The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-28
CHAPTER K. The Storm Breaks.

T%HE sensation which the district
 attorney sprang in the sudden
 indictment of the president of
 the Iroquois company was pro- found and farreaching. The day before the indictment was presented to the grand jury stocks began to tumble without any apparent cause.
 When the warrant for the arrest of ethe great man had been served. and he was admitted to bail to await his coming trial. there was a feeble rally in the market but the rats quickly be- gan to desert sinking ship. The president under indictment had ceased to be power. There was a wild scramble of his associates who were equally guilty to save their own skins The press. which at first denounced Stuart, now boldly demanded the uer- ciless prosecution of all the guilty, and they hailed the brilliant young district attorney as the coming man.
 For six consecutive days stocks had fallen with scarcely an hours tenn porary rally. Every eff Q of the bull operators. who had ruled the market for the two years past. to stem the tide was futile. Below the surface, in the silent depths of growing suspicion and fear, an army of sappers and min- CTS under the eye of one man were digging at the foundations of the busi- ness world-the faith of man in his fellow man.
 Each day there was a crash. and each day the little financier and his interruptions allies marked new vic tim. In the midst of the campaign for the destruction of public credit which Bivens and his associates, the Allied Bankers, were conducting with such profound secrecy and such re- markable results, when their profits suddenly exploded under their own headquarters. :.
 The Van Dam Trust company was put under the ban of the New York clearing house. The act was a breach of faith, utterly unwarranted by any known law of the game. But it was done.
 When the president of the company walked quietly into Rivens' office and made the announcemsnt for moment the little dark man completely lost his nerve. Cold beads of sweat started from his swarthy forehead
 ''There must be some mistake''
 There's no mistake. It's a blow be- low the belt but it's a knockout for the moment. They know we are sol vent two dollars for one. But they know. we have $90,O00.OoO on deposit, and we have some big enemies. They know that the group we have support ed have smashed this market, and they've set out to- fight the devil with fire. They're determined to force showdown and see how much real money is behind us. We can pull through if we stand together.''
 Bivens sprang to his feet, exclaiming fiercely:
 Until hell freezes over!"
 The banker smiled feebly for the first time in a week.
 ''Then it's all right, MT. Bivens We'll pull through They'll start a cash will meet it, and we'll win hands down We have powerful friends. Our only sin is our association with your group. We must have that five millions in the safe before the doors are opened tomorrow
 "You shall have it." was the firm an swer
 With cheerful pressure of the hand the president of the Van Dam Trust company left, and Bivens called his secretary
 s'We turn the market tomorrow-or- ders to all our men. Knock the bottom out of it untij the noon hour, then turn and send it slyward with bound
 
 When Dr woodman returned home