Middletown transcript., 1914-11-21


ducer. He pitied Reynolds. not onl5
for what he had done but for what hs
was "a palpable victim Of the sgsteni'I
way. And the very worst kind Of
victim, for At frst the system hat
merely stolen part Of the mans earn
Ing power and now It had stolen the
man himself The reporter knew be
yond q doubt that the false premises
on which Bob had founded his new
prosperity presaged only one thing
collapse. And unlike Reynolds, he had
J not simply wondered and dreamed he
I had watched. He had kept himself III
formed about Bob. ready when the In
evitabIe should come, to extend the
needed aid
Dick rose now, put on well fitting
tweed coat and walked leisurely over
to the subway. He got OF at Wall
street and made his way to the Offices
Of a prominent broker. He gave his
card to one Of the clerks and in q
moment was shown into the private
sanctum Of the firms head.
Hello, Meade" the broker greeted.
You look prosperous What can do
for you, business?"
The young writer smiled and twirled
his stick.
mo-" he replied. Il guess you've had
about enough for one day. Broke pretty
good for you, didn't it?'
"In amount Of trade, yes. That's the
only way It ever breaks good for US.
Commissions are all we ask, Meade.
Never speculate"
The broker pressed his lips firmly
together as If he feared they might
part and curl into treacherous grin,
"Tut, tut" his caller cautioned, you
might make it seldom, to say the
least" But he changed his bantering
tone to one of sharp businesslike In
Election.
-"Henning." he said, time is money
to you and 70 me. too know some
thing and want to know a little more.
Bob Reynolds speculates through your
house. There was an awful slump in
Consolidated Wire today. How badly
was he stung on it,"
"Why, that's confidential, Meade.
You don't expect me to tell my Gus
toners business to everyone who In
quires about it,"
Dick got up and walked over to the
broker. He commanded attention this
time in such way that Henning was
unable to evade his look.
Don't qutbble with me, Henning, I"
he counseled. you know that my in
duiries into Reynolds business aren't
calculated to do him harm. l have
heard something which makes me
think he was caught pretty bad today.
Now it's yes, or no. If you don't want
to enlighten me, say so. Don't stall I"
That means" said the broker, "if
don't answer that you'll find out some
where else. Well, then, he was hit q
plenty. About forty thousand, and If
l know anything about Mr.. Reynolds
affairs, he was cleaned"
All on one stock?" Meade asked.
"One was enough" replied the
broker. Consolidated Wire did the
trick"
quite an unexpected drop, wasn't
it?" the young journalist commented.
"0h, by the way" he added lightly,
''Mr. Brand, Of the Hudson company,
has been trading in Consolidated.
suppose he took tumble, too"
Henning laughed outright.
Eyes, he took a tumble all right, but
he took it frst-before the drop-and
sold. Stocks go up on a rising mar
ket, he said placidly. "They go so far
and then they usually go down"
And very reasonable Of them, too"
Dick feigned no surprise at Brands
good fortune. He got up and walked
about the room, inspecting, in turn,
the mural decorations. Then quite
casually he fingered pad of paper on
the brokers' desk and toyed with con-
venient pencil Unwittingly he drew
some little lines on the paper, two
vertical. and across them, two hori-
zontal ones. Then he drew them
again-a double cross.
Henning, a keen observer Of this
artistic trifing, redeemed elightly, but
his immobile features underwent no
change. He watched the writer reach
for his hat and neither spoke. AS Dick
opened the door the broker offered no
commonplace good-by. His words
might have seemed somewhat irrele-
want, but for the little cross Dick had
scratched upon the pad.
Meade" he said, without rising,
you're wasting your time at that
magazine stun. Why don't you come
down here and get in with the live
ones? You could make your fortune
in the street beyond doubt.
Thanks" answered the journalist
complacentIy. Coming from you that's
quite compliment. But even a broker
can't ignore some truths. If you don't
mind I'll give you motto for Wall
street. Unto him that hath shall be
given and from him that hath not shall
be taken even more than he hath A
slight revision of the original text but
for the purpose Just one. Good-by.
Henning."
''Wait!" called the broker.
Dick turned.
''Wait. didn't know Reynolds was
such friend of yours. Maybe he isn't
fiat. Maybe we can fix him up bit"
"I'm afraid not" Dick answered.
From what knew and from what I've
learned now, fear he's past fixing"
He went out into the crowd. 1t was
four o'clock. Wall and Broad streets
were filed with a hurrying, scurrying
throng.
Dick, in no mood for haste, was
showed and jostled, as he hugged the