The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-21


worthy and the brick-yard, and to i'm.
pei him to cancel all buying orders
while he rushed to telephone.
Nothing In it-only ruInor,"
came Leon Guggenhammer's throaty
voice In the receiver. "As you know"
said Nathaniel Lesion. IL am one of
the directors. and should certainly
be aware Of 1t wers such action con.
templated." And John Dowsett: II
warned you against Just such rurnors.
There Is not an iota OF truth In it
certair.y not. tell you on my honor
as q gentleman"
Heartily ashamed Of himself for his
temporary loss Of nerve, Daylight re.
turned to his task The cessation of
buying had turned the Stock Exchange
into a bedlam. and down all the line
OF stocks the bears were smashing.
Ward Valley, as the apex. received the
brunt OF the shock. and was already
beginning to tumble. Daylight calm.
y doubled his buying orders.
And all through Tuesday, We'd
nesday and Thursday morning, he
went on buying. while Ward Valley
rose triumphantly higher. Still they
sold, and still he bought, exceeding
his power to buy many times over,
when delivery was taken into account.
What Of that? On this day the double
dividend would be declared. he as.
sured himself. The pinch OF delivery
would be on the shorts. They would be
making terms with him.
And then the thunderbolt struck.
True to the rumor, Ward Valley levied
the assessment Daylight threw up
his arms. He verified the report and
quit. Not alone Ward Valley, but all
securities were being hammered down
by the triumphant bears. As for Ward
Valley. Daylight did not even trouble
to learn II II had fetched bottom or
was still tumblins. Not stunned, not
even bewildered. while Wall Street
went mad. Daylight withdrew from the
neld to think II over. After a short
conference with his brokers. he pro.
ceeded to his hotel. on the way pick.
ing up the evening papers and glanc-
ing at the headlines. BURNING
DAYLIGHT CLEANED OUT, he read;
DAYLIGHT GETS HIS; ANOTHER
WESTERNER FAILS TO FIND EASY
MONEY.
He passed up to his rooms, ordered
Martini cocktail. took OF his shoes,
and sat down to think. After half an
hour he reused himself to take the
drink. and as he felt the liquor pass
warmingly through his body. his fea.
lures relaxed into a slow. deliberate.
yet genuine grin. He was laughing
at himself.
"Buncoed. by gosh!" he muttered.
Then the, grin died away, and his
face grew bleak and serious. Leav-
Ing out his interests In the several
western reclamation projects (which
were still assessing heavily. he was a
ruined man. But harder hit than this
was his pride. He had been so easy.
They had gold-bricked him, and he
had nothing to show for Il. The sim.
plest farmer would have had docu.
ments. while he had nothing but
gentleman's agreement, and a verbal
one at that. Gentlemans agreement!
He snorted over 1t. John Dowsetts
voice. Just as he had heard It In the
telephone receiver. sounded In his
ears the words, "On my honor as a
gentleman" They were sneak-thieves
and swindlers. that was what they
were. and they had given him the
double-cross. The newspapers were
right. He had come to New York to
be trimmed. and Messrs. Dowsett, Let.
ton and Guggenhammer had done It.
lie was a little fish, and they had
played with him ten days-ample time
In which to swallow him, along with
his eleven millions. OF course. they
had been unloading on him all the
time. and now they were buying Ward
valley back for song ere the mar
ket righted itself.
And Daylight sat and consumed
cocktails and saw back In his life to
Alaska, ana lived over the grim years
In which he had battied for. his eleven
millions. For awhile murder ate
at his heart, and wild ideas and
sketchy plans of killing his betrayers
flashed through his wind. Daylight un.
locked his grip and took out his auto
matte pistol--a big Colts "A. He re.
leased the safety catch with his thumb
and. operating the sliding outer bar.
rel. ran the contents OF the clip
through the mechanism. The eight
cartridges slid out In stream. He
refilled the clip. threw cartridge into
the chamber, and with the trigger at
ful cock. thrust up the safety ratch.
ct. He showed the weapon into the
side pocket of his coat, ordered an.
other Martini. and resumed his seat
At ten o'clock he arose and pored
over the city directory. Then he put
on his shoes. took cab, and departed
into the night. Twice he changed cabs.
and finally fetched nm at tho nigbt oe