. The North Side company is planning more extensive
improvements than were ever undertaken by any single company before. I
hardly think it is fair to raise the question of compensation and a
franchise tax at this time, and in connection with this one company
only."

"Um--well, that may be true of the other companies. The South Side
company had those streets long ago. They merely connected them up.
But this tunnel, now--that's a different matter, isn't it? The city
bought and paid for that, didn't it?"

"Quite true--to help out men who saw that they couldn't make another
dollar out of it," said Cowperwood, acidly. "But it's of no use to the
city. It will cave in pretty soon if it isn't repaired. Why, the
consent of property-owners alone, along the line of this loop, is going
to aggregate a considerable sum. It seems to me instead of hampering a
great work of this kind the public ought to do everything in its power
to assist it. It means giving a new metropolitan flavor to this
down-town section. It is time Chicago was getting out of its swaddling
clothes."

Mr. MacDonald, the younger, shook his head. He saw clea