dissatisfaction among the stock-holders. The stock has been decidedly
weak, with no apparent inside support; it fell off three points just
before closing yesterday, upon the news of further proceedings by
Western state officials, and widely credited rumours of dissensions
among the directors, with renewed opposition to the control of the
Hopkins interests."

Ten o'clock came and went, and the ticker began its long journey. There
was intense activity in Transcontinental, many thousands of shares
changing hands, and the price swaying back and forth. When Oliver came
in, in half an hour, it stood at 59 3/8.

"That's all right," said he. "Our time will not come till afternoon."

"But suppose we are wiped out before afternoon?" said the other.

"That is impossible," answered Oliver. "There will be big buying all
the morning."

They sat for a while, nervous and restless. Then, by way of breaking
the monotony, Oliver suggested that his brother might like to see the
"Street." They went around the corner to Broad Street. Here at the head
stood the Sub-treasury building, with all the gold of the government
inside, and a Gatling gun in the tower. The public did not know it was
there, but the financial men knew it, and it seemed as if they had
huddled all their offices and banks and safe-deposit vaults under its
shelter. Here, far underground, were hidden the two hundred millions of
securities of the Oil Trust--in a huge six-hundred-ton steel vault,
with a door so delicately poised that a finger could swing it on its
hinges. And opposite to this was the white Grecian building of the
Stock Exchange. Down the street were throngs of men within a roped
arena, pushing, shouting, jostling; this was "the curb," where one
could buy or sell small blocks of stock, and all the wild-cat mining
and oil stocks which were not listed by the Exchange. Rain or shine,
these men were always here; and in the windows of the neighbouring
buildings stood others shouting quotations to them through megaphones,
or signalling in deaf and dumb language. Some of these brokers wore
coloured hats, so that they could be distinguished; some had offices
far off, where men sat all day with strong glasses trained upon them.
Everywhere was the atmosphere of speculation--the restless, feverish
eyes; the quick, nervous gestures; the haggard, care-worn faces. For in
this game every man was pitted against every other man; and the dice
were loaded so that nine out of e