itated. Once more he remembered his promise to Annie, but as
long as he had broken it once he would get no credit for refusing now.
He was horribly thirsty and depressed. Another drink would cheer him up.
It seemed even wicked to decline when it wouldn't cost him anything.

They entered a bar conveniently close at hand, and with a tremulous hand
Howard carried greedily to his lips the insidious liquor which had
undermined his health and stolen away his manhood.

"Have another?" said Coxe with a smile as he saw the glass emptied at a
gulp.

"I don't care if I do," replied Howard. Secretly ashamed of his
weakness, he shuffled uneasily on his feet.

"Well, what are you going to do, old man?" demanded Coxe as he pushed
the whiskey bottle over.

"I'm looking for a job," stammered Howard awkwardly. Hastily he went on:
"It isn't so easy. If it was only myself I wouldn't mind. I'd get along
somehow. But there's the little girl. She wants to go to work, and I
won't hear of it. I couldn't stand for that, you know."

Coxe feared a "touch." Awkwardly he said:

"I wish I could help you, old man. As it is, my own salary barely serves
to keep me in neckwear. Wall Street's great fun, but it doesn't pay
much; that is, not unless you play the game yourself."

Howard smiled feebly as he replied:

"Nonsense--I wouldn't accept help of that sort. I'm not reduced to
soliciting charity yet. I guess I'd prefer the river to that. But if you
hear of anything, keep me in mind."

The athlete made no response. He was apparently lost in thought when
suddenly he blurted out:

"Say, Jeffries, you haven't got any money, have you--say a couple of
thousand dollars?"

Howard stared at the questioner as if he doubted his sanity.

"Two thousand dollars!" he gasped. "Do you suppose that I'd be wearing
out shoe leather looking for a job, if I had two thousand dollars?"

Coxe looked disappointed as he replied:

"Oh, of course, I understand you haven't it on you, only I thought you
might be able to raise it."

"Why do you ask?" inquired Howard, his curiosity aroused.

Coxe looked around to see if any one was listening. Then in a whisper he
said:

"It's a cinch. If you had $2,000, you and I could make a snug little
fortune. Don't you understand? In my office I get tips. I'm on the
inside. I know in advance what the big men are going to do. When they
start to move a certain stock up, I'm on the job. Understand? If you had
$2,000, I could rai