the cost-第42节

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bsorbed　in　a　stock　in　which　Tavistock　did　not　know　he　had　any　interest　whatever。　　〃G。　L。　and　G。？〃　he　said。　　〃Not　muchperhaps　thirty　thousand　shares。　　It's　been　quiet　for　a　long　time。　　It's　an　investment　stock；　you　know。〃

Dumont　smiled　peculiarly。　　〃I　want　a　list　of　the　stock…holdersnot　all；　only　those　holding　more　than　a　thousand　shares。〃

〃There　aren't　many　big　holders。　　Most　of　the　stock's　in　small　lots　in　the　middle　West。〃

〃So　much　the　better。〃

〃I'm　pretty　sure　I　can　get　you　a　fairly　accurate　list。〃

Tavistock；　Dumont's　very　private　and　personal　broker；　had　many　curious　ways　of　reaching　into　the　carefully　guarded　books　and　other　business　secrets　of　brokers　and　of　the　enterprises　listed　on　the　New　York　Stock　Exchange。　　He　and　Dumont　had　long　worked　together　in　the　speculative　parts　of　Dumont's　schemes。　　Dumont　was　the　chief　source　of　his　rapidly　growing　fortune；　though　no　one　except　Culver；　not　even　Mrs。　Tavistock；　knew　that　they　had　business　relations。　　Dumont　moved　through　Tavistock　secretly；　and　Tavistock　in　turn　moved　through　other　agents　secretly。　　But　for　such　precautions　as　these　the　great　men　of　Wall　Street　would　be　playing　with　all　the　cards　exposed　for　the　very　lambs　to　cock　their　ears　at。

〃I　want　it　immediately；〃　said　Dumont。　　〃Only　the　larger　holders；　you　understand。〃

〃Haste　always　costs。　　I'll　have　to　get　hold　of　a　man　who　can　get　hold　of　some　one　high　up　in　the　Great　Lakes　dividend　department。〃

〃Pay　what　you　musttentwenty　thousandmore　if　necessary。　　But　get　it　to…night！〃

〃I'll　try。〃

〃Then　you'll　get　it。〃

He　slept；　with　a　break　of　fifteen　minutes；　until　ten　the　next　morning。　　Then　Tavistock　appeared　with　the　list。　　〃It　was　nearly　midnight　before　my　man　could　strike　a　bargain；　so　I　didn't　telephone　you。　　The　dividend　clerk　made　a　memory　list。　　I　had　him　verify　it　this　morning　as　early　as　he　could　get　at　the　books。　　He　says　at　least　a　third　of　the　road　is　held　in　small　lots　abroad。　　He's　been　in　charge　of　the　books　for　twenty　years；　and　he　says　there　have　been　more　changes　in　the　last　two　months　than　in　all　that　time。　　He　thinks　somebody　has　sold　a　big　block　of　the　stock　on　the　quiet。〃

Dumont　smiled　significantly。　　〃I　think　I　understand　that；〃　he　said。　　He　glanced　at　the　list。　　〃It's　even　shorter　than　I　thought。〃

〃You　notice；　one…third　of　the　stock's　tied　up　in　the　Wentworth　estate；〃　said　Tavistock。

〃Yes。　　And　here's　the　name　of　Bowen's　dividend　clerk。　　Bowen　is　traveling　in　the　far　East。　　Probably　he's　left　no　orders　about　his　Great　Lakeswhy　should　he　when　it's　supposed　to　be　as　sound　and　steady　as　Government　bonds？　　That　means　another　fifty　thousand　shares　out　of　the　way　for　our　purposes。　　Which　of　these　names　stand　for　the　Fanning…Smiths？〃

〃I　only　recognize　ScannellJames　Fanning…Smith's　private　secretary。　　But　there　must　be　others；　as　he's　down　for　only　twenty…one　thousand　shares。〃

〃Then　he's　the　only　one；〃　said　Dumont；　〃for　the　Fanning…Smiths　have　only　twenty…one　thousand　shares　at　the　present　time。　　I　know　that　positively。〃

〃What！〃　Tavistock　showed　that　he　was　astounded。　　〃I　knew　James　Fanning…Smith　was　an　ass；　but　I　never　suspected　him　of　such　folly　as　that。　　So　they　are　the　ones　that　have　been　selling？〃

〃Yesnot　only　selling　what　they　owned　but　also　However；　no　matter。　　It's　safe　to　say　there　are　less　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　shares　for　us　to　take　care　of。　　I　want　you　to　get　meright　awayoptions　for　fifteen　days　on　as　many　of　these　remaining　big　lots　as　possible。　　Make　the　best　terms　you　cananything　up　to　one　hundred　and　twenty…fiveand　offer　five　or　even　ten　dollars　a　share　forfeit　for　the　option。　　Make　bigger　offersfifteenwhere　it's　necessary。　　Set　your　people　to　work　at　once。　　They've　got　the　rest　of　to…day；　all　day　to…morrow；　all　day　Sunday。　　But　I'd　rather　the　whole　thing　were　closed　up　by　Saturday　night。　　I'll　be　satisfied　when　you've　got　me　control　of　a　hundred　thousand　sharesthat'll　be　the　outside　of　safety。〃

〃Yes；　you're　reasonably　sure　to　win；　if　you　can　carry　that　and　look　after　offerings　of　fifty　thousand　in　the　market。　　The　options　on　the　hundred　thousand　shares　oughtn't　to　cost　you　much　more　than　a　million。　　The　fifty　thousand　you'll　have　to　buy　in　the　market　may　cost　you　six　or　seven　millions。〃　　Tavistock　recited　these　figures　carelessly。　　In　reality　he　was　watching　Dumont　shrewdly；　for　he　had　believed　that　the　National　Woolens　raid　had　ruined　him；　had　certainly　put　him　out　of　the　large　Wall　Street　moves。

〃In　that　small　drawer；　to　the　left；　in　the　desk　there；〃　said　Dumont；　pointing。　　〃Bring　me　the　Inter…State　National　check…book；　and　pen　and　ink。〃

When　he　had　the　book　he　wrote　eight　checks；　the　first　for　fifty　thousand；　the　next　five　for　one　hundred　thousand　each；　the　last　two　for　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　each。　　〃The　first　check；〃　he　said；　〃you　may　use　whenever　you　like。　　The　others；　except　the　last　two；　will　be　good　after　two　o'clock　to…day。　　The　last　two　can　be　used　any　time　after　eleven　to…morrow。　　Anddon't　forget！　　I'm　supposed　to　be　hopelessly　illbut　then；　no　one　must　know　you've　seen　me　or　know　anything　about　me。　　Spread　it　as　a　rumor。〃

Tavistock　went　away　convinced；　enthusiastic。　　There　was　that　in　Dumont　which　inspired　men　to　their　strongest；　most　intelligent　efforts。　　He　was　harsh；　he　was　tyrannical；　treacherous　evenin　a　large　way；　often　cynically　ungrateful。　　But　he　knew　how　to　lead；　knew　how　to　make　men　forget　all　but　the　passion　for　victory；　and　follow　him　loyally。　　Tavistock　had　seen　his　financial　brain　solve　too　many　〃unsolvable〃　problems　not　to　have　confidence　in　it。

〃I　might　have　known！〃　he　reflected。　　〃Why；　those　fellows　apparently　only　scotched　him。　　They　got　the　Woolens　Company　away　from　him。　　He　lets　it　go　without　a　murmur　when　he　sees　he's　beaten；　and　he　turns　his　mind　to　grabbing　a　big　railway　as　if　Woolens　had　never　existed。〃

Just　after　his　elevated　train　passed　Chatham　Square　on　the　way　down…town　Tavistock　suddenly　slapped　his　leg　with　noisy　energy　and　exclaimed　half…aloud；　〃By　Jove；　of　course！〃　to　the　amusement　of　those　near　him　in　the　car。　　He　went　on　to　himself：　　〃Why　didn't　I　see　it　before？　　Because　it's　so　beautifully　simple；　like　all　the　things　the　big　'uns　do。　　He's　a　wonder。　　So　THAT'S　what　he's　up　to？　　Gad；　what　a　breeze　there'll　be　next　week！〃

At　eleven　o'clock　Doctor　Sackett　came　into　Dumont's　bedroom；　in　arms　against　his　patient。

〃You're　acting　like　a　lunatic。　　No　business；　I　saynot　for　a　week。　　Absolute　quiet；　Mr。　Dumont；　or　I'll　not　answer　for　the　consequences。〃

〃I　see　you　want　to　drive　me　back　into　the　fever；〃　replied　Dumont。　　〃But　I'm　bent　on　getting　well。　　I　need　the　medicine　I've　had　this　morning；　and　Culver's　bringing　me　another　dose。　　If　I'm　not　better　when　he　leaves；　I　agree　to　try　your　prescription　of　fret　and　fume。〃

〃You　are　risking　your　life。〃

Dumont　smiled。　　〃Possibly。　　But　I'm　risking　it　for　what's　more　than　life　to　me；　my　dear　Sackett。〃

〃You'll　excite　yourself。　　You'll〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　shall　calm　myself。　　I'm　never　so　calm　and　cheerful　as　when　I'm　fighting；　unless　it's　when　I'm　getting　ready　to　fight。　　There's　something　inside　meI　don't　know　whatbut　it　won't　let　me　rest　till　it　has　pushed　me　into　action。　　That's　my　nature。　　If　any　one　asks　how　I　am；　say　you've　no　hope　of　my　recovery。〃

〃I　shall　tell　only　the　truth　in　that　case；〃　said　Sackett；　but　with　resignationhe　was　beginning　to　believe　that　for　his　extraordinary　patient　extraordinary　remedies　might　be　best。

Dumont　listened　to　Culver's　report　without　interrupting　him　once。　　Culver's　position　had　theretofore　been　most　disadvantageous　to　himself。　　He　had　been　too　near　to　Dumont；　had　been　merged　in　Dumont's　big　personality。　　Whatever　he　did　well　seemed　to　Dumont　merely　the　direct　reflection　of　his　own　abilities；　whatever　he　did　ill　seemed　far　more　stupid　than　a　similar　blunder　made　by　a　less　intimate　subordinatewhat　excuse　for　Culver's　going　wrong　with　the　guiding　hand　of　the　Great　Man　always　upon　him？

In　this；　his　first　important　independent　assignment；　he　had　at　last　an　opportunity　to　show　his　master　what　he　could　do；　to　show　that　he　had　not　learned　the　Dumont　methods　parrot…fashion；　but　intelligently；　that　he　was　no　mere　reflecting　asteroid　to　the　Dumont　sun；　but　a　self…luminous；　if　lesser　and　dependent；　star。

Dumont　was　in　a　peculiarly　appreciative　mood。

〃Why；　the　fellow's　got　brainsGOOD　brains；〃　was　his　inward　comment　again　and　again　as　Culver　unfolded　the　information　he　had　collectedclear；　accurate；　non…essentials　discarded；　essentials　given　in　detail；　hidden　points　brought　to　the　surface。

It　was　proof　positive　of　Dumont's　profound　indifference　to　money　that　he　listened　without　any　emotion　either　of　anger　or　of　regret　to　the　first　part　of　Culver's　tale；　the　survey　of　the　wreckwhat　had　been　forty　millions　now　reduced　to　a　dubious　six。　　Dumont　had　neither　time　nor　strength　for　emotion；　he　was　using　all　his　mentality　in　gaging　what　he　had　for　the　work　in　handjust　how　long　and　how　efficient　was　the　broken　sword　with　which　he　must　face　his　enemies　in　a　struggle　that　meant　utter　ruin　to　him　if　he　failed。　　For　he　felt　that　if　he　should　fail　he　would　never　again　be　able　to　gather　himself　together　to　renew　the　combat；　either　he　would　die　outright　or　he　would　abandon　himself　to　the　appe