the cost-第44节

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t　also　acquire　pretty　nearly　half　the　shares；　and　hold　them　till　I'm　firm　in　the　saddle　again。〃

〃You'd　better　devote　yourself　for　the　present　to　escaping　the　grave。　　Why　bother　about　business？　　You've　got　enoughtoo　much；　as　it　is。　　Take　a　holidaygo　away　and　amuse　yourself。〃


Dumont　smiled。　　〃That's　what　I'm　going　to　do；　what　I'm　doingamusing　myself。　　I　couldn't　sleep；　I　couldn't　live；　if　I　didn't　feel　that　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　power。　　Nowin　the　present　market　I　couldn't　borrow　on　my　Woolens　stock。　　I've　two　requests　to　make　of　you。〃

〃Anything　that's　possible。〃

〃The　first　is；　I　want　you　to　lend　me　four　millions；　or；　rather；　negotiate　the　loan　for　me；　as　if　it　were　for　yourself。　　I've　got　about　that　amount　in　Governments；　in　several　good　railways　and　in　the　property　here。　　The　place　at　Saint　X　is　Pauline's；　but　the　things　I　can　put　up　would　bring　four　millions　and　a　half　at　least　at　forced　sale。　　So；　you'll　be　well　secured。　　I'm　asking　you　to　do　it　instead　of　doing　it　myself　because；　if　I'm　to　win　out；　the　Herron　crowd　must　think　I'm　done　for　and　nearly　dead。〃

Langdon　was　silent　several　minutes。　　At　last　he　said：　　〃What's　your　plan？〃

Dumont　looked　irritatedhe　did　not　like　to　be　questioned；　to　take　any　one　into　his　confidence。　　But　he　restrained　his　temper　and　said：　　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　counter…raid。　　I　know　where　to　strike。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

Dumont　frowned。　　〃Don't　disturb　yourself；〃　he　said　coldly。　　〃I　can　arrange　the　loan　in　another　way。〃

〃I'm　asking　you　only　for　your　own　sake；　Jack；〃　Langdon　hastily　interposed。　　〃Of　course　you　can　have　the　money；　and　I　don't　want　your　security。〃

〃Then　I'll　not　borrow　through　you。〃　　Dumont　never　would　accept　a　favor　from　any　one。　　He　regarded　favors　as　profitable　investments　but　ruinous　debts。

〃Ohvery　wellI'll　take　the　security；〃　said　Langdon。　　〃When　do　you　want　the　money？〃

〃It　must　be　covered　into　my　account　at　the　Inter…State　Nationalremember；　NOT　the　National　Industrial；　but　the　Inter…State　National。　　A　million　must　be　deposited　to…daythe　rest　by　ten　o'clock　to…morrow　at　the　latest。〃

〃I'll　attend　to　it。　　What's　your　other　request？〃

〃Woolens'll　take　another　big　drop　on　Monday　and　at　least　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　shares'll　be　thrown　on　the　market　at　perhaps　an　average　price　of　eighteenless　rather　than　more。　　I　want　you　quietly　to　organize　a　syndicate　to　buy　what's　offered。　　They　must　agree　to　sell　it　to　me　for；　say；　two　points　advance　on　what　they　pay　for　it。　　I'll　put　upin　your　namea　million　dollars　in　cash　and　forfeit　it　if　I　don't　take　the　stock　off　their　hands。　　As　Woolens　is　worth　easily　double　what　it　now　stands　at；　they　can't　lose。　　Of　course　the　whole　thing　must　be　kept　secret。〃

Langdon　deliberated　this　proposal。　　Finally　he　said：　　〃I　think　brother…in…law　Barrow　and　his　partner　and　I　can　manage　it。〃

〃You　can　assure　them　they'll　make　from　six　hundred　thousand　to　a　million　on　a　less　than　thirty　days'　investment　of　four　millions　and　a　half；　with　no　risk　whatever。〃

〃Just　about　that；〃　assented　Langdonhe　had　been　carefully　brought　up　by　his　father　to　take　care　of　a　fortune　and　was　cleverer　at　figures　than　he　pretended。

〃Do　your；　buying　through　Tavistock；〃　continued　Dumont。　　〃Give　him　orders　to　take　on　Monday　all　offerings　of　National　Woolens；　preferred　and　common；　at　eighteen　or　less。　　He'll　understand　what　to　do。〃

〃But　I　may　be　unable　to　get　up　the　syndicate　on　such　short　notice。〃

〃You　must；〃　said　Dumont。　　〃And　you　will。　　You　can　get　a　move　on　yourself　when　you　tryI　found　that　out　when　I　was　organizing　my　original　combine。　　One　thing　morevery　important。　　Learn　for　me　all　you　canwithout　being　suspectedabout　the　Fanning…Smiths　and　Great　Lakes。〃

He　made　Langdon　go　over　the　matters　he　was　to　attend　to；　point　by　point；　before　he　would　let　him　leave。　　He　was　asleep　when　the　nurse；　sent　in　by　Langdon　on　his　way　out；　reached　his　bedthe　sound　and　peaceful　sleep　of　a　veteran　campaigner　whose　nerves　are　trained　to　take　advantage　of　every　lull。

At　ten　the　next　morning　he　sent　the　nurse　out　of　his　room。　　〃And　close　the　doors；〃　he　said；　〃and　don't　come　until　I　ring。〃　　He　began　to　use　the　branch　telephone　at　his　bedside；　calling　up　Langdon；　and　then　Tavistock；　to　assure　himself　that　all　was　going　well。　　Next　he　called　up　in　succession　five　of　the　great　individual　money…lenders　of　Wall　Street；　pledged　them　to　secrecy　and　made　arrangements　for　them　to　call　upon　him　at　his　house　at　different　hours　that　day　and　Sunday。　　Another　might　have　intrusted　the　making　of　these　arrangements　to　Culver　or　Langdon；　but　Dumont　never　let　any　one　man　know　enough　of　his　plan　of　battle　to　get　an　idea　of　the　whole。

〃Now　for　the　ammunition；〃　he　muttered；　when　the　last　appointment　was　made。　　And　he　rang　for　Culver。

Culver　brought　him　writing　materials。　　〃Take　this　order；〃　he　said；　as　he　wrote；　〃to　the　Central　Park　Safety　Deposit　vaults　and　bring　me　from　my　compartment　the　big　tin　box　with　my　initials　in　whiteremember；　IN　WHITEon　the　end　of　it。〃

Three…quarters　of　an　hour　later　Culver　returned；　half…carrying；　half…dragging　the　box。　　Dumont's　eyes　lighted　up　at　sight　of　it。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said；　in　a　sigh　of　satisfaction　and　relief。　　〃Put　it　under　the　head　of　the　bed　here。　　Thanks。　　That's　all。〃

The　nurse　came　as　Culver　left；　but　he　sent　her　away。　　He　supported　himself　to　the　door；　locked　it。　　He　took　his　keys　from　the　night…stand；　drew　out　the　box　and　opened　it。　　On　the　mass　of　stocks　and　bonds　lay　an　envelope　containing　two　listsone；　of　the　securities　in　the　box　that　were　the　property　of　Gladys　Dumont；　the　other；　of　the　securities　there　that　were　the　property　of　Laura　Dumont；　their　mother。

His　hands　shook　as　he　unfolded　these　lists；　and　a　creaking　in　the　walls　or　flooring　made　him　start　and　glance　round　with　the　look　of　a　surprised　thief。　　But　this　weakness　was　momentary。　　He　was　soon　absorbed　in　mentally　arranging　the　securities　to　the　best　advantage　for　distribution　among　the　money…lenders　as　collateral　for　the　cash　he　purposed　to　stake　in　his　game。

Such　thought　as　he　gave　to　the　moral　quality　of　what　he　was　doing　with　his　sister's　and　his　mother's　property　without　asking　their　consent　was　altogether　favorable　to　himself。　　His　was　a　well…trained；　〃practical〃　conscience。　　It　often　anticipated　his　drafts　upon　it　for　moral　support　in　acts　that　might　at　first　blush　seem　criminal；　or　for　soothing　apologies　for　acts　which　were　undeniably　〃not　QUITE　right。〃　　This　particular　act；　conscience　assured　him；　was　of　the　highest　moralityunder　his　own　code。　　For　the　code　enacted　by　ordinary　human　beings　to　guide　their　foolish　little　selves　he　had　no　more　respect　than　a　lion　would　have　for　a　moral　code　enacted　by　and　for　sheep。　　The　sheep　might　assert　that　their　code　was　for　lions　also；　but　why　should　that　move　the　lions　to　anything　but　amusement？　　He　had　made　his　own　codenot　by　special　revelation　from　the　Almighty；　as　did　some　of　his　fellow　practitioners　of　high　finance；　but　by　especial　command　of　his　imperial　〃destiny。〃　　And　it　was　a　strict　codeit　had　earned　him　his　unblemished　reputation　for　inflexible　commercial　honesty　and　commercial　truthfulness。　　The　foundation　principle　was　his　absolute　right　to　the　great　property　he　had　created。　　This　being　granted；　how　could　there　be　immorality　in　any　act　whatsoever　that　might　be　necessary　to　hold　or　regain　his　kingdom？　　As　well　debate　the　morality　of　a　mother　in　〃commandeering〃　bread　or　even　a　life　to　save　her　baby　from　death。

His　kingdom！　　His　by　discovery；　his　by　adroit　appropriation；　his　by　intelligent　development；　his　by　the　right　of　mental　mightHIS！　　Stake　his　sister's　and　his　mother's　possessions　for　it？　　Their　lives；　if　necessary！

Than　John　Dumont；　president　of　the　Woolens　Monopoly；　there　was　no　firmer　believer　in　the　gospel　of　divine　rightthe　divine　right　of　this　new　race　of　kings；　the　puissant　lords　of　trade。

When　he　had　finished　his　preparations　for　the　money…lenders　he　unlocked　the　door　and　sank　into　bed　exhausted。　　Hardly　had　he　settled　himself　when；　without　knocking；　Gladys　entered；　Pauline　just　behind　her。　　His　face　blanched　and　from　his　dry　throat　came　a　hoarse；　strange　cryit　certainly　sounded　like　fright。　　〃You　startled　methat　was　all；〃　he　hastened　to　explain；　as　much　to　himself　as　to　them。　　For；　a　something　inside　him　had　echoed　the　wondering　inquiry　in　the　two　women's　facesa　something　that　persisted　in　reverencing　the　moral　code　which　his　new　code　had　superseded。



XXVII。

THE　OTHER　MAN'S　MIGHT。


At　eleven　o'clock　on　Monday　morning　James；　head　of　the　Fanning…Smith　family；　president　of　Fanning…Smith　and　Company；　and　chairman　of　the　Great　Lakes　and　Gulf　railwayto　note　his　chief　titles　to　eminence　up…town　and　downwas　seated　in　his　grandfather's　office；　in　his　grandfather's　chair；　at　his　grandfather's　desk。　　Above　his　head　hung　his　grandfather's　portrait；　and　he　was　a　slightly　modernized　reproduction　of　it。　　As　he　was　thus　in　every　outward　essential　his　grandfather　over　again；　he　and　his　family　and　the　social　and　business　world　assumed　that　he　was　the　reincarnation　of　the　crafty　old　fox　who　first　saw　the　light　of　day　through　the　chinks　in　a　farm…hand's　cottage　in　Maine　and　last　saw　it　as　it　sifted　through　the　real…lace　curtains　of　his　gorgeous　bedroom　in　his　great　Madison　Avenue　mansion。　　Bu