ecently in the paper business。 He's a mere tool for the Arneel…Schryhart interests。 He hasn't the courage of a two…inch fish…worm。〃
When McKenty read it he simply observed： 〃There are other ways of going to City Hall than by going yourself。〃 He was depending upon a councilmanic majority at least。
However； in the midst of this uproar the goings to and fro of Gilgan； Edstrom； Kerrigan； and Tiernan were nor fully grasped。 A more urbanely shifty pair than these latter were never seen。 While fraternizing secretly with both Gilgan and Edstrom； laying out their political programme most neatly； they were at the same time conferring with Dowling； Duvanicki； even McKenty himself。 Seeing that the outcome was； for some reasonhe could scarcely see why looking very uncertain； McKenty one day asked the two of them to come to see him。 On getting the letter Mr。 Tiernan strolled over to Mr。 Kerrigan's place to see whether he also had received a message。
〃Sure； sure！ I did！〃 replied Mr。 Kerrigan； gaily。 〃Here it is now in me outside coat pocket。 'Dear Mr。 Kerrigan；〃' he read； 〃'won't you do me the favor to come over to…morrow evening at seven and dine with me？ Mr。 Ungerich； Mr。 Duvanicki； and several others will very likely drop in afterward。 I have asked Mr。 Tiernan to come at the same time。 Sincerely； John J。 McKenty。' That's the way he does it；〃 added Mr。 Kerrigan； 〃just like that。
He kissed the letter mockingly and put it back into his pocket。
〃Sure I got one； jist the same way。 The very same langwidge； nearly；〃 commented Mr。 Tiernan； sweetly。 〃He's beginning to wake up； eh？ What！ The little old first and second are beginning to look purty big just now； eh？ What！〃
〃Tush！〃 observed Mr。 Kerrigan to Mr。 Tiernan； with a marked sardonic emphasis； 〃that combination won't last forever。 They've been getting too big for their pants； I'm thinking。 Well； it's a long road； eh？ It's pretty near time； what？〃
〃You're right；〃 responded Mr。 Tiernan； feelingly。 〃It is a long road。 These are the two big wards of the city； and everybody knows it。 If we turn on them at the last moment where will they be； eh？〃
He put a fat finger alongside of his heavy reddish nose and looked at Mr。 Kerrigan out of squinted eyes。
〃You're damned right；〃 replied the little politician； cheerfully。
They went to the dinner separately； so as not to appear to have conferred before； and greeted each other on arriving as though they had not seen each other for days。
〃How's business； Mike？〃
〃Oh； fair； Pat。 How's things with you？〃
〃So so。〃
〃Things lookin' all right in your ward for November？〃
Mr。 Tiernan wrinkled a fat forehead。 〃Can't tell yet。〃 All this was for the benefit of Mr。 McKenty； who did not suspect rank party disloyalty。
Nothing much came of this conference； except that they sat about discussing in a general way wards； pluralities； what Zeigler was likely to do with the twelfth； whether Pinski could make it in the sixth； Schlumbohm in the twentieth； and so on。 New Republican contestants in old； safe Democratic wards were making things look dubious。
〃And how about the first； Kerrigan？〃 inquired Ungerich； a thin； reflective German…American of shrewd presence。 Ungerich was one who had hitherto wormed himself higher in McKenty's favor than either Kerrigan or Tiernan。
〃Oh； the first's all right；〃 replied Kerrigan； archly。 〃Of course you never can tell。 This fellow Scully may do something； but I don't think it will be much。 If we have the same police protection〃
Ungerich was gratified。 He was having a struggle in his own ward； where a rival by the name of Glover appeared to be pouring out money like water。 He would require considerably more money than usual to win。 It was the same with Duvanicki。
McKenty finally parted with his lieutenantsmore feelingly with Kerrigan and Tiernan than he had ever done before。 He did not wholly trust these two； and he could not exactly admire them and their methods； which were the roughest of all； but they were useful。
〃I'm glad to learn；〃 he said； at parting； 〃that things are looking all right with you； Pat； and you； Mike；〃 nodding to each in turn。 〃We're going to need the most we can get out of everybody。 I depend on you two to make a fine showingthe best of any。 The rest of us will not forget it when the plums are being handed around afterward。〃
〃Oh； you can depend on me to do the best I can always；〃 commented Mr。 Kerrigan； sympathetically。 〃It's a tough year； but we haven't failed yet。〃
〃And me； Chief！ That goes for me；〃 observed Mr。 Tiernan； raucously。 〃I guess I can do as well as I have。〃
〃Good for you； Mike！〃 soothed McKenty； laying a gentle hand on his shoulder。 〃And you； too； Kerrigan。 Yours are the key wards； and we understand that。 I've always been sorry that the leaders couldn't agree on you two for something better than councilmen； but next time there won't be any doubt of it； if I have any influence then。〃 He went in and closed the door。 Outside a cool October wind was whipping dead leaves and weed stalks along the pavements。 Neither Tiernan nor Kerrigan spoke； though they had come away together； until they were two hundred feet down the avenue toward Van Buren。
〃Some talk； that； eh？〃 commented Mr。 Tiernan； eying Mr。 Kerrigan in the flare of a passing gas…lamp。
〃Sure。 That's the stuff they always hand out when they're up against it。 Pretty kind words； eh？〃
〃And after ten years of about the roughest work that's done； eh？ It's about time； what？ Say； it's a wonder he didn't think of that last June when the convention was in session。
〃Tush！ Mikey；〃 smiled Mr。 Kerrigan； grimly。 〃You're a bad little boy。 You want your pie too soon。 Wait another two or four or six years； like Paddy Kerrigan and the others。〃
〃Yes； I willnot；〃 growled Mr。 Tiernan。 〃Wait'll the sixth。〃
〃No more； will I；〃 replied Mr。 Kerrigan。 〃Say； we know a trick that beats that next…year business to a pulp。 What？〃
〃You're dead right；〃 commented Mr。 Tiernan。
And so they went peacefully home。
Chapter XXXVII
Aileen's Revenge
The interesting Polk Lynde； rising one morning； decided that his affair with Aileen； sympathetic as it was； must culminate in the one fashion satisfactory to him here and nowthis day； if possible； or the next。 Since the luncheon some considerable time had elapsed； and although he had tried to seek her out in various ways； Aileen； owing to a certain feeling that she must think and not jeopardize her future； had evaded him。 She realized well enough that she was at the turning of the balance； now that opportunity was knocking so loudly at her door； and she was exceedingly coy and distrait。 In spite of herself the old grip of Cowperwood was over herthe conviction that he was such a tremendous figure in the worldand this made her strangely disturbed； nebulous； and meditative。 Another type of woman； having troubled as much as she had done； would have made short work of it； particularly since the details in regard to Mrs。 Hand had been added。 Not so Aileen。 She could not quite forget the early vows and promises exchanged between them； nor conquer the often…fractured illusions that he might still behave himself。
On the other hand； Polk Lynde； marauder； social adventurer； a bucaneer of the affections； was not so easily to be put aside； delayed； and gainsaid。 Not unlike Cowperwood； he was a man of real force； and his methods； in so far as women were concerned； were even more daring。 Long trifling with the sex had taught him that they were coy； uncertain； foolishly inconsistent in their moods； even with regard to what they most desired。 If one contemplated victory； it had frequently to be taken with an iron hand。
From this attitude on his part had sprung his rather dark fame。 Aileen felt it on the day that she took lunch with him。 His solemn； dark eyes were treacherously sweet。 She felt as if she might be paving the way for some situation in which she would find herself helpless before his sudden moodand yet she had come。
But Lynde； meditating Aileen's delay； had this day decided that he should get a definite decision； and that it should be favorable。 He called her up at ten in the morning and chafed her concerning her indecision and changeable moods。 He wanted to know whether she would not come and see the paintings at his friend's studio whether she could not make up her mind to come to a barn…dance which some bachelor friends of his had arranged。 When she pleaded being out of sorts he urged her to pull herself together。 〃You're making things very difficult for your admirers；〃 he suggested； sweetly。
Aileen fancied she had postponed the struggle diplomatically for some little time without ending it； when at two o'clock in the afternoon her door…bell was rung and the name of Lynde brought up。 〃He said he was sure you were in；〃 commented the footman； on whom had been pressed a dollar； 〃and would you see him for just a moment？ He would not keep you more than a moment。〃
Aileen； taken off her guard by this effrontery； uncertain as to whether there might not be something of some slight import concerning which he wished to speak to her； quarreling with herself because of her indecision； really fascinated by Lynde as a rival for her affections； and remembering his jesting； coaxing voice of the morning； decided to go down。 She was lonely； and； clad in a lavender housegown with an ermine collar and sleeve cuffs； was reading a book。
〃Show him into the music…room；〃 she said to the lackey。 When she entered she was breathing with some slight difficulty； for so Lynde affected her。 She knew she had displayed fear by not going to him before； and previous cowardice plainly manifested does not add to one's power of resistance。
〃Oh！〃 she exclaimed； with an assumption of bravado which she did not feel。 〃I didn't expect to see you so soon after your telephone message。 You have never been in our house before； have you？ Won't you put up your coat and hat and come into the gallery？ It's brighter there； and you might be interested in some of the pictures。〃
Lynde； who was seeking for any pretext whereby he might prolong his stay and overcome her nervous mood； accepted； pretending； however； that he was merely passing