He was in front of Stener now, looking him directly in the eye and by the kinetic force of his mental way attempting to make Stener take the one step that might save him—­Cowperwood—­however little in the long run it might do for Stener.  And, more interesting still, he did not care.  Stener, as he saw him now, was a pawn in whosoever’s hands he happened to be at the time, and despite Mr. Mollenhauer and Mr. Simpson and Mr. Butler he proposed to attempt to keep him in his own hands if possible.  And so he stood there looking at him as might a snake at a bird determined to galvanize him into selfish self-interest if possible.  But Stener was so frightened that at the moment it looked as though there was little to be done with him.  His face was a grayish-blue:  his eyelids and eye rings puffy and his hands and lips moist.  God, what a hole he was in now!

“Say that’s all right, Frank,” he exclaimed desperately.  “I know what you say is true.  But look at me and my position, if I do give you this money.  What can’t they do to me, and won’t.  If you only look at it from my point of view.  If only you hadn’t gone to Butler before you saw me.”

“As though I could see you, George, when you were off duck shooting and when I was wiring everywhere I knew to try to get in touch with you.  How could I?  The situation had to be met.  Besides, I thought Butler was more friendly to me than he proved.  But there’s no use being angry with me now, George, for going to Butler as I did, and anyhow you can’t afford to be now.  We’re in this thing together.  It’s a case of sink or swim for just us two—­not any one else—­just us—­don’t you get that?  Butler couldn’t or wouldn’t do what I wanted him to do—­get Mollenhauer and Simpson to support the market.  Instead of that they are hammering it.  They have a game of their own.  It’s to shake us out—­can’t you see that?  Take everything that you and I have gathered.  It is up to you and me, George, to save ourselves, and that’s what I’m here for now.  If you don’t let me have three hundred and fifty thousand dollars—­three hundred thousand, anyhow—­you and I are ruined.  It will be worse for you, George, than for me, for I’m not involved in this thing in any way—­not legally, anyhow.  But that’s not what I’m thinking of.  What I want to do is to save us both—­put us on easy street for the rest of our lives, whatever they say or do, and it’s in your power, with my help, to do that for both of us.  Can’t you see that?  I want to save my business so then I can help you to save your name and money.”  He paused, hoping this had convinced Stener, but the latter was still shaking.

“But what can I do, Frank?” he pleaded, weakly.  “I can’t go against Mollenhauer.  They can prosecute me if I do that.  They can do it, anyhow.  I can’t do that.  I’m not strong enough.  If they didn’t know, if you hadn’t told them, it might be different, but this way—­” He shook his head sadly, his gray eyes filled with a pale distress.