od between him and the door, made a threatening demonstration
toward the rear, and Applerod, suddenly deserting his dignity, rushed
out. Bobby straightened his face as Johnson, still blazing, came in
from watching Applerod's ignominious retreat.

"Well, Johnson," said he, ignoring the incident as closed, "what can I
do for you to-day?"

"Nothing!" snapped Johnson. "I have forgotten what I came for!" and
going out he slammed the door behind him.

In the course of an hour Bobby was through with his morning allotment
of mail and his daily consultation with Jolter, and then he called
Johnson to his office.

"Johnson," said he, "I want you to do me a favor. There is one block
of Brightlight stock that I have not yet bought up. It is in the hands
of J. W. Williams, one of the old Stone crowd, who ought to be wanting
money by this time. He holds one hundred shares, which you should be
able to buy by now at fifty dollars a share. I want you to buy this
stock in your own name, and I want to loan you five thousand dollars
to do it with. I merely want voting power; so after you get it you may
hold it if you like and still owe me the five thousand dollars, or
I'll take it off your hands at any time you are tired of the
obligation. You'd better go to Barrister and have him buy the stock
for you."

"Yes, sir," said Johnson.

Bobby immediately went to De Graff.

"I came to subscribe for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars' worth
of additional stock in the New Brightlight. I have just deposited two
hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars in your bank."

"You're becoming an expert," said De Graff with a quizzical smile.
"With the million dollars' valuation at which we are to buy in the
present Brightlight, the two hundred and fifty thousand subscribed for
by Dan Elliston, and the ten thousand held by Miss Elliston, this new
subscription about gives you control of the New Brightlight, don't
it?"

"That's what I want," Bobby exulted. "You don't object, do you?"

"Not on my own account," De Graff assured him; "but you'd better have
Barrister buy this in for you until we are organized. Then you can
take it over."

"I guess you're right," agreed Bobby. "I'll send Barrister right over,
and I think I shall make him take up the remaining ten thousand on his
own account. A week from to-night is the council meeting at which the
Consolidated must make good to renew their franchise, and we don't
want any hitch in getting our fina