Part 13 (1/2)

”There, now, that shows you. I tell you I'm rattled. You see, the very first thing I suggest you discourage. Think I'd better hold off.”

They had now reached the broker's office, in which Mr. Gallivant was presently ensconced at ease.

”You are right,” said Thwicket, handing out a case of cigars, ”in saying that the market is queer. Something very curious has got hold of it. As you know, I avoid giving advice to my customers, and I'm not going to advise you; but if you will notice the state of affairs with regard to Snapshot Consolidated, you will see something that ought to make you open your eyes.”

”What is it?”

”Didn't you read the market reports in this morning's papers?”

”Haven't looked at a market report for three weeks.”

”I guess that explains why you don't understand the situation, then.

Well, Snapshot Consolidated opened at 42. At about noon it began to mount, and it rose peg by peg till it closed at 57-1/2. Now, what do you think of that?”

”I think it's a warning for discreet men like me to keep away from Snapshot. I have no overweening desire to monkey with Mr. Gould, Thwicket.” Mr. Gallivant jingled the remnant of six or seven dollars in his pocket and softly added, ”He has more money than I.”

”You're your own best judge, of course. But if that stock opens this morning above the point at which it closed last night, there's going to be more fun to-day in Wall Street than we've had for many a year. It looks to me like a rock-ribbed corner.”

Mr. Juniper Gallivant bowed his head as if in deep reflection. As a matter of fact, he was fermenting with excitement. He looked at his watch. It was within fifteen minutes of the time for the Exchange to open. ”A corner!” he softly exclaimed to himself. ”A corner, ye G.o.ds!

and my balance in the Chemical Bank is $2.17. A corner, and I not in it!”

Mr. Gallivant's fingers began to itch viciously, and the perspiration broke out copiously under his thick red hair. By a great struggle he managed to suppress all outward signs of his emotion, while he continued to commune with his own mind. ”It's no use,” he thought. ”I must give up all idea of laying in with a corner when I haven't got money enough to set up a decent champagne supper. No, I must draw that $380, and the question is, how to do it and keep my credit good. Ha! an idea strikes me!” He turned quietly to the broker and said aloud: ”Give me a pen, Thwicket!”

He took a blank check from his pocket-book--a check on the Chemical Bank, wherein $2.17 reposed peacefully to his credit.

”I don't think you have very much money of mine here, Thwicket?” he continued, as he slowly wrote the date-line in the check.

”Don't think we have. Robert, what is Mr. Gallivant's balance?”

The clerk turned over his ledger and presently replied: ”Mr. Gallivant has a credit of $382.22.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”ROBERT, WHAT IS MR. GALLIVANT'S BALANCE?”]

”I don't think we'll bother with Snapshot Consolidated, Thwicket.

Truth is, I'm afraid of it. My wits haven't been working right here lately. But I'll just give you a check for $20,000, and you can buy me a nice little block of Michigan Border--say a hundred shares, just to see how the cat jumps, you know.”

Thwicket took the check, but with a troubled air. ”My dear Gallivant,”

he said, ”why do a thing like that? I'm very glad to have another order from you, but I don't want to see a valuable customer like you lose any more money. Michigan Border was doing very well a month ago, but it is declining now, and for good reasons. Let's take a flyer in Snapshot!”

”Hand me that check!” said Mr. Gallivant in a most decisive tone and with a profoundly irritated air. ”Hand it back, Thwicket! Hand it right over, and draw me a check for my balance of $382.22. I'm going to cut the d--d Gordian knot and get out of this! No use talking, my head's all bemuddled. 'F I was to go into the Street to-day I'd lose my whole fortune. Now, don't argue with me, old man, I'm out of sorts, and the best thing for me to do is to stop right short till I get clear-headed again. Draw me that check. Let me have every penny I've got on your books. I'm going up to my place in the country and spend a month reading Greek plays. If anything 'll calm me, that will.”

The broker looked vastly disappointed, but smiled consentingly. He returned the $20,000 check, which Mr. Gallivant tore to pieces with a great show of nervousness and irritation, and in another moment, possessed of his precious $382.22, he departed gloomily.

But a long and cheery smile, that reached nearly to the tips of his mustache and almost sufficed to give them a faint curl, spread itself over his face as he turned from Wall Street into Broadway. He caressed the check with his fingers and softly observed, ”H'm, I flatter myself that was well done. I have the money, and Thwicket has an abiding confidence in my wealth,--but oh, ye G.o.ds! what would I give to be able to put my fine Italian hand into that Snapshot corner!”

Mr. Gallivant returned to his office and endeavored to fasten his attention upon the records of a t.i.tle search prepared by his clerk, but he found himself ever going over the figures, 57-1/2, 57-1/2, 57-1/2.

”Heavens!” he said presently, ”I can't stand this any longer. I must see the ticker. I must find out how it opened to-day. Gad, I'll go crazy if I sit here all day mumbling '57-1/2!'”

He started up and had half put on his coat, when the office door was flung open and Thwicket rushed in breathless.