Rarely did he trouble to put in a personal appearance, and then only for the weight and effect his presence would have.

He called on the mayor and the president of council, much as he called on Stener, with a lofty, distant, inscrutable air.

They were as office-boys to him.
In order to understand exactly the motive for Mollenhauer's interest in Stener, and the significance of this visit and Stener's subsequent action in regard to it, it will be necessary to scan the political horizon for some little distance back.

Although George W.Stener was in a way a political henchman and appointee of Mollenhauer's, the latter was only vaguely acquainted with him.

He had seen him before; knew of him; had agreed that his name should be put on the local slate largely because he had been assured by those who were closest to him and who did his bidding that Stener was "all right," that he would do as he was told, that he would cause no one any trouble, etc.