When the latter, accompanied by his wife, had arrived, and Aileen had smiled on them both sweetly, and was doing her best to be nice to Mrs.McKenty, Cowperwood remarked: "McKenty, do you know anything about these two tunnels that the city owns under the river at Washington and La Salle streets ?" "I know that the city took them over when it didn't need them, and that they're no good for anything.

That was before my time, though," explained McKenty, cautiously.

"I think the city paid a million for them.

Why ?" "Oh, nothing much," replied Cowperwood, evading the matter for the present.

"I was wondering whether they were in such condition that they couldn't be used for anything.