Willmar tribune., 1907-08-28
CHAPTER II.-Continucd,

CHAPTER lI.-Continued.
No one who scanned the crowd that
morning would have believed that the
calm, set face on that erect Indian
figure, occupying the very center OF
that horde of gamblers who were only
awaiting the ringing clang of the gong
to hurl themselves like madmen at
each other, was the hysterical man
who the night before was wildly pray
ing for this moment. Nearly every
man in that crowd was calm, but Bob
Brownley was the calmest of them all.
It's the exchange code that at any cost
OF heart or nerve-tear a man must re.
tain good form until the gong strikes.
Then, that he must be as near the un-
Gagged tiger as human mind and body
can be made. Only realized what
volcano ragged inside my chums bosom.
II any other man of the crowd had
known, Bobs chances of success would
have been on par with Canadian
canoeist short-cutting Niagara for Buff
falO. Nine-tenths of the stock ex-
change game is not letting your left
brain lobe know what race your right
Is in until the winning numbers and
the also-rans are on the board. If one
of those 800 chain-lightning thinkers
or any of their 10000 alert associates
knew in advance the intentions of a
fellow broker, the word would sweep
through that crowd with the sureness
OF uncorked ether, and the other 299,
at gong strike, would be at each 9TH
ers' throats for his vitals, and before
he knew the game had started would
have his bones picked to a vulture-
finish cleanness.
Suddenly, as I watched the scene,
there rang through the great hall the
first sharp stroke of the gong. There
were no echoes heard that morning.
The metallic voice was yet shaping it's
command to 'at EN-, you fends' when
from 800 throats burst the wild sound
Of the stock exchange yell. No other
sound in any of the open or hidden
places of all nature duplicates the
yell Of a great stock exchange at an
exciting opening. 1t not only fills and
refills space, for the volume is terrific,
but it has an individuality all it's own,
coming from the incisive "take-mine-
Tve-got yours" from the aggressive,
almost arrogant ''you-can 't-you-won't.
have-your-way," the confident "by-
heaven-I-will' Individual notes that en-
ter into the whole, as they blend with
the shrill scream of triumph and the
die-away note of disappointment, when
the floor men realize their success or
their failure. l picked Bob's magnifi-
Gently resonant voice from the mass
40 for any part of 10000 Sugar" 1t
was this daring bid that struck terror
to the bears and filed the bulls with a
frenzy of encouragement. Again it
rang out-"45 for any part of 25,O00;"
and a third time-"5O for any part of
5O,OOO."
The great crowd was surging all
over the room. Hats were smashed
and coats were being stripped from
their owners backs as though made of
paper, and now and then a particular
ly frantic buyer or seller would be
borne to the floor by the impetus of
those who sought to fill his bid or grab
his offer. Through all the wild whirl,
straight and erect and commanding
was the form of Bob, his face cold and
expressionless as an iceberg. In five
minutes the human mass had worked
back to the Sugar pole and there was
ho 1,,11 whit
"verified.'
I could see by the few entries Bob
was making on his pad that he had
been compelled to buy but little. This
meant that his campaign was working
smoothly, that he was driving the mar
ket up by merely bidding, and that he
had the greater part of my $4,000 yet
unbought, which in turn meant he
could continue to push up the price,
or in the event of his opponents at
tempting to run it down, he would be
under the market with big supporting
orders.
Suddenly the lull was broken. Bob's
voice rang out again-"153 for any
part of 10000 Sugar." Again the gam
blers closed in and for another five
minutes the opening scene was dupli-
Gated, with only a shade less fierce
ness. After ten minutes mad trading
a mighty burst of sound told that
Sugar was 100 bid. Then Bob worked
his way out of the crowd, and passing
by me fairly Kissed, by heaven, Jim,
I've got them cinched!"
went back to the Office. In a few
minutes Bob without a word strobe
through my Office and into the little
room occupied by Beulah Sands. He
closed the door behind him, thing
that he had never done before. 1t was
only a minute till he opened it and
called to me. In his eyes was strange
look, look that came from the blend
ing of two mighty passions, one joy,
the other could not make out, unless
It was that soft one, which suppressed
love, emerging from terrible uncer-
tainty, generates in deep natures and
which usually finds vent in tears.
Beulah Sands was study. Her heart
was evidently swaying and tugging
with the news Bob had brought her.
She must have seen the nearness of
release from the torture that had been
filling her soul during the past three
months, and yet such was the remark
able self-control of the woman, such
her noble courage, that she refused to
show any outward sign of her feelings
Che WAS the reserVed Identified pir1
/ had ever seen her.
"Jim, Miss Sands and thought it
hest that we should have a little match