Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-04-07

straction as usual. Many glances were bestowed on him, most of them cu- rious, few sympathetic, some trl- umphantly vindictive. Everywhere he was regarded as beaten man. Now and then gray uniformed floor boy handed him messages. which he read leisurely and as leisurely reduced to fragments. Just as the session closed Pop Rimmer passed near him and turned to favor him with an apelike leer. The Cherub blinked unrespond- lngly. He seemed too dazed by mis- fortune even to disguise his chagrin.
 A somewhat different Cherub De- vine 1t was. however, who met his half dozen lieutenants that night be- hind the seclusion of safely locked doors on the tenth floor of gaudy big hotel Ee had become an alert, masterful. confident person. who thrill ed those about him by revelation of ungueSSed resources and unsuspected reserves of force.
 The climax of the struggle was reached during Thursday. Along about the noon hour the members of the Bates Rimmer combination were forced to admit that the Cherub was still In the fight. They made the ad- mission with profane unction. They did not understand why 1t was so. They only knew that in some mysteri- ous manner their triumphant career had been checked.
 Thus it went. All that afternoon the contest waged. Now the price of P, z. and N. stocks slumped desper- ately. now 1t skyrocketed amazingly. Other stocks were affected. The whole list quaked and Quivered as the struggling giants of finance wrestled heedlessly about the arena.
 Placidly smoking fat. black cigar and tilting comfortably back in one of Walloway & Co.'s mahogany office chairs, Cherub Devine received bull letins from the front. That was the position in which Nick Walloway found him when, after the day was over, he rushed in, haggard of face and with an anxious look in his eyes.
 we lack fifty shares" he announce ed briefly.
 "Then that's fifty we must get to- morrow morning." responded the Cherub
 Tt can't be done." declared Wallo. way, dropping hopelessly into chair. "The country has been raked with a fine toothed comb. We cant get hold of another share. I'm sorry. Cherub, but I've done my best for you. The F., z. and Ms annual meeting is held at noon tomorrow. and the Bates Rim mer crowd has practically got us beat en now. If we only had fifty shares more we could wipe them off the face of the earth"
 "You're as bad as the countess" chuckled the Cherub amicably. Then as this reflection recalled something to his mind he thrust his hand into an inner pocket of his coat and drew out a long envelope, at which he stared blankly.
 A twinge of guilt pricked his con science. There-he had completely for gotten the first errand with which she had intrusted him. Doubtless it was to exchange this stock for cash that she had been so anxious to come to the city. Perhaps she had been ex- pecting remittance by every mail. Shamefacedly he opened the envelope to make an idle examination of the contents. At the first glimpse his ex- changed. Hastily he ran through the documents, then showed them back into the envelope.
 A moment later he asked quietly, How many shares did you say we lSS'IsA, Nick?"
 Fifty" gloomily responded MT. Wal loway, his head between his hands.
 And about how much would they be worth to me just now?"
 Worth! Why, anything-three hun dred, five hundred, thousand dol lars share if you could get them wbich you can't"
 No" responded the Cherub. Well, what do you say to those?' and he tossed the long envelope to Walloway. That young man took his head from between his hands and glanced re- at the Cherub. It was no time for joking. But he took the pack ct and began a spiritless investigation. he jumped to his feet.
 "Devlne" he exclaimed hoarsely. These are F., z. and N. preferred!' Sure" The Cherub was watching him with calm interest.
 And there are twenty-hve-ffty- one hundred sharesr'
 Right again, Nick"
 But where on earth-Cherub, are you a wizard?"
 'Just make note of 1t that l owe he Countess Vecchi a hundred thou sand dollars. Guess l can afford to pull the market little on her ac- count, ehT'
 Afford to! Why, Devine, this gives you control of the road. You've got | he Bates-Rimmer crowd under your numb. You've won, man; you've wonr'
 Gro Be Continued)
 
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