The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-07-07

| Inc bear element controlled the mar.
ket; the public-always "bullish'-had
lost confidence and could not be
tempted to buy.
On the opening, Rope G. Irvine
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. 1t proved to be
a 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 tumult. To Steele
it seemed that at least two-thirds OF
the traders were engaged In the strug.
| gle that ragged about the T. r. & T.
post. Steele himself, Hollwedel and
Belden's broker were the storm cen,
ters, around whom revolved a bowling
mob of frantic brokers, red-faced and
wild-eyed all and all perspiring, bran.
dishing aloft their arms, threatening
one another with their pads and pen.
ellis, pushing, crushing this way and
that, surging to and fro, shouting,
yelling, shrieking-chanting a monot.
onous dirge of a hundred notes and
but one word, that filed all four mar
Bile walls of the great room to its
golden ceiling with one never-ending
cry of Sell! Sell Sell!"
And If one dared bleat "Buyi" he
was overwhelmed by an instant on.
slaught. Steele felt that hours passed
thus, while he strained his ears to
catch a change, however slight, in the
insistent iteration of Sell! Sell!
Sell" And in the end, when at length
1t came, he hardly knew it; for he
had lost heart and his head and wac
raving in unison with his fellows.
And then, Just as he began to real.
lie that the tide was turning some
one thrust a telegram in his face. He
never knew who 1t was. At first he
refused to notice it, but 1t was thrust
at him persistently. Finally he was
forced to comprehend that the mes
sage was for him. He seized it, and
somehow the envelope was torn away
from it. He backed up against the
post and held it up before his eyes,
trying to steady himself The words
danced madly; 1t 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 1t 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 mailman.
Presently he was in Broad Street
hatless, his coat ripped up his back.
his collar lying about his neck a sod.
den pulp Of linen, one sleeve hanging
from the shoulder almost by a single
thread. And 1t was raining, a steady
furious downpour of April He hardly
was conscious of 1t. He found a 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're 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: a little ball of yellow paper
rested in his palm, damp with its
moisture.
Read it." he said, impatiently.
She unfolded 1t, read it with a
growing wonder, then looked up at
MIN.
Il do not know" she said, with what
seemed an effort, what it means"
You are all right, sweetheart? You
ire not ill?"
AT present, not in the least"
He pondered the problem, scowling.
Thank Cod" he whispered, once or
vice. And finally he Strengthened up.
with a single cry: "Belden!" He had
athomed the mystery.
AN enemy sent it to me-" he ex-
planned. sitting down heavily. 1T was
landed to me on the floor of the Elk
,hange. So I came-at once" He
attempted a smile, but without signal
success. AT once" he repeated,
lrearily. Thank God!"
You did that for me, Jim?" she said.
oftly. For me? And l did not think
'ou cared so much"
Il did not know how much cared