The Arizona copper camp., 1920-05-22

City of Purple Dreams


gether for fresh onset. The next
clash, he decided, would be the decis-
i've. one.
By the middle of June Fitzhugh was
all but czar of the pit
When Fitzhugh formulated the pool
to corner July wheat it was understood
that, no matter what might arise, he
was to be free to follow the dictates of
his own judgment. For this and other
reasons the names of the Packingtown
millionaires were never disclosed, and
few knew the main fount of his mann
moth resources. :,
Mis- marvellous vitality gave contin-
ual wonder to his associates. He was
made of iron. He would work eighteen
hours day, dispatching with sureness
and speed the thousand pressing duties
that crowded upon him, taking his,
meals on the wing, and requiring Of
the twenty-four but four or five hours
for sleep. Most amazing of all, he
displayed never an i'll sign Of the red
hot tension under which he worked,
but seemed to thrive on it. HefWas al
ways fresh and eager for each days
tasks.
His last battle with Symington Otis
was the most spectacular of the final
trilogy. 1t began on the morning Of
July first and lasted for three terrific
days. AS the gong sounded on that
first morning Fitzhugh appeared in the
pit, girded for the fray.
With the stroke of the opening gong
Otis lieutenants began to sell wheat.
There were three of them, with orders
to sell half million each. Then came
an unfathomable surprise: Fitzhugh
sold wheat Bushel for bushel, he sold
as fast as his adversaries.
The price reeled and dropped diz-
zily. The preceding day it had closed
strong at one dollar; by eleven that
morning it was unsteady at ninety y-six
and a half.
At the height of the furious conflict,
FitZhugh, who was the core of it, be-
came aware of some one tearing at his
arm and yelling in his ear:
Dan! Dan! Have YOU gone crazy?"
Reholding Hunt screaming at the
top of his voice, he; wrenched loose.
from the mob surrounding him and,
seizing his subordinate under the arm
pits, lifted him clear outside the pit.
At the close of the days session
wheat had dropped to ninety-four and
an eighth, where it swayed uncertain
ly. Otis had sold two million bushels.
Fitzhugh had sold a like amount.
When he reached his Office Fitznugh
found his three coadjutors waiting
him in ominousSsilence.
"Good7day, gentlemenw
There was no answer beyond an un-
easy cough from Hunt. Bitzhugh
looked at the three stony faces silent,
ly condemning him.
SIN good TRUTH he laughed, "a Dan
iel come to judgment!"
But when he sat at his desk the ver-
tical lines were between his brows.
He took a deliberately long time to
light a cigar, then, extinguishing the
match and depositing it, carefully in
an lash tray, he settled himself COM
fortably in his chair and said:
) 'sYou all remember it was agreed in
the beginning 1 was to run this thing,
and shall run it 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 mean
by selling?"
Glad that one of the tribunal had
shown some life, Fitzhugh swung his
chair round briskly so that he faced
the speaker.
"Wllo 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 minute!" 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 selling perhaps be-
fore-I'll begin buying. Then, as an
elastic band that has been stretched
to it's utmost, July wheat will spring
back. It'll go to a dollar. It'll go be-
yond a dollar. I'll see to that =
SIT does sound plausible" hesitated
Hunt, desirous 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
glances, thinks he has me on
the run He's boasting how he licked
me in today's skirmish, of how 1
turned tail at the first fire. But wait
till he springs my pitfall. Wait! I've
got him!"
The discussion lasted until nearly
By grace of his power Of
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