Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-11-08
CHAPTER VIII.
affirmation

Back at his hotel though nearly two
in the morning, he found the reporters
waiting to interview him. Next morn
ing there were more. And thus, with
blare of paper trumpet, was he re-
ceived by New York. Once more, with
beating of tom-toms and wild hula
balloO, his picturesque figure strobe
across the printed sheet. The King of
the Klondike, the hero of the Arctic,
the thirty-million-dollar millionaire of
the North, had come to New York.
What had he come for? To trim the
New Workers as he had trimmed the
Tonopah crowd in Nevada?
They were prepared for him to play,
and, when heavy buying of Ward Val
leg began, it was quickly decided that
he was the operator. Financial gossip
buzzed and hummed He was after
the Guggenhammers once more. The
story of Ophir was told over again
and sensationalized until even Day
light scarcely recognized it. Still, it
was all grist to his mill. The stock
gamblers were clearly befOoled. Each
day he increased his buying, and so
eager were the sellers that Ward
Valley rose but slowly. A wildly ex-
citing time was his during the week
preceding Thursday the eighteenth.
Not only was he gambling as he had
never gambled before, but he was
gambling at the biggest table in the
world for stakes so large that even
he ha1 hoh of hot 70.
BILE were compelled to sit up. In spite
Of the unlimited selling, his persist,
ent buying compelled Ward Valley
steadily to rise, and as Thursday APP
preached, the situation became ac''te.
Something had to smash. How much
Ward Valley was this Klondike gam
bier going to buy? How much could
he buy? What was the Ward Valley
crowd doing all this time? Daylight
appreciated interviews with them
hat appeared-interviews delightfully."-
placid and non-committal. Leon Gug-
genhammer even hazarded the opinion
that this Northland Croesus might pos
sibly be making mistake. But not
that they cared, John Dowsett ex-
planned. 1T is purely gambling from
beginning to end We're Nathaniel Let
tons words land we refuse to have
anything to do with it or to take no.
tice of it in any way"
During this time Daylight had sew
eral secret meetings with his partners
one with Leon Guggenhammer, one
with John Dowsett, and two with Mr..
Howison. Beyond congratulations they
'eally amounted to nothing; for, as he
was informed, everything was going
satisfactorily. But on Tuesday morn
ing rumOr that was disconcerting
came to Daylight's ears. 1t was also
published in the Wall Street Journal,
and 1t was to the effect, on apparently
straight inside information, that on
Thursday, when the directors of Ward
Valley met, instead of the customary
dividend being declared, an assess
ment would be levied. 1t was the first
check Daylight had received. 1t came
to him with a shock that If the thing
were so he was a broken man. And
it also came to him that all this colos-
sal operating of his was being done
on his own money. Dowsett, Gug-
genhammer and Letton were risking
nothing. 1t was panic, shortlived, it
was true, but sharp enough while it
lasted to make him remember Holds
worthy and the brick-yard, and to i'm
pei him to cancel all buying orders
while he rushed to a telephone
Nothing in it-only a rumor,"
onr
voice in the receiver. LAS you know"
said Nathaniel Letton, Il am one of
the directors, and l should certainly
be aware of it were such action con.
templated." And John Dowsett: Il
warned you against just such rumors.
There Is not an iota of truth in it
certainly not. tell you on my honor
as a gentleman"
Heartily ashamed OF himself for his