The Nevada County picayune., 1911-06-30

to tne iHaTkel ueSpeFately, making use of every device known to him to stop the slump-to no purpose it seemed. The bear element controlled the mar ket; the public-always "bullish"-had lost confidence and could not be tempted to buy.
 On the opening Rope & Twlne broke three points. Steele's support fell away from him For a while he felt as though stunned. Then came a slight reaction, due to covering by the shorts. Steele, encouraged, strove to better the advantage. It proved to be momentary thing, however; again the price began to scale, point by point. slowly, surely.
 And Belden, in his office, smiled grimly at the reports brought him by his lieutenants, smiled yet more heart lessly as he thought of the final blow he was preparing to deal
 The floor was in tdmult To Steele 1t seemed that at least two-thirds or the traders were engaged in the strug- gle that ragged about the T. R. & T. post. Steele himself, Hollwedel and
  ters around whom revolved a bowling mob of frantic brokers, red-faced and wild-eyed all and all perspiring, bran dshing aloft their arms, threatening one another with their pads and pen. cils, pushing, crushing this way and that, surging to and fro, shouting, yelling, shrieking-chanting a monot .lt n but one word, that filled all four mar ble walls of the great room to it's golden ceiling with one never-ending cry of Sell, Sell Sell"
 And if one dared bleat "Buyi" he was overwhelmed by an instant on- thus, while he strained his ears to catch a change however slight, in the insstent iteration of Sell Sell. Sell" And in the end, when at length 1t came he hardly knew 1t; for he had lost heart and his head and was raving in unison with his fellows.
 And then, just as he began to real ize that the tide was turning, some one thrust telegram in his face He never knew who it was. At first ho refused to notice it, but it was thrust at him consistently. Finally he was forced to comprehend that the mes sage was for him. He seized 1t, and somehow the envelope was torn away from 1t. He backed up against tho post and held 1t up before his eyes. trying to steady himself The words danced madly; it was some time be- fore he grasped their import.
 Your wife is dying. Come home at once. Dexter"
 The shock seemed. in a way, to deaden all his senses.
 His fortune stood at stake. But what did it matter? What was money to him-life even-without her? Men pressed about him like a wall-deter mined men without understanding. But he lowered his head. sprang at them, bucked a way through them by main strength and carelessness of consequence, fighting like a madman-
 Presently he was in Broad Street. hatless, his coat ripped up his back, his collar lying about his neck sod den pulp of linen, one sleeve hanging from the shoulder almost by a single thread. And it was raining, steady furious downpour of April. He hardly was conscious of 1t. He found taxi- cab, mainly by intuition; he could not have been said to have seen it; and jumped in believing large promises to the chauffeur
 She was reading, or had been, when he staggered into her room. She arose, suddenly from her chair, and the book crashed on the floor she gave little. startled cry, and one hand went tenta- lively toward her heart. Her face was very white and apparently drawn. and Steele saw that she had been crying.
 Why, Jim!" she said
 "Youre--you'fe all right" he gasp ed. incredulously.
 "Yes." she told him, wondering.
 She came towards him slowly, hest tating, bewildered.
 Then" he said, after an interval what does this mean?"
 He extended his hand, opening his fingers: q little ball of yellow paper rested in his palm, damp with It's moisture.
 Read it," he said, impatiently.
 She unfolded it, read it with a growing wonder. then looked up at him.
 "I do not know" she said, with what seemed an effort, what 1t means.
 You are all right, sweetheart? You are not ill?"
 At present. not in the least"
 He pondered the problem, scowling-
 Thank Col" he whispered once or twice And finally he strengthened up, with a single cry: "Belden!" He had tathomed the mystery.
 An enemy sent II 10 me" he ex- plained, sitting down heavily. "it was | Af Ny