The Arizona copper camp., 1920-04-03

and "buttOnholed" Fitzhugh. There's
another plum on our little tree" he
went on enthusiastically, while the
passersby bumped and jostled them
from side to side, "that's just about
as juicy as this one was. It's-but
come on to lunch and I'll tell you all
about it,"
They lunched at Hunts club. Or,
rather, Fitzhugh did. Hunt ate moth
ing. He was too ebullient. He elab-
Grated his plan, going extensively into
details, producing endless data from
his pockets, while the untasted food
grew cold before him.
80 you see," he wound up, there's
nothing to it but bull market.
There'll be big rebound just as sure
as we're sitting here. Symington Otis
is my strongest point. AS l said be-
fore, Pm nine-tenths certain he'll turn
bull again, now he's walloped the
man he went after, and you know
what that means. He'll send wheat
up like a balloon-he's strong enough
to do it. All we need do is to climb
into the basket and participate in the
grand ascension"
"As you have wisely pointed out,
Hunt" began Fitzhugh, turning the
fragile stem of his wine glass between
his long fingers, 'we had better step
cautiously at f1rst-sort of feel our
way. There's never any telling what
pitfalls may lurk below tranquil wa
ters. Afterward, We'll wade in boldly.
Merely as starter, I'll give you my
check tomorrow for twenty-five thou
sand. I'm not saying what I'll do after
that"
AS they were leaving the club, Fitz-
hugh turned to his companion and, as
though suddenly reminded of some in
consequential thought that had oc-
Cured to him earlier in the day, said
carelessly:
"Oh, by the way, Hunt, I'm thinking
of opening a small banking account in
Chicago. / wish you'd introduce me
to your banker"
T. ~
For once Hunt was mistaken. There
was no boom in December wheat.
True, there was a reaction, for when
the bears removed the pressure the
abnormally low market began gradu-
ally to assume natural level. But
winter wheat, which Hunt had expect
ed to mount by leaps, dragged slowly,
ascending to be sure, yet moving little
by little-an eighth or a quarter at a
time. Once or twice, in some sudden
furry, it even went off half a point.
Hunt was very much puzzled
"There's a screw loose somewhere"
he told -Fitzhugh, after one of these
unexplainable slumps "but can't fig
ure out just where"
OF late, Fitzhugh had been studying
indefatigably the hundred and more
different conditions which, directly or
Indirectly, affect the Chicago wheat
market. He devoted hours to this,
where another man would have de-
voted minutes, and his brain, so keen,
so quick to grasp every salient detail
and appraise it's true value, enabled
him to view the present situation with
far clearer vision than that of Hunt.
81 think know where the wobbly
place is" he replied, "and, unless I'm
mistaken, it's going to shake the whole
machine to pieces before long. Hunt,
we'll have to draw out. If we don't,
our little craft will be swamped, and
she'll sink like rock. For my part, |
want to sell every bushel of wheat /
own tomorrow morning"
They called taxicab and repaired
forthwith to Fitzhugh's newly leased
apartment in a newly erected build
ing in Lincoln parkway. 1t was for
bachelors exclusively, this building,
and if it's smart elevators, smarter at
tendants and potted plants and costly
appointments were any criterion, it
was also exclusively for wealthy
bachelors.
The Japanese servant served dinner,
after which Fitzhugh and his guest
sauntered to a front room, evidently
intended for library and study, and
there enscOnced themselves before a
low bay window commanding a mag
nifcent view Of the lake. Hunt settled
himself contentedly in a chair, whose
soft cushions embraced him in a de-
licious manner, laZily emitted stream
of cigar smoke and allowed his gaze
to wander about the beautiful room,
replete with soft tones and colors.
Suddenly Fitzhugh stood up. Lets
get down to business, Hunt" He
spoke very briskly and, crossing the
room, took from the round safe en-
bedded in the wall several packets of
papers secured by thick elastic bands.
These papers contained a mass of
data covering the past seven weeks,
consisting of crop reports, statistics
from many different sources, newspa-
per clippings and kilograms and cable
grams that had exhausted his ready
money to- the last cent. He walked to
heavy desk of solid mahogany,
switched on the light that was mini