The Columbus journal., 1908-07-08
CHAPTER xI.-Continued.

CHAPTER xI.-continued.
The call closed amid animation; but
The excitement was nothing COM
pared TO the scene that had followed
the fall in the morning. Omega stood
at eighty asked, and seventy-eight bid,
and the ship Of the stock gamblers
was again sailing on an even keel.
The session was over at last, and
Wallbridge and Eppner handed me
their memoranda of purchases.
You couldn't pick Omega off the
bushes this afternoon, Mr.. Wilton"
said Wallbridge, wiping his bald head
vigorously. There's fools at all times.
and some of EN- were here and ready
10 drop what they had: but not many.
l gathered in six hundred for you, but
I had to fight for it,
l thanked the merry broker, and
gave him check for his balance.
Eppner had done better with a
wider margin, but all told had added
but three thousand one hundred
shares to my list. | wondered how
much Of this had been sold to me by
my employer. Plainly, if DOddridge
Knapp was needing Omega stock he
would have to pay for It,
There was no one to be seen as
reached Room Is. The connecting door
was closed and locked, and no sound
came from behind it. | turned to ar
range the books, to keep from a bad
habit of thinking over the inexplicable.
An hour passed and no Doddriige
Knapp. 1t was long past office hours.
Just as l was considering whether my
duty to my employer constrained me
wait longer, | caught sight of an en-
Velope that had been slipped under
the door. 1t was in cipher. but it
yielded to the key with which Dodd-
ridge Knapp had provided me. l
made il out TO be this:
Come TO my house tonight. Bring
your contracts with you. Knapp"
| was thrown into some perpleyity
by this order. For little | suspected
a trap, but on second thought this
seemed unlikely. The Office furnished
as convenient a place for homicidal
diversions as he could wish, if these
were in his intention, and possibly a
visit 10 Doddridge Knapp in his own
house would give me a better clue to
his habits and purposes. and a better
chance of bringing home to him his
awful crime, than month together on
the Street.
The clocks We're pointing past eight
when | mounted the steps that led to
Dodd:idge knapp's door. | had some
thing of trepidation, after all, as l rang
the bell, for was far from being sure
that Doddridge Knapp was above car
rying out his desperate purposes in
his own house. and l wondered wheth-
er | should ever come out again, once
| was behind those massive door. |
had taken the preeaution to find a
smaller revolver, suitable for an ev-
ening call" as | assured myself, but it
did not look to be much of a protec-
ton in case the house held dozen
ruffians OF the Terrill brand. How
ever, | must risk it. l gave my name
TO the servant who opened the door.
HIS Way. AS Sstiu duO III
a moment | was ushered into a small
plainly-furnished room; and at desk
covered with papers sat Doddridge
Knapp. the picture of the Wolf in his
den.
Sit down. Wilton" said he with
grim affability, giving his hand. You
won't mind if an old man doesn't get
up"
made some conventional reply.
Sorry to disappoint you this after
noon. and take up your evening" he
said. but | found some business that
needed more immediate attention.
There was little matter that had to
be looked after in person And the
VOLTS fangs showed in a cruel smile,
which assured me that the little mat
ter" had terminated unhappily for the
other man.
1 airily professed myself happy to
be at his service at any time.
Eyes, yes," he said; but let's see
your memoranda. Did you do we'll
this afternoon
Moo" l returned apologetically.
Not so we'll as l wished"
He took the papers and looked over
them carefully.
"Thirty-o hundred" he said re-