the cost-第43章

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〃Why？〃　asked　Dumont；　snapping　the　word　out　as　short　and　savage　as　the　crack　of　a　lash。

〃There　are　disquieting　rumors　of　a　raid　on　us。〃

〃Who's　to　do　the　raiding？〃

〃They　say　it's　Patterson　and　Fanning…Smith　and　Cassell　and　Herron。　　It's　a　raid　for　control。〃

Dumont　snorted　scornfully。　　〃Don't　fret。　　We're　all　right。　　I'll　be　down　soon。〃　　And　he　hung　up　the　receiver；　muttering：　　〃The　ass！　　I　must　kick　him　out！　　He's　an　old　woman　the　instant　I　turn　my　back。〃

He　had　intended　not　to　go　down；　but　to　shut　himself　in　with　the　brandy　bottle　until　nightfall。　　This　news　made　his　presence　in　the　Street　imperative。　　〃They　couldn't　have　sprung　at　me　at　a　worse　time；〃　he　muttered。　　〃But　I　can　take　care　of　'em！〃

He　returned　to　the　library；　took　another　drink；　larger　than　the　first。　　His　blood　began　to　pound　through　his　veins　and　to　rush　along　under　the　surface　of　his　skin　like　a　sheet　of　fire。　　Waves　of　fury　surged　into　his　brain；　making　him　dizzy；　confusing　his　sighthe　could　scarcely　refrain　from　grinding　his　teeth。　　He　descended　to　the　basement；　his　step　unsteady。

〃A　ladder；〃　he　ordered　in　a　thick　voice。

He　led　the　way　to　the　rear　wall。　　A　dozen　men…servants　swarming　about；　tried　to　assist　him。　　He　ordered　them　aside　and　began　to　climb。　　As　the　upper　part　of　his　body　rose　above　the　wall…line　he　heard　a　triumphant　shout；　many　voices　crying：　　〃There　he　is！　　There　he　is！〃

The　lot　round　the　corner　from　his　place　was　not　built　upon；　and　there；　in　the　side　street；　was　a　rapidly　swelling　crowd；　the　camera…bearers　　hastily　putting　their　instruments　in　position；　the　black　cloths　fluttering　like　palls　or　pirate　flags。　　With　a　roaring　howl　he　released　his　hold　upon　the　ladder　and　shook　both　fists；　his　swollen　face　blazing　between　them。　　He　tottered；　fell　backward；　crashed　upon　the　stone　flooring　of　the　area。　　His　head　struck　with　a　crack　that　made　the　women…servants　scream。　　The　men　lifted　him　and　carried　him　into　the　house。　　He　was　not　stunned；　he　tried　to　stand。　　But　he　staggered　back　into　the　arms　of　his　valet　and　his　butler。

〃Brandy！〃　he　gasped。

He　took　a　third　drinkand　became　unconscious。　　When　the　doctor　arrived　he　was　raving　in　a　high　fever。　　For　years　he　had　drunk　to　excessbut　theretofore　only　when　HE　chose；　never　when　his　appetite　chose；　never　when　his　affairs　needed　a　clear　brain。　　Now　appetite；　long　lying　in　wait　for　him；　had　found　him　helpless　in　the　clutches　of　rage　and　fear；　and　had　stolen　away　his　mind。

The　news　was　telephoned　to　the　office　at　half…past　eleven　o'clock。　　〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　said　Giddings。　　〃He'd　only　make　things　worse　if　he　were　to　come　now。〃

Giddings　was　apparently　right。　　From　a　tower　of　strength；　supporting　alone；　yet　with　ease；　National　Woolens；　and　the　vast　structure　based　upon　it；　Dumont　had　crumbled　into　an　obstruction　and　a　weakness。　　There　is　an　abysmal　difference　between　everybody　knowing　a　thing　privately　and　everybody　knowing　precisely　the　same　thing　publicly。　　In　that　newspaper　exposure　there　was　no　fact　of　importance　that　was　not　known　to　the　entire　Street；　to　his　chief　supporters　in　his　great　syndicate　of　ranches；　railroads；　factories；　steamship　lines　and　selling　agencies。　　But　the　tremendous　blare　of　publicity　acted　like　Joshua's　horns　at　Jericho。　　The　solid　walls　of　his　public　reputation　tottered；　toppled；　fell　flat。

There　had　been　a　tight　money…market　for　two　weeks。　　Though　there　had　been　uneasiness　as　to　all　the　small　and　many　of　the　large　〃industrials；〃　belief　in　National　Woolens　and　in　the　stability　of　John　Dumont　had　remained　strong。　　But　of　all　the　cowards　that　stand　sentinel　for　capital；　the　most　craven　is　Confidence。　　At　the　deafening　crash　of　the　fall　of　Dumont's　private　character；　Confidence　girded　its　loins　and　tightened　its　vocal　cords　to　be　in　readiness　for　a　shrieking　flight。

Dumont　ruled；　through　a　parent　and　central　corporation；　the　National　Woolens　Company；　which　held　a　majority　of　the　stock　in　each　of　the　seventeen　corporations　constituting　the　trust。　　His　control　was　in　part　through　ownership　of　Woolens　stock　but　chiefly　through　proxies　sent　him　by　thousands　of　small　stock…holders　because　they　had　confidence　in　his　abilities。　　To　wrest　control　from　him　it　was　necessary　for　the　raiders　both　to　make　him　〃unload〃　his　own　holdings　of　stock　and　to　impair　his　reputation　so　that　his　supporters　would　desert　him　or　stand　aloof。

On　the　previous　day　National　Woolens　closed　at　eighty…two　for　the　preferred　and　thirty…nine　for　the　common。　　In　the　first　hour　of　the　day　of　the　raid　Giddings　and　the　other　members　of　Dumont's　supporting　group　of　financiers　were　able　to　keep　it　fairly　steady　at　about　five　points　below　the　closing　price　of　the　previous　day；　by　buying　all　that　was　offeredthe　early　offerings　were　large；　but　not　overwhelming。　　The　supporters　of　other　industrials　saw　that　the　assault　on　Woolens　was　a　menace　to　their　stocksif　a　strong　industrial　weakened；　the　weaker　ones　would　inevitably　suffer　disaster　in　the　frightened　market　that　would　surely　result。　　They　showed　a　disposition　to　rally　to　the　support　of　the　Dumont　stocks。

At　eleven　o'clock　Giddings　began　to　hope　that　the　raid　was　a　failure；　if　indeed　it　had　been　a　real　raid。　　At　eleven…twenty　Herron　played　his　trump　card。

The　National　Industrial　Bank　is　the　huge　barometer　to　which　both　speculative　and　investing　Wall　Street　looks　for　guidance。　　Whom　that　bank　protects　is　as　safe　as　was　the　medieval　fugitive　who　laid　hold　of　the　altar　in　the　sanctuary；　whom　that　bank　frowns　upon　in　the　hour　of　stress　is　lost　indeed　if　he　have　so　much　as　a　pin's…point　area　of　heel　that　is　vulnerable。　　Melville；　president　of　the　National　Industrial；　was　a　fanatically　religious　man；　with　as　keen　a　nose　for　heretics　as　for　rotten　spots　in　collateral。　　He　was　peculiarly　savage　in　his　hatred　of　all　matrimonial　deviations。　　He　was　a　brother　of　Fanshaw's　mother；　and　she　and　Herron　had　been　working　upon　him。　　But　so　long　as　Dumont's　share　in　the　scandal　was　not　publicly　attributed　he　remained　obduratehe　never　permitted　his　up…town　creed　or　code　to　interfere　with　his　down…town　doings　unless　it　became　necessarythat　is；　unless　it　could　be　done　without　money　loss。　　For　up…town　or　down…town；　to　make　money　was　always　and　in　all　circumstances　the　highest　morality；　to　lose　money　the　profoundest　immorality。

At　twenty　minutes　past　eleven　Melville　and　the　president　of　the　other　banks　of　his　chain　called　loans　to　Dumont　and　the　Dumont　supporting　group　to　the　amount　of　three　millions　and　a　quarter。　　Ten　minutes　later　other　banks　and　trust　companies　whose　loans　to　Dumont　and　his　allies　either　were　on　call　or　contained　provisions　permitting　a　demand　for　increased　collateral；　followed　Melville's　example　and　aimed　and　sped　their　knives　for　Dumont's　vitals。

Giddings　found　himself　face　to　face　with　unexpected　and　peremptory　demands　for　eleven　millions　in　cash　and　thirteen　millions　in　additional　collateral　securities。　　If　he　did　not　meet　these　demands　forthwith　the　banks　and　trust　companies；　to　protect　themselves；　would　throw　upon　the　market　at　whatever　price　they　could　get　the　thirty…odd　millions　of　Woolens　stocks　which　they　held　as　collateral　for　the　loans。

〃What　does　this　mean；　Eaversole？〃　he　exclaimed；　with　white；　wrinkled　lips；　heavy　circles　suddenly　appearing　under　his　eyes。　　〃Is　Melville　trying　to　ruin　everything？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Eaversole；　third　vice…president　of　the　company。　　〃He's　supporting　the　market；　all　except　us。　　He　says　Dumont　must　be　driven　out　of　the　Street。　　He　says　his　presence　here　is　a　pollution　and　a　source　of　constant　danger。〃

The　National　Woolens　supporting　group　was　alone；　it　could　get　no　help　from　any　quarter；　as　every　possible　ally　was　frightened　into　his　own　breastworks　for　the　defense　of　his　own　interests。　　Dumont；　the　brain　and　the　will　of　the　group；　had　made　no　false　moves　in　business；　had　been　bold　only　where　his　matchless　judgment　showed　him　a　clear　way；　but　he　had　not　foreseen　the　instantaneous　annihilation　of　his　chief　assethis　reputation。

Giddings　sustained　the　unequal　battle　superbly。　　He　was　cool；　and　watchful；　and　effective。　　It　is　doubtful　if　Dumont　himself　could　have　done　so　well；　handicapped　as　he　would　have　been　on　that　day　by　the　Fanshaw　scandal。　　Giddings　cajoled　and　threatened