The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1907-08-01
CHAPTER IIl.-Continued.

barry SOhdnI was as CHILL dS tuOu6h
standing in the center Of a ten-acre
daisy field cutting off the helpless flow
ers' heads with every swing Of his
arm. Switching stock gamblers into
eternity had grown to be pastime to
Barry Conant. Here was Bob thunder
ing with terrific emphasis "78 for s.
000," "77 for 5,000," "75 for 5,000,' "74
for $1,000" "73 for 5.OOOS "72 for $1,000"
seemingly expecting through sheer
power OF voice to crush his opponent
into silence stsBut with the regularity
of trip-hammer Barry Commits right
hand, raised in unhurried gesture, and
his clear calm Sold" met Bob's every
retreating bid. 1t was battle royal
king on one side, Richelieu on the
other. Though there was frantic buy
ing and selling all around these two
generals, the trading was gagged by
the trend of their battle. All knew
that if Bob should be beaten down by
this concentrated modern finance
devil, panic would ensue and Sugar
would go none could say how low.
But if Bob should play him to stand
still by exhausting his selling power,
Sugar would quickly soar to even
higher figures than before. 1t was
known that Barry Commits usual order
from his clients, the System" mas
tiers, for such an occasion as the pres
ent was Break the price at any cost"
On the other hand, every one knew
that Randolph G Randolph were usual
ly behind Bob's big operations; this
was evidently one of his biggest, and
every man there knew that Randolph
& Randolph were seldom backed down
by any force.
AS Bob made his bid "72 for 5,000,"
and got it, / saw a quick flash Of pain
shoot across his face, and realized that
it probably meant he was nearing the
end of my last order. l sized 1t up
that there was deviltry of more than
usual significance behind this selling
movement; that Barry Conant must
have unlimited orders to sell and
smash. My final order of $4,000
brought our total up to 10000 shares,
large amount for even Randolph &
Randolph to buy of stock selling at
nearly 5000 share. then and there
decided that whatever happened l
would go no further. Just then Bob's
wild eye caught mine, and there was
in 1T piteous appeal, such an appeal
as one sees in the eye of the wounded
dee when she gives up her attempt to
swim to shore and waits the coming
OF the pursuing hunters canoe. l sad
ly slgnaled that l was through. AS
Bob caught the sign, he threw his
head back and beloved a deep, hoarse
40 for 10000" l knew then that he
had already bought 10000, and that
this was the last ditch stand. Barry
Conant must have caught the mean.
ing, too. Instantly, like revolver re-
port, came his Sold" Then the COM
pact, miniature mass of human
springs and wires, which had until
now been held in perfect control, sud
denly burst from ITS clamps and Barry
Conant was the fiend his Wall street
reputation pictured him. His five feet
five inches seemed to loom to the
height CT a giant. His arms, with
their fate-pointing fingers, rose and
fell with bewildering rapidity as his
piercing voice rang outs 900 at 60,
GS, G5," 10000 at &c." $4,000 at co."
Pandemonium reigned Every man in
the crowd seemed to have the capital
stock of the Sugar trust to sell, and
at any price. A score seemed 10 be
bent on selling as low as possible In
stead of for as much as they could get
These were the shorts who had been
punished the day before by Bob's up
lift.
Poor Bob, he was forgotten! An in
slant after he made his last effort he
was the dead cock in the pit. Frenzied
gamblers of the stock exchange have
no more use for the dead cocks than
have MeXicans for the real birds when
they get the fatal gaff. The day after
the contest, or even that same night at
Delmonico's and the clubs, these men
would moan for poor Bob; Barry Con.
ants moan would be the loudest of
them all, and, what is more, it would
be sincere. But on battle day away
to the dump with the fallen bird, the
bird that could not win! ! saw look
of deep. terrible agony spread over
Bob's face: and then in flash he was
the Bob BROMLEY who always boast
ed had the courage and the brain to
do the right thing in all circumstances.
To the establishment of every man In
the crowd he lei loose one wild yell, q
cross between the war-whoop of an
Indian and tho hav nf a daop-Iup oo a