making in Chicago. Besides, Cowperwood's manner bespoke supreme
intelligence and courage, and that is always resented by all save
the suppliants or the triumphant masters of other walks in life.
Simms was really interested at last to know something more about
Cowperwood, something definite.

Before this social situation had time to adjust itself one way or
the other, however, a matter arose which in its way was far more
vital, though Aileen might not have thought so. The feeling between
the new and old gas companies was becoming strained; the stockholders
of the older organization were getting uneasy. They were eager
to find out who was back of these new gas companies which were
threatening to poach on their exclusive preserves. Finally one
of the lawyers who had been employed by the North Chicago Gas
Illuminating Company to fight the machinations of De Soto Sippens
and old General Van Sickle, finding that the Lake View Council had
finally granted the franchise to the new company and that the
Appellate Court was about to sustain it, hit upon the idea of
charging conspiracy and wholesale bribery of councilmen. Considerable
evidence had accumulated that Duniway, Jacob Gerecht, and others
on the North Side had been influenced by cash, and to bring legal
action would delay final approval of the franchises and give the
old company time to think what else to do. This North Side company
lawyer, a man by the name of Parsons, had been following up the
movements of Sippens and old General Van Sickle, and had finally
concluded that they were mere dummies and pawns, and that the real
instigator in all this excitement was Cowperwood, or, if not he,
then men whom he represented. Parsons visited Cowperwood's office
one day in order to see him; getting no satisfaction, he proceeded
to look up his record and connections. These various investigations