Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-19
CHAPTER VIII.
Black Friday.


gathering legions, that strength and pa
thence were required by him who desired or
found 1t necessary to work his way through
the press of people. Business became stag
nant; merchants left their offices and APP
prehensively repaired to the scene of strife
What had happened to values? What did
1t mean? Tampering with gold; speculat-
ing in that precious commodity had pre-
cipitated an alarmingly unsettled condition,
which might reach disastrously from one
END or the land to the other, and
Inc country is going to everlasting
smash was the general verdict.
is true. this answer seemed far from
satisfying. He had been enjoying good
sales and reaping rich net earnings:
with the wheels of industry all hum
ming, wreck and ruin seemed unreal,
uncailed for. Yet here chaos; values
mad run mad, and financial institutions
were lettering. Small wonder he felt at
sea; lost; cropping in the dark.
Before the opening of the gold room the
announcement had gone forth that the yell
low metal would be advanced that DAY to
2oo This startling statement sent the
color from the cheeks of the anxious bears.
knew their doom had been sounded Al II
o'clock-a foretaste of what seemed in
store-goid had gone up almost twenty
points, and the ranks of the opposition
fore the fierce aggression OF the attacking
party, the weaker defenses were carried
and only the old campaigners yet stood
by their guns exposed to the cross-fire of
those fatal buying orders.
What ish it now?" A frantic Israelite
caught at the sleeve Of a broker.
''One hundred and fifty
'Mein Colt in Himmel" And the He
brew fell back in faint.
Fiercer ragged the fight. 'Buy,-buy!-"
sounded the unvarying note of the coterie.
At the same time confidential brokers of
the gold clique, under flag of truce. quiet
ly began to confer with the enemy, advising
unconditional surrender or the alternative
of further imitation of values. until the
dreaded 300 mark was reached. In the
face of this threat many belligerents
threw down their weapons. wended their
way to the headquarters of their assaiants,
accepted the terms offered. and mournfully
departed from the scene of battle. Others.
however, of Sterner, more martial mooG,
yet elected to remain on the field and fight.
Standing near the fountain Dalton watch
ed the exodus of certain of the enemy. In
his hand he held a slip. containing his
instructions from the clique. which having
been fulfilled. gave him a moment for
pleasing contemplation. The din was like
d huZza to his ears; a triumphal discord of
a battle whose end was no longer a matter
of doubt His face was burning; his hand
dry and hot, and he dragged 1t in the
basin of cold water without being con-
scious of a reactionary sensation.
Wont"
Like the soft arpeggios of a harp the
water tinked and he looked down into 1t
to see his own face.
Rich! Rich"' the reflection seemed to
gibber back at him, pale worn, yet glor!
ing Narcissus-like. Around him were other
white faces. but in their eyes was despair.
With consciousness that he sat upon a
pinnacle of power far removed from the
brunt of wreck and disaster, Dalton con-
templated the losing host. Vaguely he
wondered why messenger did not
bring him further instructions. Were
the clique relaxing their efforts? No;
other brokers, who, he knew, We're identi-
fed with the high-gold party, had not
ceased to operate. The sight OF Inn Zap
Inns face in the crowd gave him something
of a start. but smiling, self-posseSsed, ne
ia ced that gentleman.
Mr.. Strong is still selling Tim?'
He has been selling all morning, SIR
answered the clerk, in low tone, as you
must know, sir.
Daltons features grew rather pinched.
Frequently, as the exigencies OF business
had demanded, he had appeared in that
room in the past. Railroads, banks, mon
eyed institutions were connected with 1t by
wire and in common with these men VINO
were not in any sense SPECTATORS, Richa ,S
Strong had need of a daily supply OF eoiu
That Mr. Taplin should consider him stun
agent of his employer was not to be Won
dered at, and Charlie made no haste to I'M
deceive him.
went on Tim. cautiously. He had set his
heart on stemming this movement. or con-
spiracy and now -,
Its likely to swamp him, SAID Charne
aft looks as IL it would swamp anything,
r,urmured Taplin, gloomily, as ne sNdeo
away. ,o,
a trace of conjunction, but, II SO, announcer
emotion replaced it; sentiment AKIN 10
creed ayarice He looked about him more
mnat,entIy, when suddenly the room seemed
to whirl around. He steadied himself at
the fountain rail and smiled RANT non
sense! Then he remembered he had not
eaten that morning, or hardly touched 1000
the day before; that he had been living on
his nervous energies. Now, AFTER the SUI
preme moment. he found them Iali.hs MN
STRENGTHENING his frame, looked at his
watch. There was lull in the storm ana
he hesitated. ,, -
Safe enough to leave, I guess he
thought Anyhow, I'm going Ana as
he passed out lone hundred and fifty, the
last quotation he heard, was eminently re-
assuring. -,
witnessed before in the street since the
Gavs when the patriots threw down the
statue of King George and cut of It's head,
or when they marched to Trinity to compel
the rector to stop praying for the King ana
the royal family. Now it was not work
of art the threng sought to demolish, but
certain members Of the Erie crowd"
CHATS one of them. l. saw him with
Fisk"
In the midst of this disappointed host
Dalton found himself, his torn coat and
bent hat bearing testimony to the
difficulties he had experienced IN ell
bowling his way through the gath
ering. He was conscious of a painful
throbbing Of his temples; Of an impression
of the surrounding scene. vague, fndeter-
inmate: of hearing plainly the uproar, yet
feeling himself in an indefinite degree re-
mote from 1t.
Oblivious alike of angry glances or NUT
tered threats. the young man walked on.
The fresh air revived him; he wanted to be
alone in some place where he could think.
Pausing irresolutely, the door of base
ment restaurant, not stones throw from
the center of disturbance, caught his eye,
and, descending the steps. he entered
small. grimy room. 1t was not the kind OF
resort he was wont to frequent, and now.
in his new-found opulence, the sawdusU
floors, the sooty walls, appeared especially
incongruous. But he was hungry. weary,
and minded neither the character of the
freauenters nor the quality of the steam
ing lunch that was being served. He even
felt quietly amused, as, seating himself De-
fore a greasy table, he took off his hat ana
began nervously to fan himself. He look
ed straight before him; the golden profits
were ali there; tangible, firm. Again he
saw the chimerical fractions dancing before