Norrie Simms naturally sided with his old associates.

But the worst blow came through Mrs.Anson Merrill.

Shortly after the housewarming, and when the gas argument and the conspiracy charges were rising to their heights, she had been to New York and had there chanced to encounter an old acquaintance of hers, Mrs.Martyn Walker, of Philadelphia, one of the circle which Cowperwood once upon a time had been vainly ambitious to enter.

Mrs.Merrill, aware of the interest the Cowperwoods had aroused in Mrs.Simms and others, welcomed the opportunity to find out something definite.
"By the way, did you ever chance to hear of a Frank Algernon Cowperwood or his wife in Philadelphia ?" she inquired of Mrs.Walker.
"Why, my dear Nellie," replied her friend, nonplussed that a woman so smart as Mrs.Merrill should even refer to them, "have those people established themselves in Chicago?
His career in Philadelphia was, to say the least, spectacular.

He was connected with a city treasurer there who stole five hundred thousand dollars, and they both went to the penitentiary.