all expenses of digging,
packing, shipping, and so forth, allowing the farmer to take what he
needs for his own consumption. Needless to say, the potatoes will not
be removed from the fields, but will be allowed to rot in the ground.
Those that do reach the market will sell for a dollar and a half in
New York and Chicago."

"In other words," added Fitch, "you are simply figuring to corner the
market for the humble tuber, eh?"

"Precisely," said Ames.

"But--you say you have all the necessary data now?"

"All, even to the selection of a few of my agents. I can control
freight rates for what we may wish to ship. The rest of the crop will
be left to rot. The farmers will jump at such a bargain. And the
consumers will pay our price for what they must have."

"Very pretty," mused Murdock. "And how much do you figure we shall
need to round the corner?"

"A million, cash in hand," replied Ames.

"Is this anything that the women can mix into?" asked Fitch suddenly.
"You know they forced us to dump tons of our cold-storage stuff onto
the market two years ago."

"That was when I controlled wheat," said Ames, "and was all tied up.
But this is a wholly different proposition. It will be done so quietly
and thoroughly that it will all be over and the profits pocketed
before the women wake up to what we're doing. In this case there will
be nothing to store. And potatoes exposed in the field rot quickly,
you know."

The rest of the group seemed to study the idea for some moments. Then
the practical Murdock inquired of Ames if he would agree to handle the
project, provided they took it up.

"Yes," assented Ames, "on a five per cent basis. And I am ready to put
agents in the field to-morrow."

"Then, Madam Beaubien," said Fitch, "I move that we adopt the plan as
set forth by Mr. Ames, and commission him to handle it, calling upon
us equally for whatever funds he may need."

A further brief discussion ensued; and then the resolution was
unanimously adopted.

"Say, Ames," queried Weston, with a glint of mischief in his eyes,
"will any of these potatoes be shipped over the C. and R.?" A laugh
went up around the table, in which Ames himself joined. "Yes," he
said, "potatoes and cotton will both go over that road next summer,
and I shall fix the rebates."

"How about your friend Ketchim?" suggested Fitch, with a wink at
Murdock.

Ames's mouth set grimly, and the smile left his face. "Ketchim is
going to Sing Sing for tha