of the sort. I only wish I could help you, and if I
thought I could carry them safely for three or four months I would. As
it is--" He lifted his eyebrows sympathetically. "Have you tried all
the bankers in town?"

"Practically every one."

"And they can't help you?"

"They are carrying all they can stand now."

"Too bad. I'm sorry, very. By the way, do you happen, by any chance,
to know Mr. Millard Bailey or Mr. Edwin Kaffrath?"

"No, I don't," replied Stackpole, hopefully.

"Well, now, there are two men who are much richer than is generally
supposed. They often have very large sums at their disposal. You
might look them up on a chance. Then there's my friend Videra. I don't
know how he is fixed at present. You can always find him at the
Twelfth Ward Bank. He might be inclined to take a good portion of
that--I don't know. He's much better off than most people seem to
think. I wonder you haven't been directed to some one of these men
before." (As a matter of fact, no one of the individuals in question
would have been interested to take a dollar of this loan except on
Cowperwood's order, but Stackpole had no reason for knowing this. They
were not prominently identified with the magnate.)

"Thank you very much. I will," observed Stackpole, restoring his
undesired stocks to his bag.

Cowperwood, with an admirable show of courtesy, called a stenographer,
and pretended to secure for his guest the home addresses of these
gentlemen. He then bade Mr. Stackpole an encouraging farewell. The
distrait promoter at once decided to try not only Bailey and Kaffrath,
but Videra; but even as he drove toward the office of the
first-mentioned Cowperwood was personally busy reaching him by
telephone.

"I say, Bailey," he called, when he had secured the wealthy lumberman
on the wire, "Benoni Stackpole, of Hull & Stackpole, was here to see me
just now."

"Yes."

"He has with him fifteen thousand shares of American Match--par value
one hundred, market value to-day two-twenty."

"Yes."

"He is trying to hypothecate the lot or any part of it at one-fifty."

"Yes."

"You know what the trouble with American Match is, don't you?"

"No. I only know it's being driven up to where it is now by a bull
campaign."

"Well, listen to me. It's going to break. American Match is going to
bust."

"Yes."

"But I want you to loan this man five hundred thousand dollars at
one-twenty or less and then recommend that he go