The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-09-21


he hal really lost his mind; that
was in the presence of a man truly
mad. But only for an instant; then
my horror, my anger turned to a
great, crushing. all-consuming agony
of pity for Bob, and l dropped my
head on my hands and wept 1t Is
ha to ADMIT 1t, but 1t is true-T
wept uncontrollably. In an instant
the room was quiet except for the
so.:nd of my own awful grief. l heard
1t, was ashamed of it, but l could not
stop. The telephone rang again and
assin. wildly, strii!y, but there was
no answer. The stiffness became so
oppressive that even my own sobs
gu eted. | gasped as the lump in my
throat choked me, then slowly raised
my eyes.
'iob's towering figure was in front
of me. His head had fallen forward,
and his aens were folded across his
breast. But that he stood erect
should have thought him dead SO
still was he. jumped to my feet and
looked into his face, down which great
tears were dropping silently. ]
touched him on the shoulder.
Bob, MY dear old chum, Bob, for
give me. For Gods sake, forgive me
for intruding on your misery"
looked at him. will never forget
his face. No heartbroken woman's
could have been sadder. He slowly
raised his lead, then staggered and
grasped the tickerstand for support.
Don't, Jim, don't-don't ask me to
forgive yor. Oh, Jim, Jim, my old
friend, forgive me for my madness;
forget what I said to you, forget the
brute you just saw and think of me as
of old, when l would have plucked
out my tongue If had caught it say
ing harsh word to the best and
truest friend man ever had. Jim, for
get 1t al. l was mad I am mad,
have been mad for long time, but it
cannot last much longer. l know II
can't, and, Jim, by all our past love.
by the memories Of the dear old days
at st. Paul's and at Harvard the
dear old days of hope and happiness
when we planned for the future, try
to think of me only as you knew me
then, as you know that I should now
be, but for the Systems curse"
The clerks were pounding on the
door, through the glass showed many
FORMS They had been gathering fo'
minutes while Bob talked in his low
4 n %hot bn
lieve came from the same mouth that
a few moments before had poured
forth a flood of brutal heartlessness.
Bob went to the door. The Office
was in an uproar. Twenty or 30 OF
Bob's brokers were there, aghast at
not getting a reply to their calls.
Many were pouring in through the
outer Office. Bob looked at them cold
ly. We'll, what is the trouble? Is
it possible we are down to point
where the stock exchange rushes
over to a mans office when his wire
happens to break DOWN."
They saw his bluff. You cannot de-
ceive stock exchange men, at least
not the kind that Bob BROMLEY EN-
ployed on panic days. but his cool
ness reassured them, and when they
saw me it was odds-on that they
guessed to a man why Bob had ig-
nored his wires-guessed that l had
been pleading for the life of 1.-THE
street"
Well where do you stand?"
Frank Swan answered for the
crowd: THE panic is in full swing.
She's a cellar-to-ridge-p pole ripper.
They're down 40 or over on an av-
erage. Anti-People's is down to S5,
and still coming like sawdust over
broken dam. Barry Conant's house
and dozen other Of Reinhart have
gone under. His banks and trust
companies are going every minute.
The whole street will be overheard
before the close. The governing COM
mittee has just called meeting to see
whether 1t will not be best to adjourn