ht, my dear fellow. It's my business; I get my
commission. Still I admit friendly regard--and this is why I suggested
your dropping in--by introducing the personal equation, makes one
nervous. If instead of closing out your account, I had in each instance
held on, you would have made more money. I was glad to take this
responsibility at first because you were a neophyte at the business, but
I think it will be more satisfactory both for you and for me that in
future transactions you should give me the word when to reap the profit.
Of course you shall have all the information which I possess and my
advice will be at your command, but where a man's money is concerned his
own head is apt to be the wisest counsellor. Now I took the liberty
yesterday of selling for you two hundred shares of Reading railroad. You
can cover to-day at a profit of one point--about $200. I do not urge it.
On the contrary I believe that the market, barring occasional rallies,
is still on the downward track. I wish, however, to put you in a
position where you can, if you desire, take advantage of the full
opportunities of the financial situation and save myself from feeling
that I have robbed you by my friendly caution."

"In other words you don't wish to speculate with my money," said
Littleton. "You wish me to paddle my own canoe."

Williams' real desire was to escape the bother of personally
superintending an insignificant account. His circumlocution was a suave
way of stating that he had done all that could be expected of a neighbor
and benevolent friend, and that the ordinary relation of broker and
customer ought now be established. As for Littleton, he perceived that
he was not free to retire from the market on the profits of friendly
regard unless he was prepared to fly in the face of advice and buy in
his two hundred Reading railroad. To do so would be pusillanimous;
moreover to retire and abstain from further dealings would make
Williams' two cheques more obviously a charitable donation, and the
thought of them was becoming galling. Above all there were Selma's
feelings to be considered. The possession of the means to afford her
happiness was already a sweet argument in favor of further experiments.

And so it happened that during the next nine months Littleton became a
frequenter of the office of Williams & VanHorne. He was not among those
who hung over the tape and were to be seen there daily; but he found
himself attracted as the needl