登陆注册
5392600000115

第115章

I walked the floor, trying hard to think.It was hard to think calmly, to be sensible, and yet I realized that common-sense and coolness were what I needed now.I tried to remember the outcome of similar situations in financial circles, but that did not help me.I remembered a play I had seen, "The Henrietta" was its name.

In that play, a young man with more money than brains had saved the day for his father, a Wall Street magnate, by buying a certain stock in large quantities at a critical time.He arrived at his decision to buy, rather than sell, by tossing a coin.The father had declared that his son had hit upon the real secret of success in stock speculation.Possibly the old gentleman was right, but Icould not make my decision in that way.No, whatever I did must have some reason to back it.Was there no situation, outside of Wall Street, which offered a parallel? After all, what was the situation? Some one wished to buy a certain thing, and some one else wished to buy it also.Neither party wanted the other to get it.There had been a general game of bluff and then...Humph!

Why, in a way, it was like the original bidding for the Shore Lane land.

It was like it, and yet it was not.I owned the land and Colton wanted to buy it; so also did Jed Dean.Each side had made bids and had been refused.Then the bidders had, professedly, stood pat, but, in reality, they had not.Jed had told me, in his latest interview, that he would have paid almost anything for that land, if he had had to.And Colton--Colton had invented the Bay Shore Development Company.That company had fooled Elnathan Mullet and other property holders.It had fooled Captain Jed.It had come very near to fooling me.If Mabel Colton had not given me the hint I might have been tricked into selling.Then Colton would have won, have won on a "bluff." A good bluff did sometimes win.Iwondered...

I was still pacing the floor when Miss Colton returned to the library.She was trying hard to appear calm, but I could see that she was greatly agitated.

"What is it?" I asked."Is he--"

"He is not as well just now.I--I must not leave him--or Mother.

But I came back for a moment, as I told you I would.Is there anything new?""No.Davis has repeated his declaration to do nothing without orders from your father."She nodded."Very well," she said, "then it is over.We are beaten--Father is beaten for the first time.It makes little difference, I suppose.If he--if he is taken from us, nothing else matters.But I hoped you...never mind.I thank you, Mr.

Paine.You would have helped him if you could, I know."Somehow this surrender, and the tone in which it was made, stirred me more than all else.She had trusted me and I had failed.Iwould not have it so.

"Miss Colton," I said, earnestly, "suppose--suppose I should go ahead and make this fight, on my own hook.Suppose I should give Davis the 'instructions' he is begging for.Have I permission to do it?"She looked at me in surprise."Of course," she said, simply.

"Do you mean it? It may mean complete smash.I am no railroad man, no stock manipulator.I have an idea and if this trouble were mine I should act upon it.But it is not mine.It is your father's--and yours.I may be crazy to risk such a thing--"She stepped forward."Do it," she commanded."I tell you to do it.If it fails I will take the responsibility.""That you shall not do.But I will take the chance.Phin!""Yup; here I be."

"Send this message at once: 'Try your hardest to get hold of any shares you can, at almost any figure in reason, before the market opens.When it opens begin buying everything offered.' Got that?""Yup.I've got it."

"Sign it 'Colton' and send it along.I am using your father's name," I added, turning to her."It seems to me the only way to avoid suspicion and get action.No one must know that 'Big Jim' is critically ill; you understand that.""Yes, I understand.But," hesitatingly, "to buy may mean paying tremendous prices, may it not? Can we--""We must.Here is Davis's reply coming.What is it, Phin?"Cahoon read off the message as the receiver clicked.

"You are insane.Buying at such prices will be suicide.""Tell him no.Tell him to let it leak out that Colton is seizing the opportunity to clinch his control of the road.The other crowd will think, if he is willing to buy at any price, that he cannot be so short as they supposed.Send all that, Phin.It is a bluff, Miss Colton, nothing but a bluff, but it may win.God knows I hope it will."She did not answer.Together we waited for the reply.It came as follows:

All right if you say so, of course, but still think it suicide.Iam off on the still hunt for those shares but don't believe one to be had, Consolidated bunch too sharp for that.Stay by the wire.

Will report when I can.Good luck and good-by.

"He's gone, I cal'late," observed Phineas."Need me any more, do you think?""Yes.You must stay here all night, just as I told you.""Right you be.Send word to the old woman, that's all, if you can.

Cal'late she's waitin' at the kitchen door with a rollin' pin, by this time.""I will send the word, Mr.Cahoon," replied Miss Colton."And--don't you think you could go home now, Mr.Paine? I know how exhausted you must be, after last night.""No home for me," I answered, with assumed cheerfulness."Admirals of Finance are expected to stick by the ship.I will lie down here on the couch and Phineas can call me if I am needed.Don't worry, Miss Colton.Go to your father and forget us altogether, if you can.If--if I should be needed for--for any other cause, please speak."She looked at me in silence for a moment.Then she came toward me and held out her hand."I shall not forget, whatever else I may do," she said, brokenly."And I will speak if I need you, my friend."She turned hastily and went to the door.

"I will send word to your people as well as Mr.Cahoon's," she added."Try and sleep, if you can.Good night."The door closed behind her.Sleep! I was not likely to sleep.Aman who has lighted the fuse of the powder magazine beneath him does not sleep much.

同类推荐
  • 清珠集

    清珠集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Voice of the City

    The Voice of the City

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 释净土群疑论

    释净土群疑论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 敬简堂学治杂录

    敬简堂学治杂录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 子雍如禅师语录

    子雍如禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 情深意动:席先生,别来无恙

    情深意动:席先生,别来无恙

    他是商业帝国幕后神秘总裁,身份尊贵,性情冷傲,美女环伺,却偏偏将她囚禁在身边不放。她是被父亲送上男人床的悲催女,身份低下,不受待见,一心只想远离男人的禁锢。婚后三年,她带着儿子无忧无虑的生活,却因他的回归,扰乱了向来平静的心湖。虐身虐心,使得她毅然决然离开。五年后,当年的柔情女子化身上流社会的贵妇,带着一萌娃强势回国。再遇负心汉,她高傲一笑:“席先生,别来无恙!”情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 魅姬

    魅姬

    本是明媚的豆蔻年华,却被夫君狠心送入吴国为质。为了孩儿,她忍受了吴王兄弟俩长达十二年的凌辱,世人眼中最妖娆的魅姬,一袭霓裳惊艳秦王宫。有人说她狠毒,她却为两个绝世男人念念不忘!伊人冷艳,一世艳名岂能被寂寞生生掩埋?
  • 恐怖的脚步声

    恐怖的脚步声

    本书为“中国当代故事文学读本”惊悚恐怖系列之一。本书囊括了当今故事界优秀作者的惊悚恐怖精品力作,还首次整合了《故事会》杂志创刊以来尚未开发的惊悚恐怖类中篇故事资源,这些故事经历了岁月的考验,已成经典之作。故事或奇异或感人,充满传奇色彩,让热爱惊悚恐怖故事的读者尽享故事的乐趣。
  • 旌异记

    旌异记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 宫女为妃

    宫女为妃

    她是叶青,从小就不受父母喜欢,几番挣扎,还是被卖掉。辗转反侧,她还是那个卑微而又没人爱护的叶青。为了活着,她咽下了所有苦痛而又酸涩的泪水。为了活着,她顶替了颜家大小姐颜青若入宫做了宫女,后来她又做了宫妃。在成了颜青若以后,来时路已经不由自己选择……
  • 天降萌妻:邪王孽宠

    天降萌妻:邪王孽宠

    本已是一缕幽魂的她,上天又给了她一次机会,让她重生成为了艾家大小姐。他一国君王,冷酷无情,专制霸道,唯我独尊,视女人为玩物,他的心,任何人都要不起。本没有任何交际的他们,却因一场指腹为婚的闹剧,展开了一场你追我逃的戏码。美人哪里逃?“哼,想抓住她,门都没有,能呼吸到自由的空气真是太幸福了,本小姐要包养好多好多的美男,赚好多好多的银子,你有美女,我有美男,这才公平。”
  • 化龙追妻

    化龙追妻

    现代安澜执行任务牺牲后穿越到了一个玄幻的世界,成为一个没有灵力无法修行的半妖......为了摆脱半妖的尴尬身份,她赶紧抱上了景逸尊者的大腿,然后再修炼成神。谁想到,半路被一只蛇精截了胡???新书《我家娘子有异能》已经开坑,欢迎入坑
  • 何处春风暖寒阳

    何处春风暖寒阳

    “萧仲川,你有没有爱过我?”曾经也有一个人这样问过薛嘉琪,她只觉得可笑,现在到她问别人了,她只觉得悲凉。萧仲川说:“没有,从始至终。”因为他的父亲害得他家破人亡,他可能会爱上仇人的女儿。可是,最后,他真的爱上了,她却不见了。
  • 海底小神探

    海底小神探

    圣诞夜,小男孩盖茨许下了一个特殊的愿望,慈祥的圣诞老人满足了他,把他送到了海底世界。在那里,他不但能自由呼吸,还能游动得很快。可是,海底世界接连发生了一桩桩离奇的案件:运动员飞鱼神秘失踪,海底鱼类内脏失窃,海鳗先生中毒身亡……这背后,到底是谁在作怪?盖茨在这个第一次踏足的神奇世界里又会有怎样的遭遇呢?就让海底小神探,带你揭晓答案吧!——情节虚构,请勿模仿。
  • 我的幸福何处安放

    我的幸福何处安放

    作者通过对十几位花季少女的采访,将她们只差一步就幸福的经历用口述实录的形式展现出来,其中包括了她们内心深处的真实想法、经常遇到的问题以及需要的帮助,愿与读者产生共鸣,莫要重蹈覆辙,再次踏上不幸的旅程,更愿每个长辈用温和、恰当的方式带自己的孩子度过那段宝贵的青春岁月。花季少女如同浩瀚的海洋,表面上的起伏不定,是因为内心的汹涌澎湃。每一个激流或暗礁都是她们内心面临的困惑、挣扎、挑战与无助。