Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1908-07-25
CHAPTER XIX.
A Deal in Stocks.

The VOLTAGE, scanned with hatred
and anger, and hideous with evil pas
sions, that had glowered for a mo-
ment out of the smoky frame Of the
Chinese den. was still haunting me as
/ forced myself once more to return
to the Office. Wednesday morning had
come, and l was due to meet Dodd-
ridge Knapp. But as l unlocked the
door, I took some comfort in the
reflection that could hardly be more
unwilling to meet the Wolf than he
must be to meet me.
l had scarcely settled myself in my
chair when I heard the key turn In
the lock. The door swung open, and
in walked Doddridge Knapp.
had thought to find at least some
trace of the opium debauch through
which l had gained the clew to his
strange and contradictory acts. But
showed no sign of the experiences
through which he had passed. For
all that appeared, he might have EN-.
ployed the time since l had left here
two days before in studying philoso.
ply and cultivating peace and good.
will with his neighbors.
'Ah, Wilton" he said, sffably, rub.
bling his hands with purrihg growl.
you're ready for a hard days work,
l hope"
Nothing would please me better"
I said cheerfully, my repugnance
melting away with the magnetism of
his presence. as the black flag up to-
day."
He looked at me in surprise for an
instant, and then growled, still in
good humor:
"'No quarter is the motto today"
And l listened closely as the King Of
the Street gave his orders for the
morning.
you understand now" he SAID at
to sell all the Crown Diamond that
the market will take, and buy all
the Omega that you can get below one
hundred"
81 understand"
well feed Decker about as big
dose as he can swallow, I reckon"
said the King of the Street, grimly.
"One thing" l said, I'D like to
know if I'm the only one operating
for YOU"
The King of the Street drew his
| bushy brows down over his eyes and
scowled at me a moment.
You're the only one in the big
board" he said at last. There are
men in the other boards, ycu under
stand"
| thought I understood, and sailed
! forth for the battle At Doddridge
Knapp's suggestion I arranged to do
my business through three brokers,
and added Lattimer and Hobart to
! Wallbridge, and Bockstein and Epp.
ner.
Bockstein greeted me affably:
WELCOME to de marget vonce more,
Mr.. -, Mr.. -"
Wilton" said Eppner, assisting his
partner in his high, dry voice. with
cold civility. His blue-black eyes re-
garded me as but a necessary part of
the machinery Of commerce.
| L gave DlitUy,
dot is a larch ORDER" said Book
stein obviously.
You don't have to take It," was
about to retort, when Eppner's high
pitched voice interrupted:
Its all right. The customary mar.
gin is enough"
Wallbridge was more enthusiastic.
you've come just in the nick of
time" said the stout little man, swab-
bling his bald head from force of
habit, though the morning was chill.
THE market has been drier than a
fish-horn and duller than foggy
morning"
Lattimer and Hobart, after a polite
explanation of their rules in regard
to margins, and getting certified
check, became obsequiously anxious
to do my bidding.
l distributed the business with such
judgment that l felt pretty sure our
plans could not in any way be ex.
posed, and took my place at the rail
in the board room.
The opening proceedings were COM
paratively tame. l detected a sad
falling-off in the quality and quantity
of lung power and muscular activity
among the buyers and sellers in the
pit.
At the call of Confidence, Lattimer
and Hobart began feeding shares to
the market. Confidence dropped five
points in half a minute, and the pit
began to wake up.
There was a roar and growl that
! showed me the animals were still
alive.
The Decker forces were taken by
surprise, but with hasty consultation
came CALAMITY to the rescue of their
stock. At the close of the call they
had forced it back and one point high
er than at tho opening.