f course it's possible you
sold or went short. Please do not imagine I'm attempting to pry into
your affairs, Mr. Harding," I added.

He sank back into his seat and for several seconds said nothing.

"Do you mind answering a few questions, Smith?" he said.

"That depends," I smiled. "Go ahead and ask them."

"Have you been dealing in N.O. & G.?"

"Yes."

"Buying or selling?"

"Buying."

"Outright or on margin?"

"On margin."

"How many shares have you an option on?"

I hesitated.

"Mr. Harding," I said, "in answering that question I assume that the
information is confidential and that it will not be used to my
disadvantage. Up to now it has been a secret known only to my brokers."

"You will lose nothing by telling me," Mr. Harding said, and I knew that
promise was as good as his note at hand.

"My brokers have contracted for 45,000 shares of N.O. & G.," I said,
handing him a list of my purchases with dates, amounts, and quotations.

He studied it for a while in silence.

"I thought you did nothing but play golf," he said. "Tell me; how did
you happen to go into a deal of this magnitude?"

I gave him the details of the conspiracy as I had discovered them. It is
not safe at this time to disclose them even in this diary. Mr. Harding
listened with growing wonder on his face.

"My boy," he said, when I had ended, "if there is anyone in the country
who should have discovered and taken advantage of the facts you have
just told me, it is myself, but I never dreamed of them until you had
purchased more than 30,000 shares of that stock. These dogs think I'm in
Europe! They were told so. They think they have sold me out, and perhaps
they have. I did not watch it as I should have done."

For a minute the train roared on past suburban stations, under viaducts,
through echoing rows of freight cars, and over clattering switches. We
were nearing the metropolis.

"Do you mind telling me if you are alone in this transaction?" he
suddenly asked.

"I am."

"Do you wish to go in with me in this deal?"

"I do!" I replied without hesitation.

"Good!" he said, offering his hand. "We'll talk no more of this here.
It's not safe. Come with me to my office."

We reached his private office half an hour before the opening of the
Stock Exchange. In five minutes the machinery of his wonderful system
was in operation. Notes were dictated, messengers hurried away with
them, men called, who listened to curt orders and v