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fe's　disadvantage。　She　had　never　been　as　striking；　as　stand…upish　as　Aileen；　though　possibly　she　might　have　more　sense。　　Jove！　if　he　could　find　a　woman　like　Aileen　to…day。　　Life　would　take　on　a　new　luster。　　And　yet　he　had　womenvery　carefully；　very　subterraneously。　　But　he　had　them。

〃It's　such　a　pleasure　to　meet　you；〃　Mrs。　Addison；　a　corpulent；　bejeweled　lady；　was　saying　to　Aileen。　　〃My　husband　and　yours　have　become　the　best　of　friends；　apparently。　　We　must　see　more　of　each　other。〃

She　babbled　on　in　a　puffy　social　way；　and　Aileen　felt　as　though　she　were　getting　along　swiftly。　　The　butler　brought　in　a　great　tray　of　appetizers　and　cordials；　and　put　them　softly　on　a　remote　table。　　Dinner　was　served；　and　the　talk　flowed　on；　they　discussed　the　growth　of　the　city；　a　new　church　that　Lord　was　building　ten　blocks　farther　out；　Rambaud　told　about　some　humorous　land　swindles。　It　was　quite　gay。　　Meanwhile　Aileen　did　her　best　to　become　interested　in　Mrs。　Rambaud　and　Mrs。　Addison。　　She　liked　the　latter　somewhat　better；　solely　because　it　was　a　little　easier　to　talk　to　her。　　Mrs。　Rambaud　Aileen　knew　to　be　the　wiser　and　more　charitable　woman；　but　she　frightened　her　a　little；　presently　she　had　to　fall　back　on　Mr。　Lord's　help。　　He　came　to　her　rescue　gallantly；　talking　of　everything　that　came　into　his　mind。　　All　the　men　outside　of　Cowperwood　were　thinking　how　splendid　Aileen　was　physically；　how　white　were　her　arms；　how　rounded　her　neck　and　shoulders；　how　rich　her　hair。




Chapter　VII



Chicago　Gas

Old　Peter　Laughlin；　rejuvenated　by　Cowperwood's　electric　ideas；　was　making　money　for　the　house。　　He　brought　many　bits　of　interesting　gossip　from　the　floor；　and　such　shrewd　guesses　as　to　what　certain　groups　and　individuals　were　up　to；　that　Cowperwood　was　able　to　make　some　very　brilliant　deductions。

〃By　Gosh！　Frank；　I　think　I　know　exactly　what　them　fellers　are　trying　to　do；〃　Laughlin　would　frequently　remark　of　a　morning；　after　he　had　lain　in　his　lonely　Harrison　Street　bed　meditating　the　major　portion　of　the　night。　　〃That　there　Stock　Yards　gang〃　（and　by　gang　he　meant　most　of　the　great　manipulators；　like　Arneel；　Hand；　Schryhart　and　others）　〃are　after　corn　again。　　We　want　to　git　long　o'　that　now；　or　I　miss　my　guess。　　What　do　you　think；　huh？〃

Cowperwood；　schooled　by　now　in　many　Western　subtleties　which　he　had　not　previously　known；　and　daily　becoming　wiser；　would　as　a　rule　give　an　instantaneous　decision。

〃You're　right。　　Risk　a　hundred　thousand　bushels。　　I　think　New　York　Central　is　going　to　drop　a　point　or　two　in　a　few　days。　　We'd　better　go　short　a　point。〃

Laughlin　could　never　figure　out　quite　how　it　was　that　Cowperwood　always　seemed　to　know　and　was　ready　to　act　quite　as　quickly　in　local　matters　as　he　was　himself。　　He　understood　his　wisdom　concerning　Eastern　shares　and　things　dealt　in　on　the　Eastern　exchange；　but　these　Chicago　matters？

〃Whut　makes　you　think　that？〃　he　asked　Cowperwood；　one　day；　quite　curiously。

〃Why；　Peter；〃　Cowperwood　replied；　quite　simply；　〃Anton　Videra〃　（one　of　the　directors　of　the　Wheat　and　Corn　Bank）　〃was　in　here　yesterday　while　you　were　on　'change；　and　he　was　telling　me。〃　He　described　a　situation　which　Videra　had　outlined。

Laughlin　knew　Videra　as　a　strong；　wealthy　Pole　who　had　come　up　in　the　last　few　years。　　It　was　strange　how　Cowperwood　naturally　got　in　with　these　wealthy　men　and　won　their　confidence　so　quickly。　　Videra　would　never　have　become　so　confidential　with　him。

〃Huh！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Well；　if　he　says　it　it's　more'n　likely　so。〃

So　Laughlin　bought；　and　Peter　Laughlin　&　Co。　won。

But　this　grain　and　commission　business；　while　it　was　yielding　a　profit　which　would　average　about　twenty　thousand　a　year　to　each　partner；　was　nothing　more　to　Cowperwood　than　a　source　of　information。

He　wanted　to　〃get　in〃　on　something　that　was　sure　to　bring　very　great　returns　within　a　reasonable　time　and　that　would　not　leave　him　in　any　such　desperate　situation　as　he　was　at　the　time　of　the　Chicago　firespread　out　very　thin；　as　he　put　it。　　He　had　interested　in　his　ventures　a　small　group　of　Chicago　men　who　were　watching　himJudah　Addison；　Alexander　Rambaud；　Millard　Bailey；　Anton　Videramen　who；　although　not　supreme　figures　by　any　means；　had　free　capital。　　He　knew　that　he　could　go　to　them　with　any　truly　sound　proposition。　　The　one　thing　that　most　attracted　his　attention　was　the　Chicago　gas　situation；　because　there　was　a　chance　to　step　in　almost　unheralded　in　an　as　yet　unoccupied　territory；　with　franchises　once　securedthe　reader　can　quite　imagine　howhe　could　present　himself；　like　a　Hamilcar　Barca　in　the　heart　of　Spain　or　a　Hannibal　at　the　gates　of　Rome；　with　a　demand　for　surrender　and　a　division　of　spoils。

There　were　at　this　time　three　gas　companies　operating　in　the　three　different　divisions　of　the　citythe　three　sections；　or　〃sides；〃　as　they　were　calledSouth；　West；　and　North；　and　of　these　the　Chicago　Gas；　Light；　and　Coke　Company；　organized　in　1848　to　do　business　on　the　South　Side；　was　the　most　flourishing　and　important。　The　People's　Gas；　Light；　and　Coke　Company；　doing　business　on　the　West　Side；　was　a　few　years　younger　than　the　South　Chicago　company；　and　had　been　allowed　to　spring　intoexistence　through　the　foolish　self…confidence　of　the　organizer　and　directors　of　the　South　Side　company；　who　had　fancied　that　neither　the　West　Side　nor　the　North　Side　was　going　to　develop　very　rapidly　for　a　number　of　years　to　come；　and　had　counted　on　the　city　council's　allowing　them　to　extend　their　mains　at　any　time　to　these　other　portions　of　the　city。　　A　third　company；　the　North　Chicago　Gas　Illuminating　Company；　had　been　organized　almost　simultaneously　with　the　West　Side　company　by　the　same　process　through　which　the　other　companies　had　been　brought　into　lifetheir　avowed　intention；　like　that　of　the　West　Side　company；　being　to　confine　their　activities　to　the　sections　from　which　the　organizers　presumably　came。

Cowperwood's　first　project　was　to　buy　out　and　combine　the　three　old　city　companies。　　With　this　in　view　he　looked　up　the　holders　in　all　three　corporationstheir　financial　and　social　status。　It　was　his　idea　that　by　offering　them　three　for　one；　or　even　four　for　one；　for　every　dollar　represented　by　the　market　value　of　their　stock　he　might　buy　in　and　capitalize　the　three　companies　as　one。　　Then；　by　issuing　sufficient　stock　to　cover　all　his　obligations；　he　would　reap　a　rich　harvest　and　at　the　same　time　leave　himself　in　charge。　　He　approached　Judah　Addison　first　as　the　most　available　man　to　help　float　a　scheme　of　this　kind。　　He　did　not　want　him　as　a　partner　so　much　as　he　wanted　him　as　an　investor。

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you　how　I　feel　about　this；〃　said　Addison；　finally。　〃You've　hit　on　a　great　idea　here。　　It's　a　wonder　it　hasn't　occurred　to　some　one　else　before。　　And　you'll　want　to　keep　rather　quiet　about　it；　or　some　one　else　will　rush　in　and　do　it。　　We　have　a　lot　of　venturesome　men　out　here。　　But　I　like　you；　and　I'm　with　you。　　Now　it　wouldn't　be　advisable　for　me　to　go　in　on　this　personally　not　openly；　anyhowbut　I'll　promise　to　see　that　you　get　some　of　the　money　you　want。　　I　like　your　idea　of　a　central　holding　company；　or　pool；　with　you　in　charge　as　trustee；　and　I'm　perfectly　willing　that　you　should　manage　it；　for　I　think　you　can　do　it。　Anyhow；　that　leaves　me　out；　apparently；　except　as　an　Investor。　But　you　will　have　to　get　two　or　three　others　to　help　carry　this　guarantee　with　me。　　Have　you　any　one　in　mind？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Certainly。　　I　merely　came　to　you　first。〃　He　mentioned　Rambaud；　Videra；　Bailey；　and　others。

〃They're　all　right；〃　said　Addison；　〃if　you　can　get　them。　　But　I'm　not　sure；　even　then；　that　you　can　induce　these　other　fellows　to　sell　out。　　They're　not　investors　in　the　ordinary　sense。　　They're　people　who　look　on　this　gas　business　as　their　private　business。　　They　started　it。　　They　like　it。　　They　built　the　gas…tanks　and　laid　the　mains。　　It　won't　be　easy。〃

Cowperwood　found；　as　Addison　predicted；　that　it　was　not　such　an　easy　matter　to　induce　the　various　stock…holders　and　directors　in　the　old　companies　to　come　in　on　any　such　scheme　of　reorganization。　A　closer；　more　unresponsive　set　of　men　he　was　satisfied　he　had　never　met。　　His　offer　to　buy　outright　at　three　or　four　for　one　they　refused　absolutely。　　The　stock　in　each　cas