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Show blindfolded! j BY EARLE ASHLEY WALCOTT . I 1 L . . 1 , Copyrlitt. 1908,' oy Tie Bob us-Merrill-Company. have to ho'd them for half an hour maybe may-be an hour." . , "Make It half an hour." growled Doddridge Dod-dridge KnarP- "Just remembpr that time Is worth, a thousand dollars a second till that injunction is served." He went out without another word, and there was a commotion of clerks as we left. - "How's your nerve. Wilton V Inquired the king of the street enlmly. "Are you ready for some hot work?" , "Quite ready." " "Have you a revolver about you?" . "Yes." - "Very good. I don't want you to kill anyone, but it may come In handy at an evidence of your good Intentions." He led the way to California street below be-low Pansome, where we climbed a flight of Hairs and went down a hall to a glass door that bore the ftilt and painted letters, let-ters, "Omega Mining Co., J. D. Storey, Pres't." "There's five minutes to spare." said my employer. "He may be alone." A stout, florid man, with red side whiskers whis-kers and a general air of good living, sat by an overshadowing desk In the handsome hand-some office, and looked sourly at us as we entered. He was not alone, for a young nan could be seen in a. fid room that was lettered "Secretary"" Office." "Ah. Mr. Knapp," he said, lowing deferentially to the millionaire, and rubbing rub-bing his fat red hands. "Can I do anything any-thing for you today?" "I reckon so. Storey. Let me Introduce you . to Mr. Wilton, one of our coming directors." I had an Inward start at this Information. Informa-tion. We professed ourselves charmed to see each other. - "I suppose it was an oversight that you didn't send me a notice of the direc tons' meeting." said Doddridge Khapp. To Be Continued.) CHAPTEB XXV. The bi3s and offer came back and forth with shouts and barks, yet they made but a murmur compared to the whirlwind of sound that had arisen from ' the pit at the former struggles I had witnessed.- There seemed but few blocks of the stock on the market. Tet the air j was electric with the tene strain of thousands of minds eager to catch the . faintesttindicatlon of the final result, and I found it more exciting than the wildest days of clamor and struggle. "Thi Is great," chuckled Wallbridge. taking poet before me.' "There hasn't been anything like It since Decker captured cap-tured Chollar In the election of seventy-three.' seventy-three.' You don't remember that, I guess?" "I wasn't In th market then," I admitted. ad-mitted. -"Lord! Just to hear that!" cried the stout little man, mopping his glistening head frantically and quivering with nervous ner-vous excitement. "Doddridge Knapp bids fifteen hundred for the stock and only , gets five shares. Oh, why ain't I got a chance to get into this?" I heard a confused roar, above which rose the fierce tones of Doddridge Knapp. "How many shares has he got today? 1 asked. "Not forty yet." "And the others?" . "There's . been about two thousand . sold." , I grlppea the rail In nervous tension. The battle seemed to be going against the king of the street. - . "Oh!" gasped Wallbridge. trembling with excitement, "Did you hear that? ! There! It's seventeen hundred now It s seventeen-fifty! Whew!" ,1 echoed the exclamation. j "Oh. why haven't I got ten? thousand shares?" he groaned. j "Who is getting them?" . , Knapp got the, last lot. Oh-oh. look, there! Did you ever see the like of that?" I looked. Decker, hatless. with hair disheveled had leaped the rail and was hurrying Into the throng that surrounded . . Doddridge Knapp. "There was never-two of 'em on the , ffoor before." cried Wallbridge. At Decker's appearance the brokers opened a lane to him, the cries fell, and toere was an Instant of silence, as the J kings of - the market thus came face to aiesha!l never forget the sight. Dodd-' Dodd-' ridge Knspp, massive, calm, forceful, .surveyed his opponent with unruffled t ' composure. He was dressed In a light gray-brown . suit that made him seem larger than ever. Decker was nervous, disheveled, his dress of black setting off the pallor of his face, fill It. seemed as white as his skirt bosom, as he fronted the king of the street. , The foes faced each other, watchful as " two wrestlers looking to seize an opening, and the board-room held Its breath. Then the crowd of brokers closed In again and the elamor rose once more. I could not make out the progress of the'eontest, but the trained ear of .Wall-bridge .Wall-bridge Interpreted the explosion of ln-. ln-. articulate sound, i - "Phew! listen to that! Two thousand, v twenty-one -hundred, .twenty-one fifty. Great snakes! See her Jump!" he cried. Decker' getting It." My heart sank. Doddridge Knapp must have smothered hi brain once more In the black smoke, and was now paying the price of indulgence. And bis plans of wealth were a sacrifice to the wild and - criminal scheme into which he had - entered in hi contest against . the Unknown. Un-known. I saw the wreck of fortune en-srulf en-srulf Mr. Knapp and Luella. and groaned In spirit. Then a flash of hepe shot ' through roe. Luella Knapp. the heiress to iiiUiions. was beyond my dreams, but Luella Knapp, the daughter of a ruined speculator, would not be too high a prise fo a poor man to set his eyes upon. - The clang of the gong recalled me from the reverie that had shut out the details of ti.e scene before me., "There! Did you heir- that?" groaned Wallbridge. "Omega closes at two thousand. thou-sand. six hundred and Decker takes every stick. Oh, why didn't you have me on the floor out there? By the great horn spoon. I d 'a had every share of that stock, and wouldn't a' paid more than half as much for it, neither." . , , . . I sighed and turned, sick at heart, to meet the king of the street as he shoul-de,r1 shoul-de,r1 his w-y from the floor. There was not a trace of his misfortune misfor-tune io be read in his face. But Decker, the victor, moved a war like a man op-riT op-riT rressed. pale, staggering, half -fainting, x es though the nervous strain had brought 7 him to tne edge of co:.Wse. Doddridge Knapp made his way to the doors and signed me to follow him, but spoke no word until we stood beside the t-ol'imns that guard the entrance. The rain fell in a drizzle, but anxious crowds lined the streets, dodged into doorway for shelter, or boldly moved across the walks and the cobbled roadway road-way under the protection of bobbing umbrellas. um-brellas. The news of the unprecedented Jump in Omega In which the price had doubled thrice in a few minutes, had flo-n from mouth to mouth, and exclte-pjent exclte-pjent was at fever heat, v "That was warm work." said Doddridge Dodd-ridge Knapp 'after a moment's halt. "I was very sorry to have it turn out so," I said. . A grim smile passed over his fsce. -1 wasn't." he growled good -humored -ly. "I thought It was rather neatly done." I looked at him In surprise. "Oh, I forgot that I hadn't seen you." he continued. "And like enough I shouldn't have told you if I had. Th truth Is. I found a block of four thousand ahares on Saturday night, and made a combination with them." , 'Then the mine Is yours?" "The directors will be." "But you were buying share this morning." ' i - "A mere optical Illusion, Wilton. I was I" fact a seller, for I bad shares to PiT was a very good Imitation."- "I don't wonder you were taken In. my boy. Decker was fooled to the tune of about a million dollars this morning. I thought It was rather neat for a clean- I thought so, too, and the king of the street smiled at my exclamations over his cleverness. But my congratulations were cut short as a small dark man pressed his way to the corner where we stood, and whispered in Doddridge Knapp's ear. "Was he sure?" asked the king of the M St""nose were his exact words." j ' "When was this?" "Not five minutes ago. i "Hun to Caswell's. Tell him to wait The messenger darted off and we followed fol-lowed briskly. Caswell, I found, was aa attorney, and we were led at once to the "rome'ln'srith me." said my employer. "I expect I shall need you, and it will ' MKeeXlSwr tail, thin man. with rhav expressionless features, but his r"-rVave life to hi face with their keen, 7ft brilliant, vision. , ' .... V.ieckef. playing the Joker "said the lAtr of the street. "I've beaten him in thi market, but he going to mak a last n with the directors. There's a. meet-Fn meet-Fn called for twelve-thirty. They are eoir to give him a two years' contract ' ECiaand 2j th!nheA"w?ntrbXn inJuncUon?" - The'lawyer looked at Ms watch;y "The meeting is at 12-30. it m. xou u |