The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-07-15

fOre-T'H begin buying. Then, as an
elastic band that has been stretched
to its utmost, July wheat will snrtng
back. It'll go to a dollar. It'll go BE-
yond dollar. Til see to thati"
"It does sound plausible" hesitated
Hunt, DESTROYS OF supporting his lead
er, yet still somewhat doubtful
81 don't like It." said Marsh sourly.
"Mr. Otis" continued Daniel, and
there was hard ring in his voice that
caused Hunt and Airport to exchange
meaning glances. thinks he has me on
the run. He's Boosting how he licked
me In today's skirmish, Of how 1
turned tail at the first fire. But wait
till he springs my pitfan. Waltz I've
got himI"
The discussion lasted until nearly
nightfall. By grace of his power OF
persuasion no less than by his domi-
nant personality and strength of pur-
pose, Fitzhugh finally induced the 9TH
ers to admit that his course was the
best one. When they went out through
the quiet, brightly lighted offices, the
four were on very amicable terms; and
the hot words of discussion that had
quite forgotten.
There's one thing" F1tzhugh said
in parting, Il want to impress upon
you three. When we have defeated
Otis, 1 want to deal with him in my
own way. Remember that"-looking
keenly into each face. 81 want to deal
with Symington Otis in my own way
Promptly next morning Otis re
newed the combat. It occupied every
minute OF that days session, and. as
on the preceding day, ragged with tit
for-tat uproar When the closing gong
sounded he had sold, altogether. over
four million bushels of July wheat:
wheat of which he owned not a grain,
but which he expected to buy later
and deliver as promised-at a lower
price than he had sold it for And,
the same as yesterday, his opponent
had sold with him, bushel for bushel.
Otis was flushed with the elation of
his obvious victory.
Its all over" ne conflded to q
friend that evening, as he sat down
smilingly to a welI-ordered dinner. Otis
was living at his club these days, his
wife and daughter having gone abroad
for the summer. "AI over but the
He'll be snapped out of the Chicago
wheat pit like gnat-just as once
told him long time ago."
simultaneously with the dawning OF
the third day of battle Otis took the
aggressive. And simultaneously there
came a surprise. His promises OF
wheat were gobbled up as fast as they
were offered. Buying orders poured in
from all sides, deIuging his traders. He
increased his selling. The buying like
wise increased. He began to fight des-
perately, flooding the pit with his sell
ing commands. But it was as though
he poured sand In the ocean.
Fitzhugh had not appeared on the
floor" since the first day. From his
private office he sent orders to q dozen
or more brokers. All these orders
were, BUY July wheat" Ali were TO
take effect this morning. He cabled
his representatives in Liverpool and
Paris. These cablegrams also read,
BUY July wheat" They, too, became
effective this morning. In all, he Is
sued Instructions to purchase twelve
million bushels, or approximately
double the amount he had sold on the
prior two days.
The market that morning was like
kite In a windstorm. 1t zigzagged
crafty. Shortly, however, it steadied.
hung stationary an instant, then
bounded upward. Up, Juggling deter
minedly, it climbed with a rapidity
that outstripped Its falling the day be-
fore. Otis gave orders to cease all sell
ing. Like a released spring, the price
leaped higher still. At the close of the
days session it stood at a dollar and
twenty-five cents, with a tendency to
mount beyond.
The next day was Sunday. Mon
days trading increased in frenzy.
The price assembled more and more
stiff1y. Otis did nothing. He dared not
cover his promises by buying. By SO
doing he would put up the price on
himself. He dared not sell, for every
bushel he sold would be sold at loss.
Word passed swiftly from mouth to
mouth that Symington Otis. the big
bear, had fought his final fight and was
down at last.