buy them out, or to take over their franchises. He worked on plans
with Sippens looking to the actual introduction of gas-plants.
There were bond issues now to float, stock to be marketed, contracts
for supplies to be awarded, actual reservoirs and tanks to be built,
and pipes to be laid. A pumped-up public opposition had to be
smoothed over. In all this De Soto Sippens proved a trump. With
Van Sickle, McKibben, and Stimson as his advisers in different
sections of the city he would present tabloid propositions to
Cowperwood, to which the latter had merely to bow his head in assent
or say no. Then De Soto would buy, build, and excavate. Cowperwood
was so pleased that he was determined to keep De Soto with him
permanently. De Soto was pleased to think that he was being given
a chance to pay up old scores and to do large things; he was really
grateful.

"We're not through with those sharpers," he declared to Cowperwood,
triumphantly, one day. "They'll fight us with suits. They may
join hands later. They blew up my gas-plant. They may blow up
ours."

"Let them blow," said Cowperwood. "We can blow, too, and sue also.
I like lawsuits. We'll tie them up so that they'll beg for
quarter." His eyes twinkled cheerfully.




Chapter IX