THE FALLS CITY TRIBUNE , FRIDAY , APRIL 13 , 1906.
THE SPENDERS
A TALE OF THE THIRD GENERATION
By HARRY LEON WILSON
j V c.
Copyright , \ > j Lothrcp PubliihlcE Company ,
and was ready to take practically all
lie could buy for the next few weeks
or BO. 1 think lie fell over In the booth
and had to be helped out. "
Orders for 20.000 more shares In
IflOO share lots during the next three
weeks sent the stock to 116. Yet wise
men In the street seemed to fear tuo
Mock. They were waiting cautiously
for more definite leadings. The plung
ing of Dines made rather n sensation ,
mid when It became known that his
holdings were large and growing al
most dally larger , the waning confi
dence of a speculator here and there
would be revived.
At 115 the stock rested again , with
few sales recorded. A certain few of
Hie elect regarded this calm as omln-
> UB. It was half believed by others
Iliat the manipulations of the Inner
ring would presently advance the
utoch to a sensational figure , and that
luo reckless young man from Montana
might bu acting upon information of
a definite character. But among the
veteran speculators the feeling was
I'onservative. Before buying they pre
ferred to await some sign that the ad-
vnnce had actually begun. The con-
Hervatives were mostly the bald old
fellows. Among the illusions that
rarely survive a man's hair In Wall
nlreet is the one that "sure things"
are necessarily sure.
Pcrclval watched Consolidated Cop-
ixir go hack to 110 , and bought pgain
10,000 cjtares. The price went up
two points the day after his orders
HACK TO no.
were placed , and two days late
dropped back to 110. The consem
lives began to agree with the youngc
KOI of speculators , in to far as hot
now believed that the stock was hi
having In an unnatural manner , li
Heating that "something was dolnn
tho.1 manipulation behind the scent
was under way to a definite end. Tl ;
conservatives and the radicals differe
as to what this end was. But thei
Wall street is nourished almost e :
dtisively upon differences of opinion.
Perclval now had accounts with fU
firms of brokers.
"Relpln , " he explained to Unc
Peter , "is a foxy boy. He's foxier thn
a fox. He not only tried to hedge c
what he told me said he'd been drinl
Ing absinthe frappe thai day , and
always gets him dreamy but I
actually had the nerve to give me U
opposite steer. Of course ho knov
the deal clear to the center , and She ]
ler knows that he knows , and he mu
have been afraid Shepler would su
pcct he'd been talking. So I on !
traded a few thousand shares wit
him. Funny about him , too. I nev <
heard before of his drinking anythlr
to speak of. And there Isn't a ma
in the strcel comes so near lo knowir
what the big boys are up to. Bi
wo're on the winning cards all righ
1 get exactly the same Infonnatlc
from a dozen confidential source :
some of it I can trace to Helpln , ar
some of it right to Shepler himself
"Course I'm leavin * it all to you
answered Uncle Peter ; "and I mu
Hay 1 do admire the way you take ho
and get things on the move. Y (
don't let any grass grow under yoi
heels. You got a good head fur the
things. 1 can tell by the way yc
atari out just like your pa fur a
the world I'll feel safe enough abe
my money as long as you keep yoi
health. If only you gel Ihe nerv
I've known men would play a b
proposition half through and then g
scared and pull out. Your pa wa'r
that way. He could get a proposlth
rlghl by its handle every time , ai
they never come any too big fur hln
the bigger they was. better ho iu < i
cm. That's the kind of genius I thlt
you got. You ain't afraid to take
chance. "
Percival beamed modestly und
praise of this sort , which now came
him dally.
"It's good discipline for me , tc
Uncle Peter. It's what I needed , som
thing to put my mind on. I needed
new Interest In life. You bad c
down right. I wasn't doing rayst
a bit of good with nothing to occii ]
my mind. "
"Wen
u corner In wild oats any day ; auj
thing to keep you straight , and doh
something. 1 don't care how man
millions you pllo up ! 1 hear the Fe <
eral Oil people's back of the coppe
deal. "
"Thai's right ; the oil crowd an
Shcplcr. I had It straight from Help !
that night. They're negotiating noi
with Ihe Rothschilds to limit the on I
put of the UIo Tlnto mines. They'
end by controlling them , and then-
well , we'll have a roll of Ihe yello'
boys say , we'll have lo lay qulel fti
a year Just to count it. "
"Do It good while you're doln' It ,
urged Uncle Peter , cheerfully. " 1 rel
so much on your judgment , I want yo
lo gel aclion on my stuff , too. 1 gc
a couple millions that ought to L
workin' harder than they are. "
"Good : 1 didn't think you had b
much gambler In you. "
"It's fur a worthy purpose , son. An
it seems too bad that Plehy can't pu
out something wilh her bit. when it
to be had so easy. Krom what the
spangle-faced beau of hers tells m
there's got to be some expensh
plumbing done in that castle he gel
sawed off on to him. "
"We'll let sis In. too , " exclaimed he
orother , generously , "and ma coul
use a little more In her buslnes
She's sitting up nights to corner a
.J the Amalgamated Hard-luck on tli
Island. We'll pool Issue , and say , we'
make those Federal Oil pikers thin
j we've gnawed a corner off the sul
I treasury. I'll put an order In fe
1 20,000 more shares to-morrow nmon
I the Ihree storks. And Ihen we'll ha\
j lo see aboul gelling all our caplli
here. We'll need every cent of
i that's loose ; and maybe we'd belli
sell off some of Ihose dead-woe
j stocks. "
, The 20,000 shares were bought I
Ihe following week. 5,000 of ilium b
ing Consolidated Copper. 10,000 Wes
crn Trolley and 5,000 Union Cordag
Consolidated Copper fell off two polni
upon rumors , traceable to no sourc
that the company had on hand a lar *
secret supply of copper , and was pn
ducing largely in excess of the di
mand every month.
Perclval told Uncle Peter of thes
rumors , and chuckled with the eat
confidence of a man who knows si
creta.
"You see. It's coming the way Re
pin said. Thp insiders are hamme
ing down the stock with those report
hammering with one hand , and buyir
up small lots quietly with the othe
But you'll notice the price of coppi
doesn't go down any. They keep
at 17 cents all right. Now , the mi
ment they get control of the Europe ?
supply they'll hold the stuff , force i
the selling price to awful figures , ai
squeeze out dlvidendu that will mal
you wear blue glasses to look i
them. "
"You certainly do know your bus
ness , son , " said Uncle Peter , ferventl
"You certainly gel your pa's head c
you. You remind me more and mo :
of Dan'l J. Bines every day. I'd rat
er Irust your judgment now than lo
of older men down Ihere. You kno
Ihclr tricks all right. Get In goc
and hard so long as you got a su :
thing. I'd hate to have you con
meachln' around after that stock h ;
kited , and be kickin' because yc
hadn't bel whal your hand was worlh
"Trusl me for lhal , Uncle Pelc
Garmer Iried to steer me off this Hi
of slocks Ihe oilier night. He'd hea :
Ihcse rumors aboul a slump , and he
50 years old at lhal. I lhanked hi
for his lip and coppered it wilh a :
other 1,000 shares all around next da
The way Garmer can tell when you'
playing a busied ( lush makes y <
nervous ; bul I haven't looked over h
license to know everything down
the street yet. "
The moral gain to Percival from h
new devotion to the stock market w
commented upon approvingly both 1
Uncle Peter and by his mother ,
was quite as tangible as his mom
profits promised to be. He ceased
frequent the temple of chance
Forty-fourth street , to the proprietoi
genuine regret. The poker games
the hotel he abandoned as being tri
ial. And Iho cabmen along upj >
Broadway had seldom now Ihe oppc
tunily to compete for his early mor
ing patronage. He began to ke
early hours and to do less casu
drinking during the day. After thr
weeks of this comparatively regul
living his mother rejoiced to no
signs thai his breakfast appetite w
returning.
"You see , " he explained earnestly
Uncle Peter , "a man to make anythii
at this game mus. . keep his head clef
and he must have good health to i
that. I meet a lot of thobo fello\
down there that queer themselv
by drink It doesn't do so much hu
when a man isn't needing his bral
but no more of It for me Just now
"That's right , son. I knew 1 cou
make something more than a poll
sosh out of you. I knew you'd pull i
if you got into business like you hei
doin' . "
"Come downtown with we this al
ernoon and see me make a play , Unc
Peter. I think I'll begin now to hi
on a margin. The rise can't hold <
much longer , "
"I'd like to , cnn , but I'd laid out
tnko a walk ui the park this after
noon and look In at the monkey
awhile. 1 nec-d the outdoors , and anj
way you don't need mo down then
You know your part nil right. My
but I'd begin to feel nervous with a !
that money up , If It was anybody bu
you , now. "
In pursuance of his pronounced plat
I'Ucle ' Peter walked up Fifth avenu
that afternoon. But he stopped shot
of the park. At the Imposing CD
trance of the Arllngham ho turned It
At the desk ho asked for Mrs. Wybcr
"I'll see If Mrs. Wybcrt la In. " sai
the clerk , handing him a blank card
"your name , please. "
The old man wrote ; "Mr. Pete
Bines , of Montana City , would like
few minutes' talk with Mrs. Wybcrt.
The boy waa gone so long tha
Uncle Peter , waiting , began to sus
peet ho would not be received. He re
turned at length with the message
"Tho lady says will you please sic
upstairs. "
Going up in the elevator , the ol
man was ushered by a maid Into
violet-scented little nest whoso pal
green walls were touched dlscreell
with hangings of heliotrope. An art
1st , in Uncle Peler's place , might hav
fancied thai the color scheme of th
apartment cried out for a bit c
warmth. A glowing , wnrm-halrc
woman was needed to set the wall
afire ; and the need was met when Mn
Wybert entered.
She wore a long coat of ser
Irimmed with chinchilla , and ha
been , apparently , about to go ou
Uncle Peter rose and bowed. Mri
Wybcrt nodded rather uncertainly.
"You wished to see me , Mr. Bines ?
"I did want lo have a little tal
with you , Mrs. Wybert , but you'r
goln * out , and I won'l keep you.
know how pressed you New York si
clety ladles are wilh your engagi
menls. "
Mrs. Wybert had seemed to be pus
zled. She was still puzzled , but ur
mlstakably pleased. The oldsman wn
looking at her with 'frank and frlendl
apology for his Intrusion. Plainly sh
had nothing to fear from him. Sh
became gracious.
"H was only a llllle shopping tou
Mr. Bines , thai and a call at the hoi
pltal , where they have one of m
maids who slipped on the avenue yes
terday and fractured one of her er-
1 limbs. Do sit down. "
i MrK. Wybert said "limb" for lu
with the rather conscious air of esca ]
Ing from an awkward situation on )
by the suhlest finesse.
She seated herself before a gree
i and heliotrope background thai li
slanlly look warmth from her cole
Uncle Peter still hesitated.
"You see , I wanted kind of a Ion
chal wilh you. Mrs. Wybert a friem
ly chat If you didn't mind , and I'd fe
a mile nervous if you're bundled u
lhal way. "
" 1 shall be dellghled , Mr. Bines. I
have a long , friendly chat. I'll ser
my cloak ' , ack. and you take your o\v
time. There now. do be rlghl cor
fortahle ! "
The otd man settled himself and b
stowed upon his hostess a long look i
approval.
"The reports never done you justic
Mrs. Wybcrt. and they was very glo\
| in' rcporls , loo. "
| "You're very hind , Mr. Bines , awfi :
I ly good of you ! "
"I'm goln' to lie more , Mrs. Wybci
I'm goln' to be a little bll conlldentl
right out In the straight open wl
you. "
"I am .sure of thai. " ,
"And If you want to , you can be 11
same wilh me. 1 aln'l ever held an
Ihlng agalnsl you. and maybe now
can do you a favor. "
"It's rlghl good of you to say so. "
"Now , look here , ma'am , let's y <
and me get right down to cases abe
this society game here In New York
Mrs. Wybert laughed charming
and relaxed In manner.
"I'm with you , Mr. Bines. Wh
about it , now * " '
"Now don't get suspicious , and t (
mo lo mind my own business when
ask you quesllons. '
"I couldn't be suspicious of you
really I feel as If I'd have to tell yi
everything you asked me , some waj
"Well , there's been some talk
your marrying lhat young Mllbrt
Now tell me the inslda of It. "
Shu looked at the old man close !
Her intuition confirmed his own pr
leslalions of friendliness ,
"I don't mind telling you in strl
confidence , Ihero was lalk of inurrhu
and his people , all but the slsler. e
couraged it. Then afler she was e
gaged to Shepler they talked him o
of it. Now that's the whole Goc
truth , If It does you any good. "
"If you had married him > ou'd
had a position , like they say hei
right away. "
"Oh , dear , yes ! awfully swagger pe
pie dead swell , every one of thei
There's no doubt about that. "
"Exactly ; and there ain't really ai
reason why you can'l bo somcboi
here. "
"Well , helween you and I , Mr. Uinc
I can play the parl as well as a who
lot of Ihese women here. I don't wa
10 talk , of course , but well ! "
"Exactly , you can give half of '
cards and spades and both caslnc
Mrs. Wybert. "
"And I'll do It yet. I'm not throuj
by any means. They're not the on
perfectly elegant people in this town
"Of course you'll do It , and y <
could do it better if jou had three i
four times the stake you got. "
"Dollars are worth inoro apiece
New York than any town I've ev
been in. "
"Mrs. Wybert , I can put you rig
square into a good thing , and I'm B
Ing to do it. Heard anything abe
Consolidated Copper ? "
" I've heard ho pthlng big was doll
In it ; but nolii seems to know for
certain. My broker Is afraid of it "
"Very well. Now you do as I tell you ,
an \ you can dean up n big lot Inside
of Ihe next two months. If you do ns
I tell you , mind , no matter what you
hrar , and If you don't talk. "
Mrs. Wybert meditated.
"Mr. Bines , I'm It's natural that
I'm a little uneasy. Why should you
want to BOO mo do well , after our lit
tle affair ? Now , out with It ! What are
you trying to do with mo ? What do
you expect me to do for you ? Got
down to casca yourself , Mr. Bines ! "
"I will , ma'am , In a few words. My
gratiddaughtcr , you may have hoard ,
In engaged lo an Englishman. He's
next thing to broke , but he's got a title
coming. Naturally he's looking fur
money. Naturally ho don't care fur
the girl. But I'm afraid she's infat
uated with him. Now then , if ho had a
chance at some one with more money
than she's got , why , naturally , he'd
jump at It. "
"Aren't you a little hit wild ? "
"Not a little bit. Ho saw you at
Newporl last summer , and hft'H seen
you here. He was tearing the ad
jectives up telling me about you the
other night , not knowing , you under
stand , that I'd ever hoard tell of you
before. You could marry him In a
jiffy if you follow my directions. "
"But your granddaughter has a for
tune. "
"You'll have as much If you play
this the way 1 tell you. And you
never can loll In these times she
might lose a good bit of hers. "
"It's very peculiar , Mr. Bines your
proposition. "
"Look at what a brilliant match It
would be fur you. Why , you'd be
Lady Casselthorpe , with dukes and
counts ( akin1 off their crowns to you.
And that other one thai Mllbrey
from all I hear he's llghter'n cork-
cut his galluses and he'd float rlghl
up Into the sky. He ain't got any
thing but his good family and a
thirst. "
"I see. This Mauburn Isn't good
enough for your family , but you reck
on he's good enough for me ? IB that
it , now ? "
"Come. Mrs. Wybcrt , let's be broad.
That's the game you like , and 1 don't
criticise you fur It. It's a good game
If that's the kind of a game you're
huntln' fur. And you can play It bct-
ter'n my granddaughter. She wa'n't
meant fur It and I'd ralhcr have Uer
marry an American , anyhow. Now
you like It , and you got beauty only
you need more money. I'll put you In
the way of It , and you can cut out my
granddaughter. "
" 1 must think aboul it. Suppose I
plunge in copper , and your tip Isn't
straight. I've seen hard times , Mr.
Bines , In my life. I haven't always
wore sealskin and diamonds. "
"Mrs. Wybert , you was in Montana
long enough to know how I stand
there ? "
"I know you're A 1 , and your word't
as good as another man's money. 1
don't question your good intentions. '
"It's my judgment , hey ? Now , look
here , I won't tell you what I know and
how 1 know it. hut you can take my
word that 1 know I do know. You
plunge in copper right off. without
saying a. word to anybody or makln
any splurge , and here "
From the llltle table al hlB elbow
he picked up the card thai had an >
nounced him and drew out his pencil
"You said my word was as good at
another man's money. Now I'm goln <
to write on this card just what yoi
have to do , and you're to follow dlrec
tlons , no matter what you hear aboul
other people doing. There'll be a )
sorts of reports about thai stock , bul
you follow my directions. "
He wrote on the back of the can
with his pencil.
"Consolidated Copper , remember
and now I'm a-goln' to write some
thing else under them directions.
" 'Do Ihls up to the limit of youi
capital and I will make good anylhin ]
"YOU THINK IT OVIJH. "
> ou lose.1 There Mrs. Wybert , I'M
signed that 'Peter Bines. ' That car
wouldn't be worth a red apple In
court of law. but you know me , an
you know it's good fur every penn
you lose. "
"Really. Mr. Bines , you half-wa
persuade me. I'll certainly try th
copper play and about the other-
well we'll see ; I don't promise , mln
you ! "
"You think over It. I'm sure you'
like the idea think of bein' In tlu
great nobility , and beln' around tbei
palaces with their dukes and counti
Think how these same New Yor
women will meach to you then ! "
The old man rose ,
"And mind , follow them direction
and no other maltea no dlSertoi
what you honi I won't bo respon
sible And I'll rely on you , ma'am
never to let anyone know about m >
visit , and to send me back that little
document after you've cashed In. "
He left her studying the card with .1
curious little flush of surprise
CHAPTER XXIII.
TUH AMATKt'H NAPOMCON OF WAI.I.
At the beginning of April , the sit
uatlon In the throe stookH Perclval Inn !
bought BO heavily grow undetilahb
totiBc. Consolidated Copper wont from
109 to 103 In a week. But Porclval'i
enthusiasm suffered little abatemcn
from the drop.
"You see , " ho reminded Undo Pntci
"It Isn't exactly what 1 expected , bu
It's right In line with It. M > It doesn'
alarm me. 1 know thosu follown Insldi
were bound to hammer It down If the ;
i-ouhl. U wouldn't phase mu a bit I
It sagged to 05. "
"My ! My ! " Undo Peter exclaimed
with warm approval , "tho way yoi
master this business certainly doci
win me. I tell you , it's a mighty goo <
thing we got your brains to dcpcni
on , I'm all right the other side o
Council Bluffs , but I'm a tcndcrfoo
here , sure , where everybody's tryln' ti
get the best of you. You see , out then
everybody trios to make the best of It
I told thai to ono of them smartlci
last night. But you'll pull them li
their place all right. You know boll
ends of Ihe game and Iho middle. W
certainly got'a right to bo proud o
you , son. Dan'l J. liked big proposl
lions himself but , well , I'd Just Hid
to have him see the nerve you'vi
showed , that's nil. "
Uncle Peter'K professions of cnnfl
donee were unfailing , and Porclvn
took new hope and faith in his judg
ment from them dally.
Nevertheless , as the weeks passed
and the mysterious Insiders succccdci
in their design of keeping the stocl
from rising , he came to feel a toucl
of anxiety. More , indeed , than he wa
able to communicate to Uncle Peter
without confessing outright thai h
had lost faith In himself. That In
was unable to do , oven If It wore true
which he doubted. The Bines fnrtun
was now hanging , as to all but torn
of Ihe western properties , on Ihe turn
Ing of the three stocks. Yet the eli
man's confidence In the young man'
acumen was Invulnerable. No shaf
thai Pcrclval was able to fashion hai
point enough to pierce It. And h
was loth to batter It down , for he stll
had the gambler's faith in his luck.
"You got your father's head In busl
ness matters , , " was Undo Peter's In
variable response to any suggestion o
failure. "I know that much spite o
what all these gossips Bay and that'
all I want to know. And of cours
you can't over be no Simpler 'less yo
take your share ! of chances. Only don' '
ask my advice. You'io master of th
game , and wo're all layln' rlghl smuc
down on your gonlus fur U. "
Whereupon thn young man , wit
confidence In himself newly Inllatct
would hurry off to the stock tickers
He had ceased to buy the stocks oul
right , and for several weeks ha
bought only on margins.
"There WHS ono rule In poker you
pa had , " said Uncle 1'uter. "If a ban
Is worth calling on , It's worth raisin
on. Ho jest never would call. If h
didn't think a hand was worth ralslni
he'd bunch It In with the discards , an
wait fur another deal. I don't kno1
much about the game , but he said \
was a sound rule , and If It Is souii
In poker , why It's got lo bo sound I
Ihls game. That's all I can tell yoi
You know what you hold , and If tain
a hand to lay down , It musl be a han
lo raise on. Of course , If you'd bee
brash and Ignoranl In your first ca
dilations if you'd made a fool e
yourself al the starl bul shuckf
you're Ihe son of Daniel J. Bines , aln
you ? "
The rule and Ihe clever provocalla
bad tnclr effect.
"I'll raise as long as I have a dil
left , I'nclo Peter. Why , only to-da
I had a tip thai came slralghl fren
Snepler , though he never dreamed
would reach me. That pacific Cab
bill is going to be rushed through i
this session 01 congress , sure , and tin
means enough Increased demand I
hend Consolidated back where It wa
And then , when It comes oul tin
they've uot the < p Rio Tlnto mines 1
the throat , well , this anvil chorus wl
havu lo btop , and those Federal G
sharks and Simpler will be wondcrlr
how I had the face to stay in. "
The published rumors regarding Co
solidated began to conlllcl very shnr
ly. Perclval heard thorn all hungrll
disregarding those ; that did not co
firm ills own opinions. Ho called the
Irresponsible newspaper gossip , or b
Moved them to bo Inspired by tl
clique for its own ends.
He studied the history of eopjx
until he knew all Its ups and dowi
since the grcal oleclrlcal developmci
began In 1887. When Fonts , the bn
ker ho traded most heavily with , suj
gested that Iho Consolidated rompan
was skating on thin ice. that it m gh
indeed , be going through the same e :
perlence that Battered the famtn
Sccretan corm. a dozen years befor
Perclval pointed out unerringly tl
vital differences in Ihe circumstance
The Consolidated had reduced the pn
( luctlon of Us controlled mines , an
the price was bound to bo malntalnei
When his adviser suggested that tl ;
companies not In the combine mlgl
cut the price , ho brought up the ver
lively rumors of a "gentlemen's agrei
ment" with the "non-combine" pn
ducers.
"Of course , there's Calumet an
Hecla I know that couldn't be gunne
Into the combination. They could pa
dividends with copper at ten cents
pound. But the other Independent
know which side of their stock I
spread wltn til- ' lends , all right. "
When It was .urtlior suggested that
the Rio Tlnto mines had sold ahead
for a year , with thn result that Euro
pean Imports from tno United S'ntes
had fallen off , and that thn Consoli
dated could not go on forever holding
up the price , Perclval said nothing.
The answer to that was the s'erct
negotiations for control of the Euro
pean output , which would male the
Consolidated master of the copper
world. Instead of disclosing this , ho
protonde > d craftily to ho encouraged by
the mere generally hopeful outlook In
nil lines. Western Trolley , lo , might
be overcapitalized , and Union Cordage
might also bo In thu hands of a pirat
ical cllijuo ; but the demand for trolley
lines was growing every day , and
etmliigo products were not going out
of fashion by any moans.
"You sec , " he said to his advisor ,
"nore's what the most conservative
man lu the street says In this after
' ' must necessarily
noon's paper. 'That copper
essarily break badly , and the whole
boom collapse I do not believe. There
Is enough prosperity to maintain a
strong demand for the metal through
another year at least. As to Western
Trolley and Union Cordage , the two
other stocks about which doubt Is now
being so widely expressed In the
fitroet , 1 am persuaded that they are
both duo to rise , not sensationally , but
nt a healthy upward rate that makes
the-in sound Investment ! ) ! '
"There , " Bald Perdvul , "there's the
Judgment of a man that known the
game , but doesn't happen to have a
dollar In cither stock , and hu doesn't
know one or two things that I know ,
either. Just hypothecate 10,000 of
these Union Cordage shares and fi.OOO
Western Trolley , and buy Consolidated
on a 10 ! per cent , margin. I want to
get bigger aclion. There's a good rule
In poker : If your hand Is worth call
ing , ll's worlh raising. "
" 1 llko your nerve , " said Iho broker.
"Woll , I know some one who 1ms a
sleeve with something up It , that's all. "
By the third week In April , It was
believed that his holdings of Consoli
dated were the largest in the street ,
excepting those of the Federal Oil
people. Uncle Peter was delighted by
the magnlludc of his operations , and
by his newly formed habits of Indus
try.
"It'll bo the makings of the boy , "
he said to Mrs. Blues In her son's pres
ence. "Not lhal 1 oaro BO much my
self aboul all the millions he'll pllo up ,
hut U gives him a business training ,
and takes him oul of the plnhoad
class. I bol Sheplor himself will bo
talcln' off his silk lint to your son ,
jest as soon ua he's made thin lurn in
copper If he has enough of Dan'l J.'a
grll to hang on and 1 think hu has. "
"They needn't wait another day for
me , " Porclval told him later. "The
family treasure Is aboul all In now ,
except ma's amethyst oarrlngB and the
hair watch chain Grandpa CuninilngH
had. Of course I'm holding what I
piomlsed for Hiinnnn. But that rlsu
can't hold off much longer , and the
only thing I'll do , from now on , Is to
hock a few blocks of the stock I
bought outright , and buy on margins ,
BO'S to gel bigger action. "
"My ! My ! you Jesl do fairly dazzle
me , " exclaimed Iho old man , delight
edly. "Oh , I guess your pa wouldn't
bo at all proud of you If ho could BCC
It I tell you , Ibla family's all right
whllo you keep hearty. "
"Woll , I'm not pushing my chest out
any , " said the young man , with he-
coming modesty , "but I don't mind
telling you It will bo Iho biggest thing
ever pulled off down there by any one
man. "
"That's the true western splrll , " de
clared Uncle Peter , beside himself with
enthusiasm. "Wo do things big when
wo bother 'em at all. We ain't afraid
of any pikers like Shepler , wilh his
little two and five thousand lots. Oh !
1 can Jest hear 'em callln * you hard
names down In that Wall street Na
poleon of Finance and Copper King
and all like thai in aboul 110 days ! "
He accepted Perclval's Invitation
that afternoon to go down into the
r.lrcct with him. They stopped for a
moment in the visitors' gallery of the
stock exchange and looked down Into
Ihe mob of writhing , dlxhevelcd , shoutIng -
Ing brokers. Hi and out , the throng
swirled upon itself , while above Its
muddy depths surged n froth of handy
In frenzied gt-Htlculnllon. The frantic
movement and din of shrieks dlbtuibetl
Undo Pntcr.
"Faro Is such a lot quieter game , "
was his e-ommenl "HO much inoro calm
and restful. What a pity , now , 'taln't
ab Christian ! "
CHAPTER XXIV.
now TIII : CHINOOK OAMKTO WALL
STHUIT
The loss of much money Is com
monly a subject to bn managed with
brevity and aversion by one who sits
down with the right reverence fur
sheets of clean paper To bewail Is
painful. To affect lightness , on the
other hand , would , in this age , savor
of Insincerity , if not of downright
blasphemy. Moie than a bare recital
of Ihe wretched facts , therefore , Is not
seemly.
The Bines fortune disappeared much
as a heavy fall of snow melts under
the Chinook wind.
That phenomenon In not uninterest
ing. We may picture a far-reaching
waste of snow , wind-furrowed until It
resembles a billowy white sea frozen
motionless. The wind blows half a
gale and the air Is full of fine ice crys
tals that sting the face viciously. The
sun. lying low on the southern horizon ,
seems a mere frozen globe , with lus
trous pink crescents encircling it.
One day the wind backs and shifts.
A change portends. Rven the nor Is of
half-frozen range cntllo sense it by
some subtle beast Knowledge. Tey
are , no longer afraid to lie dr ?
they m y Juve been toy week i ,
( Contln-aetl ? Tct