nd our windows were open, but being much
engaged I had not noticed the cries of "extra!" that floated up from the
street below. It was these that had brought the Little Woman, however,
and she leaned out to look and listen.

"They are calling out something about stocks and Wall Street," she said,
"I am sure of it. Go down and see, quick! Calfskin Common must have gone
to a hundred!"

"Oh, pshaw!" I laughed, "it's only the assassination of a king, or
something. You're excited and don't hear right."

Still, I did go down, and I fumed at the elevator-boy for being so slow
to answer, though I suppose he was prompt enough. The "extra" callers
had passed by the time I got to the street, but I chased and caught
them. Then I ran all the way back to the Apollo, and plunged into the
elevator that was just starting heavenward.

I suppose I looked pretty white when I rushed in where the Little Woman
was waiting. But the type that told the dreadful tale was red enough, in
all conscience. There it was, in daubed vermilion, for the whole world
and the Little Woman to see.

"PANIC ON WALL STREET.

"Break in Leather stocks causes general decline. Calfskin Common
falls twenty points in ten minutes. Three failures and more to
come!"

Following this was a brief list of the most sensational drops and the
names of the failing firms. For a moment we stared at each other,
speechless. Then the Little Woman recovered voice.

"Oh," she gasped, "we've caused a panic!"

"No," I panted, "but we're in one!"

"And we'll lose everything! People always do in panics, don't they?"

I nodded gloomily.

"A good many do. That is, unless----"

"But the stop-loss!" she remembered joyfully, "we've got a stop-loss!"

"That's so!" I assented, "the stop-loss! Our stock is already
sold--that is if the stop-loss worked."

"But you know you said it worked automatically."

"So it does--automatically, if--if it holds! It must have worked! I'll
telephone at once, and see."

There was a telephone in the Apollo and I hurried to it. Five women and
three men were waiting ahead of me, and every one tried to telephone
about stocks. Some got replies and became hysterical. One elderly woman
with a juvenile make-up and a great many rings fainted and was borne
away unconscious. A good many got nothing whatever.

I was one of the latter. The line to my brokers was busy. It was busy
all that day, during which we bought extras and suffered. By n