red and fifty!" she exclaimed. "That is--Why, that is dreadful!
What will you do?"

I shook my head. "That is for you to say," I answered.

"No, it is for you. You are doing this. I trust you. Do what you think
is right--you and Mr. Davis. That is what Father would wish if he knew."

"Davis will do nothing on his own responsibility."

"Then you must do it alone. Do it! do it!"

I turned to the 'phone once more. "Buy all you can get," I ordered.
"Keep on bidding. But be sure and spread the news that it is Colton
buying to secure control of the road, not to cover his shorts. Be sure
that leaks out. Everything depends on that."

I hung up the receiver. She and I looked at each other.

"What will happen, do you think?" she asked.

"God knows! . . . Are you going? Don't go!"

"I must," gently. "Father is worse, I fear, and I must not leave
him. Doctor Quimby says the next few hours may tell us whether he
is--is--whether he is to be with us or not. I must go. Be brave. I trust
you. Be brave, for--for I am trying so hard to be."

I seized her hand. She drew it from my grasp and hastened away. Brave!
Well, for her sake, I must be. Yet it was because of her that I was such
a coward.

As I recall all this now I wonder at myself. The whole thing seems too
improbable to be true, yet true it was. I lost my identity that day,
I think, and, as the telephone messages kept coming, and the situation
became more and more desperate, became some one else, some one a great
deal braver and cooler and more clear-sighted than ever I had been or
shall be again. I seemed to see my course plainer every moment and to
feel surer of myself and that my method--my bluff, if you like--was the
only salvation.

At eleven Louisville and Transcontinental was selling--the little that
was sold--at four hundred and fifty dollars a share, on a par value of
fifty. At eleven-thirty it had climbed another hundred. The whole
Street was a Bedlam, so they 'phoned me, and the newspapers were issuing
"panic" extras.

"Tell Davis to stop buying now," I ordered. "Let it be known that Colton
has secured control and is satisfied."

At noon the figure was 700 bid and 800 asked. There was no trading at
all, for the sufficient reason that no shares were to be had. Johnson
came in to ask if he should bring my luncheon. I bade him clear out and
let me alone. As he was tip-toeing away I called after him.

"How is Mr. Colton?" I asked.

"Very bad indeed, sir.