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r　up…town　or　down…town；　to　make　money　was　always　and　in　all　circumstances　the　highest　morality；　to　lose　money　the　profoundest　immorality。

At　twenty　minutes　past　eleven　Melville　and　the　president　of　the　other　banks　of　his　chain　called　loans　to　Dumont　and　the　Dumont　supporting　group　to　the　amount　of　three　millions　and　a　quarter。　　Ten　minutes　later　other　banks　and　trust　companies　whose　loans　to　Dumont　and　his　allies　either　were　on　call　or　contained　provisions　permitting　a　demand　for　increased　collateral；　followed　Melville's　example　and　aimed　and　sped　their　knives　for　Dumont's　vitals。

Giddings　found　himself　face　to　face　with　unexpected　and　peremptory　demands　for　eleven　millions　in　cash　and　thirteen　millions　in　additional　collateral　securities。　　If　he　did　not　meet　these　demands　forthwith　the　banks　and　trust　companies；　to　protect　themselves；　would　throw　upon　the　market　at　whatever　price　they　could　get　the　thirty…odd　millions　of　Woolens　stocks　which　they　held　as　collateral　for　the　loans。

〃What　does　this　mean；　Eaversole？〃　he　exclaimed；　with　white；　wrinkled　lips；　heavy　circles　suddenly　appearing　under　his　eyes。　　〃Is　Melville　trying　to　ruin　everything？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Eaversole；　third　vice…president　of　the　company。　　〃He's　supporting　the　market；　all　except　us。　　He　says　Dumont　must　be　driven　out　of　the　Street。　　He　says　his　presence　here　is　a　pollution　and　a　source　of　constant　danger。〃

The　National　Woolens　supporting　group　was　alone；　it　could　get　no　help　from　any　quarter；　as　every　possible　ally　was　frightened　into　his　own　breastworks　for　the　defense　of　his　own　interests。　　Dumont；　the　brain　and　the　will　of　the　group；　had　made　no　false　moves　in　business；　had　been　bold　only　where　his　matchless　judgment　showed　him　a　clear　way；　but　he　had　not　foreseen　the　instantaneous　annihilation　of　his　chief　assethis　reputation。

Giddings　sustained　the　unequal　battle　superbly。　　He　was　cool；　and　watchful；　and　effective。　　It　is　doubtful　if　Dumont　himself　could　have　done　so　well；　handicapped　as　he　would　have　been　on　that　day　by　the　Fanshaw　scandal。　　Giddings　cajoled　and　threatened；　retreated　slowly　here；　advanced　intrepidly　there。　　On　the　one　side；　he　held　back　wavering　banks　and　trust　companies；　persuading　some　that　all　was　well；　warning　others　that　if　they　pressed　him　they　would　lose　all。　　On　the　other　side；　he　faced　his　powerful　foes　and　made　them　quake　as　they　saw　their　battalions　of　millions　roll　upon　his　unbroken　line　of　battle　only　to　break　and　disappear。　　At　noon　National　Woolens　preferred　was　at　fifty…eight；　the　common　at　twenty…nine。　　Giddings　was　beginning　to　hope。

At　three　minutes　past　noon　the　tickers　clicked　out：　　〃It　is　reported　that　John　Dumont　is　dying。〃

As　that　last　word　jerked　letter　by　letter　from　under　the　printing　wheel　the　floor　of　the　Stock　Exchange　became　the　rapids　of　a　human　Niagara。　　By　messenger；　by　telegraph；　by　telephone；　holders　of　National　Woolens　and　other　industrials；　in　the　financial　district；　in　all　parts　of　the　country；　across　the　sea；　poured　in　their　selling　orders　upon　the　frenzied　brokers。　　And　all　these　forces　of　hysteria　and　panic；　projected　into　that　narrow；　roofed…in　space；　made　of　it　a　chaos　of　contending　demons。　　All　stocks　were　caught　in　the　upheaval；　Melville's　plans　to　limit　the　explosion　were　blown　skyward；　feeble　as　straws　in　a　cyclone。　　Amid　shrieks　and　howls　and　frantic　tossings　of　arms　and　mad　rushes　and　maniac　contortions　of　faces；　National　Woolens　and　all　the　Dumont　stocks　bent；　broke；　went　smashing　down；　down；　down；　every　one　struggling　to　unload。

Dumont's　fortune　was　the　stateliest　of　the　many　galleons　that　day　driven　on　the　rocks　and　wrecked。　　Dumont's　crew　was　for　the　most　part　engulfed。　　Giddings　and　a　few　selected　friends　reached　the　shore　half…drowned　and　humbly　applied　at　the　wreckers'　camp；　they　were　hospitably　received　and　were　made　as　comfortable　as　their　exhausted　condition　permitted。

John　Dumont　was　at　the　mercy　of　Hubert　Herron　in　his　own　company。　　If　he　lived　he　would　be　president　only　until　the　next　annual　meetingless　than　two　months　away；　and　the　Herron　crowd　had　won　over　enough　of　his　board　of　directors　to　make　him　meanwhile　powerless　where　he　had　been　autocrat。



XXV。

THE　FALLEN　KING。


Toward　noon　the　next　day　Dumont　emerged　from　the　stupor　into　which　Doctor　Sackett's　opiate　had　plunged　him。　　At　once　his　mind　began　to　grope　about　for　the　broken　clues　of　his　business。　　His　valet　appeared。

〃The　morning　papers；〃　said　Dumont。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　valet；　and　disappeared。

After　a　few　seconds　Culver　came　and　halted　just　within　the　doorway。　　〃I'm　sorry；　sir；　but　Doctor　Sackett　left　strict　orders　that　you　were　to　be　quiet。　　Your　life　depends　on　it。〃

Dumont　scowled　and　his　lower　lip　projectedthe　crowning　touch　in　his　most　imperious　expression。　　〃The　papers；　all　of　'em；quick！〃　he　commanded。

Culver　took　a　last　look　at　the　blue…white　face　and　bloodshot　eyes　to　give　him　courage　to　stand　firm。　　〃The　doctor'll　be　here　in　a　few　minutes；〃　he　said；　bowed　and　went　out。

Choking　with　impotent　rage；　Dumont　rang　for　his　valet　and　forced　him　to　help　him　dress。　　He　was　so　weak　when　he　finished　that　only　his　will　kept　him　from　fainting。　　He　took　a　stiff　drink　of　the　brandythe　odor　was　sickening　to　him　and　he　could　hardly　force　it　down。　　But　once　down；　it　strengthened　him。

〃No；　nothing　to　eat；〃　he　said　thickly；　and　with　slow　but　fairly　steady　step　left　his　room　and　descended　to　the　library。　　Culver　was　theresat　agape　at　sight　of　his　master。　　〃But　youyou　must　not〃　he　began。

Dumont　gave　him　an　ugly　grin。　　〃But　I　will！〃　he　said；　and　again　drank　brandy。　　He　turned　and　went　out　and　toward　the　front　door；　Culver　following　with　stammering　protests　which　he　heeded　not　at　all。　　On　the　sidewalk　he　hailed　a　passing　hansom。　　〃To　the　Edison　Building；〃　he　said　and　drove　off；　Culver；　bareheaded　at　the　curb；　looking　dazedly　after　him。　　Before　he　reached　Fifty…ninth　Street　he　was　half…sitting；　half…reclining　in　the　corner　of　the　seat；　his　eyes　closed　and　his　senses　sinking　into　a　stupor　from　the　fumes　of　the　powerful　doses　of　brandy。　　As　the　hansom　drove　down　the　avenue　many　recognized　him；　wondered　and　pitied　as　they　noted　his　color；　his　collapsed　body；　head　fallen　on　one　side；　mouth　open　and　lips　greenish　gray：。　　As　the　hansom　slowly　crossed　the　tracks　at　Twenty…third　Street　the　heavy　jolt　roused　him。

〃The　newspapers；〃　he　muttered；　and　hurled　up　through　the　trap　in　the　roof　an　order　to　the　driver　to　stop。　　He　leaned　over　the　doors　and　bought　half　a　dozen　newspapers　of　the　woman　at　the　Flat…iron　stand。　　As　the　hansom　moved　on　he　glanced　at　the　head…linesthey　were　big　and　staring；　but　his　blurred　eyes　could　not　read　them。　　He　fell　asleep　again；　his　hands　clasped　loosely　about　the　huge　proclamations　of　yesterday's　battle　and　his　rout。

The　hansom　was　caught　in　a　jam　at　Chambers　Street。　　The　clamor　of　shouting；　swearing　drivers　roused　him。　　The　breeze　from　the　open　sea；　blowing　straight　up　Broadway　into　his　face；　braced　him　like　the　tonic　that　it　is。　　He　straightened　himself；　recovered　his　train　of　thought；　stared　at　one　of　the　newspapers　and　tried　to　grasp　the　meaning　of　its　head…lines。　　But　they　made　only　a　vague　impression　on　him。

〃It's　all　lies；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Lies！　　How　could　those　fellows　smash　ME！〃　　And　he　flung　the　newspapers　out　of　the　hansom　into　the　faces　of　two　boys　seated　upon　the　tail　of　a　truck。

〃You're　drunk　early；〃　yelled　one　of　the　boys。

〃That's　no　one…day　jag；〃　shouted　the　other。　　〃It's　a　hang…over。〃

He　made　a　wild；　threatening　gesture　and；　as　his　hansom　drove　on；　muttered　and　mumbled　to　himself；　vague　profanity　aimed　at　nothing　and　at　everything。　　At　the　Edison　Building　he　got　out。

〃Wait！〃　he　said　to　the　driver。　　He　did　not　see　the　impudent　smirk　on　the　face　of　the　elevator　boy　nor　the　hesitating；　sheepish　salutation　of　the　door…man；　uncertain　how　to　greet　the　fallen　king。　　He　went　straight　to　his　office；　unlocked　his　desk　and；　just　in　time　to　save　himself　from　fainting；　seized　and　half…emptied　a　flask　of　brandy　he　kept　in　a　drawer。　　It　had　been　therebut　untouched　ever　since　he　came　to　New　York　and　took　those　offices；　he　never　drank　in　business　hours。

His　head　was　aching　horribly　and　at　every　throb　of　his　pulse　a　pain　tore　through　him。　　He　rang　for　his　messenger。

〃Tell　Mr。　Giddings　I　want　to　see　himyou！〃　he　said；　his　teeth　clenched　and　his　eyes　blazinghe　looked　insane。

Giddings　came。　　His　conscience　was　clearhe　had　never　liked　Dumont；　owed　him　nothing；　yet　had　stood　by　him　until　further　fidelity　would　have　ruined　himself；　would　not　have　saved　Dumont；　or　prevented　the　Herron…Cassell　raiders　from　getting　control。　　Now　that　he　could　afford　to　look　at　his　revenge…books　he　was　deeply　resenting　the　insults　and　indignities　heaped　upon　him　in　the　past　five　years。　　But　he　was　unable　to　gloat；　was　moved　to　pity；　at　sight　of　the　physical　and　mental　wreck　in　that　chair　which　he　had　always　seen　occupied　by　the　most　robust　of　despots。

〃Well；〃　said　Dumont　in　a　dull；　far…away　voice；　without　looking　at　him。　　〃What's　happened？〃

Giddings　cast　about　for　a　smooth　beginning　but　could　find　none。　　〃They　did　us　upthat's　all；〃　he　said　funereally。

Dumont　lifted　himself　into　a　momentary　semblance　of　his　old　look　and　manner。　　〃You　lie；　damn　you！〃　h