The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-02-01

"~AN OP0A GU W LsAhl W pldy,
and, when heavy buying q: Ward Val
leg began, 1t was quickly decided that
he was the operator. Financial gossip
buzzed and hummsd. He was after
the Guggenhammers once more. The
story OF Ophir was told over again
and sensationalized until ever Day
light scarcely recognized II. Still, II
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
the cas~e-hardened habitues of that ia
Bile were compelled to sit up. In spite
OF h unlimited selling, his persist
ent buying compelled Ward Valley
steadily to rise, and as Thursday ap-
preached, the situation became acute.
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
that appeared-interviews delightfully."-
placid and non-committal. Leon Gug-
genhammer ever haZarded the opinion
that this Northland Croesus might pos
sibly be making a mistake. But not
that they cared, John Dowsett ex-
planned. 1T is purely gambling from
beginning to end" were 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
era secret meetings with his partners
one with Leon Guggenhammer, one
with John Dowsett, and two with Mr..
Beyond congratulations, they
really amounted to nothing; for, as he
was Informed, everything was going
satisfactorily. But on Tuesday morn
ing a 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
him with a shock that If the thing
were so he was a broken man. And
1t also came to him that all this colos-
sal operating of his was being done
his W money. Dowsett, Gug-
and Letton we're risking
nothing. 1t was a 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,"
Leon Guggenhammer's throaty
voice in the receiver. "As you know"
said Nathaniel Letton, Il am one of
the directors. and | should certainly
be aware of it were such action con-
And John Dowsett: az
you against just such rumors.
There is not an iota of truth in it
certainly not. l tell you on my honor
as a gentleman"
Heartily ashamed of himself for his
temporary loss of nerve, Daylight re-
to his task. The cessation OF
had turned the Stock Exchange
INTO a bedlam, ana down all the line
Of stocks the bears were smashing.
Ward Valley, as the apex, received the
of the shock, and was already
beginning to tumble. Daylight calm
y doubled his buying orders.
And all through Tuesday, We'd
iesday and Thursday morning, he
rent on buying, while Ward Valley
'ose triumphantly higher. Still they
iold. and still he bought, exceeding
lis power to buy many times over,
when delivery was taken into account.
What of that? On this day the double
would be declared, he as
'ured himself. The pinch of delivery
would be on the shorts. They would be
making terms with him.
And then the thunderbolt struck.
'rue to the rumor, Ward Valley levied
he assessment. Daylight threw up
lis arms. He verified the report and
.uit. Not alone Ward Valley, but all
were being hammered down
the triumphant bears. As for Ward
ALLEY. Daylight did net even trouble
0 learn II it had fetched bottom or
Tas still tumbling. Not stunned, not
ven b~ewildered. while Wall Street
7ent mad. Daylight withdrew from the
cid to think 1t over. After a short
with his brokers, he pro
eeded to his hotel. on the way pick
,g up the evening papers and glanc-
,g at the headlines. BURNING
CLEANED OUT. he read;
GETS HIS; ANOTHER
1ESTERNER FAILS TO FIND EASY
He passed up to his rooms, ordered
Martini cocktail. took OF his shoes,
nd sat down to think. After half an
our he reused himself to take the
rink. and as he felt the liquor pass
armingly through his body. his fear
res relaxed into a slow, deliberate.
It genuine grin. He was laughing
Ar-..