Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-11-26


teal lines were between his brows
He took deliberately long time to
light a cigar. then. extinguish!ng the
match and depositing 1t carefully in
an ash tray. he settled himself com
fortably in his chair and said:
"You all remember it was agreed In
the beginning was to run this thing
and | shall run 1t in my own way or
not at ALL"
"But confound It, man." exploded
Marsh, who had been holding his
tongue with difficulty, what in the
name of common sense do you menn
by selling?"
"Who owns the most wheat-Sym
ington Otis or us? How long will his
crowd last if they try to outsell us;
Don't you see?"
Not for a mlnute!" broke in All,
port, reddening under his collar.
"I'll make it clearer Suppose Otis
crowd knocks July wheat off fifteen or
twenty points. Very WELL Immedi.
ately they stop seling-perhaps be-
fore-Tll begin buying. Then, as an
elastic band that has been stretched
to its utmost, July wheat will spring
back. It'll go to dollar. It'll go be-
yond dollar. I'll see to that"
1T does sound plausible" hesitated
Hunt, DESTROYS of supporting his lead
er, yet still somewhat doubtful.
II 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 boasting how he licked
me in today's skirmish. of how |
turned tail at the first fire. Eut wait
till he springs my pitfall. Waltz I've
got him!"
The discussion lasted until nearly
nightfal. BY grace of his power Of
persuasion no less than by his dom.
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
frequently passed between them were
quite forgotten.
There's one thing" FitZhugh said
in parting. 81 want to impress upon
you three. When we have defeated
Otis, want to deal with him in my
own way. Remember that"-looking
keenly into each face. II want to deal
with Symington Otis in my own way"
Promptly next morning Otis re.
newed the combat. 1t 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 grain
but which he expected to buy later
and deliver as promised-at lower
price than he had sold it for. And.
the same as yesterday. his opponent
had sold with him. bushel for buslel.
Otis was flushed with the citation Of
his obvious victory.
ITS all over" he confided to a
friend that evening, as he sat down
smilingly to a well-ordered dinner Otis
was living at his club these days, his
wife and daughter having gone abroad
for the summer "All over but the
shouting. Tomorrow I'll finish him.
He'll be snapped out of the Chicago
wheat pit like a gnat-just as | once
told him long time ago."
simultaneously with the dawnlng Of
the third day of battle Otis took the
aggressive. And simultaneously there
came surprise. His promises Of
wheat were gobbled up as fast as they
were offered. Buying orders poured in
from ell sides, deluging 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 dozen
or more brokers. All these orders
were. BUY July wheat" All 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 n
kite In windstorm. 1t Engaged
crafty. Shortly. however. 1t steadied.
hung stationary an instant. then
bounded upward. Up, Juggling deter
minedly, 1t climbed with a rapidity
that outstripped its falling the day be.
fore. Otis gave orders TO cease all sell.
ing. Like released spring, the price
leaped higher still. At the close of the
days session it stood at a dollar and
twenty-five cents, with tendency to
mount beyond.
The next day was Sunday. Mon.
days trading increased in frenzy
The price assembled more and more
stiflly. 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