Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-20
CHAPTER TX.
Nom


ployer that morning.
Mr.. Strong glanced up from his desk
'"He seemed to be acting for the clique"
went on Mr. TaIlin, in puzzled tone. II
don't understand It."
HAS he been here today?"
A negative response and Mr.. Strong look
ed down. The young mans trips 70 Wash
| ington-the personal business" to be at
tended to-tbere seemed little room for
doubt how Charlie had been occupied at the
capital city! Mr.. Strong recalled too Dali
tons remarks about Ffsk-Grant.-
"They say the President has been seques-
tered by the clique, SIR went on the clerk
anxiously. Richard Strong wheeled around
In his chair. THE street is full of the ru-
NOR that he was on his way to Washington,
but was lured away to small place
remote from telegraphic communication.
There's a story about an old friend
who was dying and Grants being induced
to stop Off And now he couldn't order
the sale of government gold If he wanted
to-at least, that's what they say" added
the clerk, deprecatorily.
Mr.. Strong made no response but MS
face had grown serious, and for some time
he did not move, sitting with his eyes fast-
ered on a single point. as II seeking the
heart of this new and unexpected difficulty
that had arisen to complicate a situation
already sufficiently involved. If the report
was correct, the Presidents apparent in
action at time when the country was
threatened with a crisis could be under
stood. He had iptimated he would act;
he had not acted. Was It because he could
not act? 1t seemed incredible he should
thus have been put out of the contest, and
yet Richard Strong knew the subtle and
devious contrivances of which the Clique
were capable; the resources they had at
their command, and the lengths they might
go to attain their purpose.
But to have practically abducted the
President of the United States!
General Grant started for washington
yesterday afternoon said Mr.. Strong, sud
denly. Use the wire and find out If he
reached there
\ While waiting the confirmation of this
talk of the street, he could not but specu-
late what would be the result of even the
report of such a coup on the part of the
clique. What effect would this tremendous
news have upon values; what moral In
iuepce would it exercise upon the mem
bers of the pool Richard Strong had or
gained and which was already struggling
against formidable odds?
He was soon to learn. Toward noon sew
eral of them sought him with doleful coun-
tenances, fntimating desire to withdraw
from any further community of short"
interests.
tits suicide not to-" they said
Richard Strong did not gainsay this state
ment.
THE clique have offered to Settle why
should We not save what we camp
why not?' he answered.
Then you, too. will COMPROMISED" they
eagerly asked.
'T?" The veins stood out on his fore
head. Nor
But with Grant in the hands of the
clique, remote from Geographic commune
cation. what hope is left? You will be
ruined"
II do not know" said Richard Strong.
Just what hope is left as you term it. but
know l am committed to one course For
my part, l do not believe General Grant is
man lightly turned from his destination
or his purpose. l know such a statement,
unsupported, is unsatisfactory. For my
seif-and this will sound equally reason
iess-l can only say there are exigencies
wherein man acts in certain way be-
cause he cannot act otherwise. Call 1t OBJ
stlnacy, suicide. what you please: you are
free to withdraw"
Which they did and Mr. Strong con-
unued 10 throw over securities to the
waves without quelling them How many
millions had the pool he represented traded
In! The total transactions of the gold
room were already close to the half-billion
mark. Even he could not but begin to feel
appalled, by the magnitude of the trading;
hgures had come to mean nothing; sober
calculation had run riot and anarchisrn
was the result.
"One hundred and sixty"
He had walked into the adjoining office
and was listening to the telegraph instru-
ment that connected with the gold room.
Sixty-sixty Zone"
His eye followed the flying fractions
When would he hear from the capital city,
he began to experience impotence over
the delay in procuring authentic Informal
ton; intolerance at thus being Obliged to
grope in the dark. But the news came at
length:
The President is not in Washington"
1t was true, then; indubitabIe; fact!
That Grant had been decoyed away he
could no longer fail to believe. SimuIta-
neously with the confirma ton of this ru-
NOR came the noisy expression Of q start
ling announcement:
THE gold corner is completes! The gold
corner is completed"
Several voices at first were crying it on
the thoroughfare below; the turbulent
crowd took 1t up; their tones pierced the
air. Mr. Strong looked at them angrily.
Could one believe such harbingers of evil;
sheep that bleated one aftep the other?
''Impossible!' he said, folding his arms,
as If with word he would dispose of the
matter.
1.-The gold corner
He closed the window, but he could not
shut out the memory Of the faces below,
or exclude entirely the noise of outside tu-
mutt A sharp. quick sound at his elbow
soon, however. arrested his attention.
Click! Click The metallic beating of the
soaring quotations pervaded the office; IT
seemed in consonance with the throbbing
of his temples He strove to think of what
should now be done; IL he had left any,
thing undone; but the futflity of his own
efforts came over him like a revelation. A
feeling of surprise mingled with his other
emotions: that Grant, the great strategist
on the neiQ OF pdttie, SnOulQ nave Deen
overcome by the Vaccinations of the gold
crowd! The honor and integrity of the
chief executive he never doubted; Grants
enemies he knew would offer harsh criti-
cisms: the country would talk. but Richard
Strong only experienced disappointment;
regret.
"A telegram. sirg
Absently Mr. Strong took 1t, opened 1t.
It had been sent from little town not far
from Washington. Whom did he know
there? Suddenly his eyes flashed as they
caught the name of the sender. The Presi-
dent-the message was from him! Mr..
Grant might be sequestered. but he was not
isolated. Quickly Richard Strong scanned
the contents; then turned to the telegraph
instrument:
"Gold-one hundred and eighty
Was 1t too late? Would the President be
able to intervene only after the injury had
been done; after the corner had been ac-
tually consummated? These thoughts cross
ed his mind as he rapidly indited the mes
sage.
"Send this at once" he said to the tele-
graph operator. Then turning to Tim Tap
lin. he added shortly: Sell ten million gold
at the market" I
It was a eliminating command; final
effort to arrest for the moment the upward
trend of the metal. Even as he gave the
hat ba