e longest kind of chalk; anyhow not until he's so far in, he can't
pull out. He and Jadwin are good friends, I'm told. Hello, it's raining
a little. Well, I've got to be moving. See you at lunch to-morrow."

As Cressler turned into La Salle Street the light sprinkle of rain
suddenly swelled to a deluge, and he had barely time to dodge into the
portico of the Illinois Trust to escape a drenching. All the passers-by
close at hand were making for the same shelter, and among these
Cressler was surprised to see Curtis Jadwin, who came running up the
narrow lane from the cafe entrance of the Grand Pacific Hotel.

"Hello! Hello, J.," he cried, when his friend came panting up the
steps, "as the whale said to Jonah, 'Come in out of the wet.'"

The two friends stood a moment under the portico, their coat collars
turned up, watching the scurrying in the street.

"Well," said Cressler, at last, "I see we got 'dollar wheat' this
morning."

"Yes," answered Jadwin, nodding, "'dollar wheat.'"

"I suppose," went on Cressler, "I suppose you are sorry, now that
you're not in it any more."

"Oh, no," replied Jadwin, nibbling off the end of a cigar. "No,
I'm--I'm just as well out of it."

"And it's for good and all this time, eh?"

"For good and all."

"Well," commented Cressler, "some one else has begun where you left
off, I guess. This Unknown Bull, I mean. All the boys are trying to
find out who he is. Crookes, though, was saying to me--Cal Crookes, you
know--he was saying he didn't care who he was. Crookes is out of the
market, too, I understand--and means to keep out, he says, till the Big
Bull gets tired. Wonder who the Big Bull is."

"Oh, there isn't any Big Bull," blustered Jadwin. "There's simply a lot
of heavy buying, or maybe there might be a ring of New York men
operating through Gretry. I don't know; and I guess I'm like Crookes, I
don't care--now that I'm out of the game. Real estate is too lively now
to think of anything else; keeps me on the keen jump early and late. I
tell you what, Charlie, this city isn't half grown yet. And do you
know, I've noticed another thing--cities grow to the westward. I've got
a building and loan association going, out in the suburbs on the West
Side, that's a dandy. Well, looks as though the rain had stopped.
Remember me to madam. So long, Charlie."

On leaving Cressler Jadwin went on to his offices in The Rookery, close
at hand. But he had no more than settled himself at his desk,