Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25

"WeN Weymouth" said the great fnan-
eier. turning for a moment from the stock
ticker to address his Junior partner, things
seem to be coming our way this morning
1t was the great Devlin who spoke, the
man whose very name was a terror to the
street and he speaking of the deal
which he meant should be his last. He was
an old man now, but he felt unwilling to
leave what had been for him the scene OF
so many successes without one final and
browning effort. in the glory of which he
might retire triumphant. to be forever re-
membered in the pit.
Yes" he continued. speaking almost as
much to himself as to the man beside him,
81 think she'll close at 40 today. Tomor-
row she'll go still higher"
His partner nodded. He was a man Of
few words
AT no." the broker repeated. But she'll
be 40 before I'm through with her. Thirty
points net gain for Devlin & Co., eh?'
Again his partner nodded He was count
Ing up the probable profits, figuring with
his finger in the air.
1t was a shrewd game that old Devlin
had been playing. Kenawha and Western
presented a good target, for 1t was Sc
curity large a part of which lay in
strong hands-hands which had no inten-
ton of releasing it-that any heavy buying
of the floating stock was sure TO be felt
sooner or later In the market. 1t was a
move also. to circulate the rumor, shortly
before the Kenawha's last quarterly div
idend had been declared, that the directors
would decide 1T best, owing to the heavy
outlay required for contemplated improve
ments, to reduce it from one and quarter
to one per cent, and would likewise request
the stockholders to authorize q new bond
issue. The report caused the security to go
OF five points and If Daylin
placed the majority OF his orders. although
he had been accommodating Kenawha quiet
ly for weeks.
Finally the dividend rumor was emphat-
ically denied from q semi-official source
and kenawha rallied in consequence. Still
Devnn continued to buy. 1t had only been
yesterday, however, that at o'clock, just
after stock exchange closing hour, the di-
rectors had met and declared not only the
same dividend as in the past, but quarter
or one per cent additional. The mornings
quotations had shown the instantaneous eff
rect. influenced as well by the fact of Dew
Inns corner.
weymouth was moving about the private
once restIessiy. The strain Of the last few
days was beginning to tell upon him He
lacked his chiefs iron nerve
AT length, with half-intellgible excuse,
he opened the door snd went out passing
into the adjoining room, reserved for GUS
TONER'S. Ihere was an air of suppressed
excitement. which is never wholly lacking
even among veteran operators. Weymouth
joined group of three four who were
discussing the financial situation. Il only
hope the old man will hold on long enough"
was what he kept saying to himself
Meanwhile Devlin sat in his Office alone.
He was happy-harpier than he had been
for months. He felt the old grip on things
again-knew himself perfect master of the
situation. And yet his face were the same
hungry, lonely expression which his clerks
had learned to recognize SO well.
At half-past IL precisely Weymouth look
ed In just long enough to illumine the at
mosphere with a smile.
It's at 10S' he cried geefully. 1.-THE
shorts are on the run. The stocks scarcer
than cocktails at a prayer meeting BY to-
morrow We cal make our own terms"
For the first time in his history Devlin
almost laughed.
1t would be a great week. and when 1t