Validity. It is more than likely that we owe this spectacle called He came out of the church after a time and returned home.

life to it, and that this can be demonstrated scientifically; Aileen did not appear at dinner, and he could not eat. He but when that is said and done, what is the value? What is went into his private room and shut the door—thinking, 286

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thinking, thinking. The dreadful spectacle of Aileen in a house home, she knew that a conversation was coming with her of ill repute burned in his brain. To think that Cowperwood father. It had to be. He would want her to go somewhere.

should have taken her to such a place—his Aileen, his and Most likely he would revive the European trip in some form—

his wife’s pet. In spite of his prayers, his uncertainty, her op-she now suspected the invitation of Mrs. Mollenhauer as a position, the puzzling nature of the situation, she must be trick; and she had to decide whether she would go. Would got out of this. She must go away for a while, give the man she leave Cowperwood just when he was about to be tried?

up, and then the law should run its course with him. In all She was determined she would not. She wanted to see what likelihood Cowperwood would go to the penitentiary—if was going to happen to him. She would leave home first—

ever a man richly deserved to go, it was he. Butler would see run to some relative, some friend, some stranger, if neces-that no stone was left unturned. He would make it a per-sary, and ask to be taken in. She had some money—a little.

sonal issue, if necessary. All he had to do was to let it be Her father had always been very liberal with her. She could known in judicial circles that he wanted it so. He could not take a few clothes and disappear. They would be glad enough suborn a jury, that would be criminal; but he could see that to send for her after she had been gone awhile. Her mother the case was properly and forcefully presented; and if would be frantic; Norah and Callum and Owen would be Cowperwood were convicted, Heaven help him. The appeal beside themselves with wonder and worry; her father—she of his financial friends would not save him. The judges of could see him. Maybe that would bring him to his senses. In the lower and superior courts knew on which side their bread spite of all her emotional vagaries, she was the pride and was buttered. They would strain a point in favor of the high-interest of this home, and she knew it.

est political opinion of the day, and he certainly could influ-It was in this direction that her mind was running when ence that. Aileen meanwhile was contemplating the peculiar her father, a few days after the dreadful exposure in the Sixth nature of her situation. In spite of their silence on the way Street house, sent for her to come to him in his room. He 287

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had come home from his office very early in the afternoon, this day. I’ll never be able to hold me head up again. Oh, the hoping to find Aileen there, in order that he might have a shame—the shame! That I should have lived to see it!” private interview with her, and by good luck found her in.

“But father,” protested Aileen, who was a little distraught She had had no desire to go out into the world these last few at the thought of having to listen to a long preachment which days—she was too expectant of trouble to come. She had would relate to her duty to God and the Church and her just written Cowperwood asking for a rendezvous out on family and her mother and him. She realized that all these the Wissahickon the following afternoon, in spite of the de-were important in their way; but Cowperwood and his point tectives. She must see him. Her father, she said, had done of view had given her another outlook on life. They had nothing; but she was sure he would attempt to do some-discussed this matter of families—parents, children, hus-thing. She wanted to talk to Cowperwood about that.

bands, wives, brothers, sisters—from almost every point of

“I’ve been thinkin’ about ye, Aileen, and what ought to be view. Cowperwood’s laissez-faire attitude had permeated and done in this case,” began her father without preliminaries of colored her mind completely. She saw things through his any kind once they were in his “office room” in the house cold, direct “I satisfy myself ” attitude. He was sorry for all together. “You’re on the road to ruin if any one ever was. I the little differences of personality that sprang up between tremble when I think of your immortal soul. I want to do people, causing quarrels, bickerings, oppositions, and sepa-somethin’ for ye, my child, before it’s too late. I’ve been ration; but they could not be helped. People outgrew each reproachin’ myself for the last month and more, thinkin’, other. Their points of view altered at varying ratios—hence perhaps, it was somethin’ I had done, or maybe had failed to changes. Morals—those who had them had them; those who do, aither me or your mother, that has brought ye to the hadn’t, hadn’t. There was no explaining. As for him, he saw place where ye are to-day. Needless to say, it’s on me con-nothing wrong in the sex relationship. Between those who science, me child. It’s a heartbroken man you’re lookin’ at were mutually compatible it was innocent and delicious.

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Aileen in his arms, unmarried, but loved by him, and he by Church and its dogma in regard to that. “He’ll divorce his her, was as good and pure as any living woman—a great deal own wife and children—and for you, will he? He needs you, purer than most. One found oneself in a given social order, does he?” he added, sarcastically. “What about his wife and theory, or scheme of things. For purposes of social success, children? I don’t suppose they need him, do they? What talk in order not to offend, to smooth one’s path, make things have ye?”

easy, avoid useless criticism, and the like, it was necessary to Aileen flung her head back defiantly. “It’s true, neverthe-create an outward seeming—ostensibly conform. Beyond that less,” she reiterated. “You just don’t understand.” it was not necessary to do anything. Never fail, never get Butler could scarcely believe his ears. He had never heard caught. If you did, fight your way out silently and say noth-such talk before in his life from any one. It amazed and shocked ing. That was what he was doing in connection with his him. He was quite aware of all the subtleties of politics and present financial troubles; that was what he had been ready business, but these of romance were too much for him. He to do the other day when they were caught. It was some-knew nothing about them. To think a daughter of his should thing of all this that was coloring Aileen’s mood as she lis-be talking like this, and she a Catholic! He could not under-tened at present.

stand where she got such notions unless it was from the Ma-

“But father,” she protested, “I love Mr. Cowperwood. It’s chiavellian, corrupting brain of Cowperwood himself.

almost the same as if I were married to him. He will marry

“How long have ye had these notions, my child?” he sud-me some day when he gets a divorce from Mrs. Cowperwood.

denly asked, calmly and soberly. “Where did ye get them? Ye You don’t understand how it is. He’s very fond of me, and I certainly never heard anything like that in this house, I war-love him. He needs me.”

rant. Ye talk as though ye had gone out of yer mind.” Butler looked at her with strange, non-understanding eyes.

“Oh, don’t talk nonsense, father,” flared Aileen, angrily,

“Divorce, did you say,” he began, thinking of the Catholic thinking how hopeless it was to talk to her father about such 289

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things anyhow. “I’m not a child any more. I’m twenty-four love him, and I’ll wait for him and marry him, and you can years of age. You just don’t understand. Mr. Cowperwood do what you please. So there!” doesn’t like his wife. He’s going to get a divorce when he can,

“Ye’ll marry him, will you?” asked Butler, nonplussed and and will marry me. I love him, and he loves me, and that’s all further astounded. “So ye’ll wait for him and marry him?

there is to it.”

Ye’ll take him away from his wife and children, where, if he

“Is it, though?” asked Butler, grimly determined by hook were half a man, he’d be stayin’ this minute instead of or by crook, to bring this girl to her senses. “Ye’ll be takin’ no gallivantin’ around with you. And marry him? Ye’d disgrace thought of his wife and children then? The fact that he’s your father and yer mother and yer family? Ye’ll stand here goin’ to jail, besides, is nawthin’ to ye, I suppose. Ye’d love and say this to me, I that have raised ye, cared for ye, and him just as much in convict stripes, I suppose—more, made somethin’ of ye? Where would you be if it weren’t for maybe.” (The old man was at his best, humanly speaking, me and your poor, hard-workin’ mother, schemin’ and when he was a little sarcastic.) “Ye’ll have him that way, likely, plannin’ for you year in and year out? Ye’re smarter than I if at all.”

am, I suppose. Ye know more about the world than I do, or Aileen blazed at once to a furious heat. “Yes, I know,” she any one else that might want to say anythin’ to ye. I’ve raised sneered. “That’s what you would like. I know what you’ve ye to be a fine lady, and this is what I get. Talk about me not been doing. Frank does, too. You’re trying to railroad him to bein’ able to understand, and ye lovin’ a convict-to-be, a rob-prison for something he didn’t do—and all on account of ber, an embezzler, a bankrupt, a lyin’, thavin’—” me. Oh, I know. But you won’t hurt him. You can’t! He’s

“Father!” exclaimed Aileen, determinedly. “I’ll not listen bigger and finer than you think he is and you won’t hurt him to you talking that way. He’s not any of the things that you in the long run. He’ll get out again. You want to punish him say. I’ll not stay here.” She moved toward the door; but But-on my account; but he doesn’t care. I’ll marry him anyhow. I ler jumped up now and stopped her. His face for the mo-290

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ment was flushed and swollen with anger.

tended talkin’ to ye about when I ast ye to come in. It’s

“But I’m not through with him yet,” he went on, ignoring somethin’ else I have on me mind. I was thinkin’, perhaps, her desire to leave, and addressing her direct—confident now ye’d like to go to Europe for the time bein’ to study music.

that she was as capable as another of understanding him. “I’ll Ye’re not quite yourself just at present. Ye’re needin’ a rest. It get him as sure as I have a name. There’s law in this land, and would be good for ye to go away for a while. Ye could have a I’ll have it on him. I’ll show him whether he’ll come sneakin’

nice time over there. Norah could go along with ye, if you into dacent homes and robbin’ parents of their children.” would, and Sister Constantia that taught you. Ye wouldn’t He paused after a time for want of breath and Aileen stared, object to havin’ her, I suppose?” her face tense and white. Her father could be so ridiculous.

At the mention of this idea of a trip of Europe again, with He was, contrasted with Cowperwood and his views, so old-Sister Constantia and music thrown in to give it a slightly fashioned. To think he could be talking of some one coming new form, Aileen bridled, and yet half-smiled to herself now.

into their home and stealing her away from him, when she It was so ridiculous—so tactless, really, for her father to bring had been so willing to go. What silliness! And yet, why ar-up this now, and especially after denouncing Cowperwood gue? What good could be accomplished, arguing with him and her, and threatening all the things he had. Had he no here in this way? And so for the moment, she said nothing diplomacy at all where she was concerned? It was really too more—merely looked. But Butler was by no means done.

funny! But she restrained herself here again, because she felt His mood was too stormy even though he was doing his best as well as saw, that argument of this kind was all futile now.

now to subdue himself.

“I wish you wouldn’t talk about that, father,” she began, hav-

“It’s too bad, daughter,” he resumed quietly, once he was ing softened under his explanation. “I don’t want to go to Eu-satisfied that she was going to have little, if anything, to say.

rope now. I don’t want to leave Philadelphia. I know you want

“I’m lettin’ my anger get the best of me. It wasn’t that I in-me to go; but I don’t want to think of going now. I can’t.” 291

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Butler’s brow darkened again. What was the use of all this derstand now. The fact is, if you want to know it, I don’t opposition on her part? Did she really imagine that she was believe in the Catholic Church any more, so there.” going to master him—her father, and in connection with The moment Aileen had said this she wished she had not.

such an issue as this? How impossible! But tempering his It was a slip of the tongue. Butler’s face took on an inexpress-voice as much as possible, he went on, quite softly, in fact.