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a small fortune in themselves! A ten
thousand dollar forfeit up !"
"Don't you see," suggested Marcia,
eagerly, "they are banking on the
good credit of our house. They are
not agraid to trust Mr. Dalton."
"But, my dear Miss Blount," ex
claimed Jerry, "there is absolutely no
demand for- the stuff, the quotations
are disastrously below the profit
point, no one can handle it on our
contract price without disastrous
loss, and 'we simply cannot take it!"
"We must!"
Never had Jerry Watson seen so
determined a look on the little lady's
face. There was power unutterable
in the expression.
"Mr. Watson," she said, resolutely,
and there was a tremendous thrill in
her voice, "I am not willing that an
opportunity should be allowed to pass
unregarded, after his extreme kind
ness to us, that may mean the rehabi
litation of Mr. Dalton's business."
"But that is impossible!"
"So I thought until, just after re
ceiving the telegram from the broom;
corn people, Ned Prosse came into
the office."
"That Tdd," ejaculated Watson, du
biously. "What's he got to do with
it?."
"Everything. You remember I got
him his position with Vermilye & Co.
He is a grateful little fellow. He al
ways boasted he would do great
things for us some day. Well, he
comes into the office this afternoon,
all excitement, Tve got the straight
tip,' he declared. 'Vermilye & Co. are
going to run a corner in stock feed
and broomcorn. They are going to
rush the market up twenty to thirty
points delivery day, and hold it there.
It's a sure play any good to you?'
Mr. Watson, it is more than good to
us it is the salvation of our busi
ness!" "Allowing we can depend upon the
tip, where is the capital coming from
to carry the stuff until settling day?"
"I have thought it all out," respond
ed Marcia. "The Dalton credit is,
good isn't the Dalton word a power
everywhere? We will go to the bank
and borrow sufficient to cover carry- s
ing charges. Then oh! I have"
blocked it all out. We cannot fail.
We will send confidential word to all
our clients. We will give them the
tip of a corner. We will guarantee
ten points profit within thirty days."
"A daring scheme!" fairly gasped
Jerry. "And how about the payments
to the broomcorn people?"
"Why, that is simple. As we sell
to our clients, we will borrow on our
bills of lading. That will make us
square all the way around. We can
certainly place half our consignment
for cash. The amount we realize will
satisfy our shippers. When the
squeeze comes in this market we will
release the actual stuff in warehouse
to supply the shorts, get the highest
price and close out at a big profit"
"It's a dream!" spoke Jerry, mus-.
ingly "but it looks tangible. I'm
willing. Go ahead with the scheme."
Three weeks later Roland Dalton
eft his remote solitude, which no
gossip or newspaper had invaded. On
the train bound for the city he sat
spellbound, as his eye scanned the
commercial column of the first news-'
paper he had seen for nearly a month.
It was the graphic story of the
broomcorn corner in Chicago. It
told of the wonderful coup that had
given Dalton & Co. practical control
of the market and a profit of a quar
ter of a million dollars!
Dalton 'burst into the office two,,
days later. It wore an air of brisk
ness and prosperity. Jerry beamed
upon him, Marcia stood flushing,
eager, trembling like a child who had
assumed a daring initiative and won
dered if the result would be punish
ment or appreciation.
"What have you two been doing
here?" challenged Dalton, and then
Jerry told, and Dalton added, "Come
into my private office until I discipline
you."
Out of it Jerrjr came a few minutes
later. His eyes were aglow. He held
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