d his scrutiny: "You are like him. Have a chair; tell me
what I can do to serve you."

Richard was taken with Mr. Bayard's words, for that gentleman managed to
put into them a reassuring emphasis that was from nowhere save the
heart. Thus led, Richard began by asking Mr. Bayard if he knew aught of
Storri.

"Storri? He is the Russian who helped the sugar people get their hold in
Odessa. The oil interests have some thought of employing him in their
affairs. What of Storri?"

Richard explained the propriety of destroying Storri; this he did with
an ingenuous ferocity that caused Mr. Bayard to smile.

"The man," observed Richard in conclusion, "is no more than so much
vermin. He is a menace to my friends; he has intrigued villainously
against me. I have no option; I must destroy him out of my path as I
would any footpad or any brigand."

Being primal in his instincts, as every great man is, Mr. Bayard, at
this hostile declaration, could not avoid a quick side-glance at
Richard's door-wide shoulders, Pict arms, and panther build. Richard
caught the look.

"Oh, if it might have been settled in that way," cried he, "I should
have had his head wrung round ere this!"

"You will readily conceive," observed Mr. Bayard, after musing a bit,
"that I keep myself posted concerning the least movement of the least
man who comes speculating into stocks. You may take it for granted that
I know a trifle or so of your Count Storri. To be frank, he and Mr.
Harley, with Senator Hanway and five others, are preparing for some
movement in Northern Consolidated. I don't know whether it is to be a
'bull' or a 'bear' movement, or when they will begin. Those are matters
which rest heavily on the finding of that special committee of which
Senator Hanway is the chief. Do you know when the finding may be looked
for? Can you tell me what the committee will report?"

Richard could not bring himself to speak of Senator Hanway's
confidential assurances of a white report for Northern Consolidated.
From those assurances he was sure that the pool meditated a "bull"
campaign, but he did not say so since he could not give his reasons.

Mr. Bayard came to the protection of his anxieties.

"Senator Hanway," went on Mr. Bayard, "has privately told a number of
people that the report will favor the road."

Richard was struck by the cool fullness of Mr. Bayard's information. It
was likewise impressive to learn that he was not the only one in Senator
Hanw