That wasn't the worst of it! He became intimate with some young girl--a Miss Butler, the sister of Owen Butler, by the way, who is now such a power down there, and--" She merely lifted her eyes.
"While he was in the penitentiary her father died and the family broke up.

I even heard it rumored that the old gentleman killed himself." (She was referring to Aileen's father, Edward Malia Butler.) "When he came out of the penitentiary Cowperwood disappeared, and I did hear some one say that he had gone West, and divorced his wife and married again.

His first wife is still living in Philadelphia somewhere with his two children." Mrs.Merrill was properly astonished, but she did not show it.

"Quite an interesting story, isn't it ?" she commented, distantly, thinking how easy it would be to adjust the Cowperwood situation, and how pleased she was that she had never shown any interest in them.

"Did you ever see her--his new wife ?" "I think so, but I forget where.