tending to have lost interest. The public, unsuspecting
powers in this, as in most of Wall Street little games, had still
three-eighths. The "other crowd," knowing "Big Jim's" position, had but
to force immediate delivery of the missing one-eighth--the amount of
Colton's over-selling--and he might be obliged to pay Heaven knew what
for the shares. He MUST acquire them; he must buy them. And the price
which he would be forced to pay might mean--perhaps not bankruptcy for
him, the millionaire--but certainly the loss of a tremendous sum and all
chance of acquiring control of the road. "This has been sprung on us all
at once," wired Davis. "They have got us cold. What shall I do? You must
be here yourself before the market opens."

And the man who "must be there himself" was critically ill and
unconscious!

The long telegram, several hundred words of it, was before us. I read it
through again, and Miss Colton sat and looked at me.

"Do you understand it--now?" she whispered, anxiously.

"Yes, I think I do. . . . What is it, Phin?"

"I was just wonderin'," drawled Cahoon's voice from the adjoining room,
"if I couldn't eat a little mite of this supper. I've got to do it or
have my nose and eyes tied up. Havin' all them good things settin' right
where I can see and smell 'em is givin' me the fidgets."

"Yes, yes, eat away," I said, laughing. And even Miss Colton smiled. But
my laugh and her smile were but transient.

"Is it--Does it mean that things are VERY wrong?" she asked, indicating
the telegram.

"They are very serious; there is no doubt of that."

The instrument clicked.

"Say, Ros," said Phin, his mouth full, "this feller's gettin' as fidgety
as I was afore I got afoul of this grub. He wants to know what his
instructions are. What'll he do?"

"What shall you tell him?" asked Miss Colton.

"I don't know," I answered. "I do not know. I am afraid I am of no use
whatever. This is no countryman's job. No country banker, even a
real one, should attempt to handle this. This is high finance with a
vengeance. I don't know. I think he . . . Suppose we tell him to consult
the people at your father's office."

She shook her head. "No," she said. "The people at the office know
nothing of it. This was Father's own personal affair. No one knows of it
but Mr. Davis."

"How about them instructions?" this from Cahoon.

"Tell him--yes, tell him Mr. Colton cannot leave here at present and
that he must use his own judgme