第115章

I walked the floor, trying hard to think.It was hard to think calmly, to be sensible, and yet I realized that common-sense and coolness were what I needed now.I tried to remember the outcome of similar situations in financial circles, but that did not help me.I remembered a play I had seen, "The Henrietta" was its name.

In that play, a young man with more money than brains had saved the day for his father, a Wall Street magnate, by buying a certain stock in large quantities at a critical time.He arrived at his decision to buy, rather than sell, by tossing a coin.The father had declared that his son had hit upon the real secret of success in stock speculation.Possibly the old gentleman was right, but Icould not make my decision in that way.No, whatever I did must have some reason to back it.Was there no situation, outside of Wall Street, which offered a parallel? After all, what was the situation? Some one wished to buy a certain thing, and some one else wished to buy it also.Neither party wanted the other to get it.There had been a general game of bluff and then...Humph!

Why, in a way, it was like the original bidding for the Shore Lane land.

It was like it, and yet it was not.I owned the land and Colton wanted to buy it; so also did Jed Dean.Each side had made bids and had been refused.Then the bidders had, professedly, stood pat, but, in reality, they had not.Jed had told me, in his latest interview, that he would have paid almost anything for that land, if he had had to.And Colton--Colton had invented the Bay Shore Development Company.That company had fooled Elnathan Mullet and other property holders.It had fooled Captain Jed.It had come very near to fooling me.If Mabel Colton had not given me the hint I might have been tricked into selling.Then Colton would have won, have won on a "bluff." A good bluff did sometimes win.Iwondered...

I was still pacing the floor when Miss Colton returned to the library.She was trying hard to appear calm, but I could see that she was greatly agitated.

"What is it?" I asked."Is he--"

"He is not as well just now.I--I must not leave him--or Mother.

But I came back for a moment, as I told you I would.Is there anything new?""No.Davis has repeated his declaration to do nothing without orders from your father."She nodded."Very well," she said, "then it is over.We are beaten--Father is beaten for the first time.It makes little difference, I suppose.If he--if he is taken from us, nothing else matters.But I hoped you...never mind.I thank you, Mr.

Paine.You would have helped him if you could, I know."Somehow this surrender, and the tone in which it was made, stirred me more than all else.She had trusted me and I had failed.Iwould not have it so.

"Miss Colton," I said, earnestly, "suppose--suppose I should go ahead and make this fight, on my own hook.Suppose I should give Davis the 'instructions' he is begging for.Have I permission to do it?"She looked at me in surprise."Of course," she said, simply.

"Do you mean it? It may mean complete smash.I am no railroad man, no stock manipulator.I have an idea and if this trouble were mine I should act upon it.But it is not mine.It is your father's--and yours.I may be crazy to risk such a thing--"She stepped forward."Do it," she commanded."I tell you to do it.If it fails I will take the responsibility.""That you shall not do.But I will take the chance.Phin!""Yup; here I be."

"Send this message at once: 'Try your hardest to get hold of any shares you can, at almost any figure in reason, before the market opens.When it opens begin buying everything offered.' Got that?""Yup.I've got it."

"Sign it 'Colton' and send it along.I am using your father's name," I added, turning to her."It seems to me the only way to avoid suspicion and get action.No one must know that 'Big Jim' is critically ill; you understand that.""Yes, I understand.But," hesitatingly, "to buy may mean paying tremendous prices, may it not? Can we--""We must.Here is Davis's reply coming.What is it, Phin?"Cahoon read off the message as the receiver clicked.

"You are insane.Buying at such prices will be suicide.""Tell him no.Tell him to let it leak out that Colton is seizing the opportunity to clinch his control of the road.The other crowd will think, if he is willing to buy at any price, that he cannot be so short as they supposed.Send all that, Phin.It is a bluff, Miss Colton, nothing but a bluff, but it may win.God knows I hope it will."She did not answer.Together we waited for the reply.It came as follows:

All right if you say so, of course, but still think it suicide.Iam off on the still hunt for those shares but don't believe one to be had, Consolidated bunch too sharp for that.Stay by the wire.

Will report when I can.Good luck and good-by.

"He's gone, I cal'late," observed Phineas."Need me any more, do you think?""Yes.You must stay here all night, just as I told you.""Right you be.Send word to the old woman, that's all, if you can.

Cal'late she's waitin' at the kitchen door with a rollin' pin, by this time.""I will send the word, Mr.Cahoon," replied Miss Colton."And--don't you think you could go home now, Mr.Paine? I know how exhausted you must be, after last night.""No home for me," I answered, with assumed cheerfulness."Admirals of Finance are expected to stick by the ship.I will lie down here on the couch and Phineas can call me if I am needed.Don't worry, Miss Colton.Go to your father and forget us altogether, if you can.If--if I should be needed for--for any other cause, please speak."She looked at me in silence for a moment.Then she came toward me and held out her hand."I shall not forget, whatever else I may do," she said, brokenly."And I will speak if I need you, my friend."She turned hastily and went to the door.

"I will send word to your people as well as Mr.Cahoon's," she added."Try and sleep, if you can.Good night."The door closed behind her.Sleep! I was not likely to sleep.Aman who has lighted the fuse of the powder magazine beneath him does not sleep much.