the cost-第49章

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en。　　It　was　unnatural；　her　ever　going　away　at　all。　　But　she's　a　good　woman；　and　she　shall　get　what　she　deserves　hereafter。　　When　I　settle　this　bill　for　my　foolishness　I'll　not　start　another。〃

Dutythat　word　summed　up　his　whole　conception　of　the　right　attitude　of　a　good　woman　toward　a　man。　　A　woman　who　acted　from　love　might　change　her　mind；　but　duty　was　safe；　was　always　there　when　a　man　came　back　from　wanderings　which　were　mere　amiable；　natural　weaknesses　in　the　male。　　Love　might　adorn　a　honeymoon　or　an　escapade；　duty　was　the　proper　adornment　of　a　home。

〃I've　just　been　viewing　the　wreck　with　Culver；〃　he　said；　as　Langdon　entered；　dressed　in　the　extreme　of　the　latest　London　fashion。

〃Much　damage？〃

〃What　didn't　go　in　the　storm　was　carried　off　by　Giddings　when　he　abandoned　the　ship。　　But　the　hull's　there　andoh；　I'll　get　her　off　and　fix　her　up　all　right。〃

〃Always　knew　Giddings　was　a　rascal。　　He　oozes　piety　and　respectability。　　That's　the　worst　kind　you　have　down…town。　　When　a　man　carries　so　much　character　in　his　faceit's　like　a　woman　who　carries　so　much　color　in　her　cheeks　that　you　know　it　couldn't　have　come　from　the　inside。〃

〃You're　wrong　about　Giddings。　　He's　honest　enough。　　Any　other　man　would　have　done　the　same　in　his　place。　　He　stayed　until　there　was　no　hope　of　saving　the　ship。〃

〃All　lost　but　his　honorWall　Street　honor；　eh？〃

〃Precisely。〃

After　a　pause　Langdon　said：　　〃I'd　no　idea　you　held　much　of　your　own　stock。　　I　thought　you　controlled　through　other　people's　proxies　and　made　your　profits　by　forcing　the　stock　up　or　down　and　getting　on　the　other　side　of　the　market。〃

〃But；　you　see；　I　believe　in　Woolens；〃　replied　Dumont。　　〃And　I　believe　in　it　still；　Langdon！〃　　His　eyes　had　in　them　the　look　of　the　fanatic。

〃That　concern　is　breath　and　blood　and　life　to　me；　and　wife　and　children　and　parents　and　brothers　and　sisters。　　I've　put　my　whole　self　into　it。　　I　conceived　it。　　I　brought　it　into　the　world。　　I　nursed　it　and　brought　it　up。　　I　made　it　big　and　strong　and　great。　　It's　mine；　by　heaven！　　MINE！　　And　no　man　shall　take　it　from　me！〃

He　was　sitting　up；　his　face　flushed；　his　eyes　blazing。　　〃Gadhe　does　look　a　wild　beast！〃　said　Langdon　to　himself。　　He　would　have　said　aloud；　had　Dumont　been　well：　　〃I'm　precious　glad　I　ain't　the　creature　those　fangs　are　reaching　for！〃　　He　was　about　to　caution　him　against　exciting　himself　when　Dumont　sank　back　with　a　cynical　smile　at　his　own　outburst。

〃But　to　get　down　to　business；〃　he　went　on。　　〃I've　eleven　millions　of　the　stock　leftabout　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　shares。　　Gladys　has　fifty　thousand　shareshow　much　have　you　got？〃

〃Less　than　ten　thousand。　　And　I'd　have　had　none　at　all　if　my　mind　hadn't　been　full　of　other　things　as　I　was　sailing。　　I　forgot　to　tell　my　broker　to　sell。〃

Dumont　was　reflecting。　　Presently　he　said：　　〃Those　curs　not　only　took　most　of　my　stock　and　forced　the　sale　of　most　of　my　other　securities；　they've　put　me　in　such　a　light　that　outside　stockholders　wouldn't　send　me　their　proxies　now。　　To　get　back　control　I　must　smash　them；　and　I　must　also　acquire　pretty　nearly　half　the　shares；　and　hold　them　till　I'm　firm　in　the　saddle　again。〃

〃You'd　better　devote　yourself　for　the　present　to　escaping　the　grave。　　Why　bother　about　business？　　You've　got　enoughtoo　much；　as　it　is。　　Take　a　holidaygo　away　and　amuse　yourself。〃


Dumont　smiled。　　〃That's　what　I'm　going　to　do；　what　I'm　doingamusing　myself。　　I　couldn't　sleep；　I　couldn't　live；　if　I　didn't　feel　that　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　power。　　Nowin　the　present　market　I　couldn't　borrow　on　my　Woolens　stock。　　I've　two　requests　to　make　of　you。〃

〃Anything　that's　possible。〃

〃The　first　is；　I　want　you　to　lend　me　four　millions；　or；　rather；　negotiate　the　loan　for　me；　as　if　it　were　for　yourself。　　I've　got　about　that　amount　in　Governments；　in　several　good　railways　and　in　the　property　here。　　The　place　at　Saint　X　is　Pauline's；　but　the　things　I　can　put　up　would　bring　four　millions　and　a　half　at　least　at　forced　sale。　　So；　you'll　be　well　secured。　　I'm　asking　you　to　do　it　instead　of　doing　it　myself　because；　if　I'm　to　win　out；　the　Herron　crowd　must　think　I'm　done　for　and　nearly　dead。〃

Langdon　was　silent　several　minutes。　　At　last　he　said：　　〃What's　your　plan？〃

Dumont　looked　irritatedhe　did　not　like　to　be　questioned；　to　take　any　one　into　his　confidence。　　But　he　restrained　his　temper　and　said：　　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　counter…raid。　　I　know　where　to　strike。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

Dumont　frowned。　　〃Don't　disturb　yourself；〃　he　said　coldly。　　〃I　can　arrange　the　loan　in　another　way。〃

〃I'm　asking　you　only　for　your　own　sake；　Jack；〃　Langdon　hastily　interposed。　　〃Of　course　you　can　have　the　money；　and　I　don't　want　your　security。〃

〃Then　I'll　not　borrow　through　you。〃　　Dumont　never　would　accept　a　favor　from　any　one。　　He　regarded　favors　as　profitable　investments　but　ruinous　debts。

〃Ohvery　wellI'll　take　the　security；〃　said　Langdon。　　〃When　do　you　want　the　money？〃

〃It　must　be　covered　into　my　account　at　the　Inter…State　Nationalremember；　NOT　the　National　Industrial；　but　the　Inter…State　National。　　A　million　must　be　deposited　to…daythe　rest　by　ten　o'clock　to…morrow　at　the　latest。〃

〃I'll　attend　to　it。　　What's　your　other　request？〃

〃Woolens'll　take　another　big　drop　on　Monday　and　at　least　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　shares'll　be　thrown　on　the　market　at　perhaps　an　average　price　of　eighteenless　rather　than　more。　　I　want　you　quietly　to　organize　a　syndicate　to　buy　what's　offered。　　They　must　agree　to　sell　it　to　me　for；　say；　two　points　advance　on　what　they　pay　for　it。　　I'll　put　upin　your　namea　million　dollars　in　cash　and　forfeit　it　if　I　don't　take　the　stock　off　their　hands。　　As　Woolens　is　worth　easily　double　what　it　now　stands　at；　they　can't　lose。　　Of　course　the　whole　thing　must　be　kept　secret。〃

Langdon　deliberated　this　proposal。　　Finally　he　said：　　〃I　think　brother…in…law　Barrow　and　his　partner　and　I　can　manage　it。〃

〃You　can　assure　them　they'll　make　from　six　hundred　thousand　to　a　million　on　a　less　than　thirty　days'　investment　of　four　millions　and　a　half；　with　no　risk　whatever。〃

〃Just　about　that；〃　assented　Langdonhe　had　been　carefully　brought　up　by　his　father　to　take　care　of　a　fortune　and　was　cleverer　at　figures　than　he　pretended。

〃Do　your；　buying　through　Tavistock；〃　continued　Dumont。　　〃Give　him　orders　to　take　on　Monday　all　offerings　of　National　Woolens；　preferred　and　common；　at　eighteen　or　less。　　He'll　understand　what　to　do。〃

〃But　I　may　be　unable　to　get　up　the　syndicate　on　such　short　notice。〃

〃You　must；〃　said　Dumont。　　〃And　you　will。　　You　can　get　a　move　on　yourself　when　you　tryI　found　that　out　when　I　was　organizing　my　original　combine。　　One　thing　morevery　important。　　Learn　for　me　all　you　canwithout　being　suspectedabout　the　Fanning…Smiths　and　Great　Lakes。〃

He　made　Langdon　go　over　the　matters　he　was　to　attend　to；　point　by　point；　before　he　would　let　him　leave。　　He　was　asleep　when　the　nurse；　sent　in　by　Langdon　on　his　way　out；　reached　his　bedthe　sound　and　peaceful　sleep　of　a　veteran　campaigner　whose　nerves　are　trained　to　take　advantage　of　every　lull。

At　ten　the　next　morning　he　sent　the　nurse　out　of　his　room。　　〃And　close　the　doors；〃　he　said；　〃and　don't　come　until　I　ring。〃　　He　began　to　use　the　branch　telephone　at　his　bedside；　calling　up　Langdon；　and　then　Tavistock；　to　assure　himself　that　all　was　going　well。　　Next　he　called　up　in　succession　five　of　the　great　individual　money…lenders　of　Wall　Street；　pledged　them　to　secrecy　and　made　arrangements　for　them　to　call　upon　him　at　his　house　at　different　hours　that　day　and　Sunday。　　Another　might　have　intrusted　the　making　of　these　arrangements　to　Culver　or　Langdon；　but　Dumont　never　let　any　one　man　know　enough　of　his　plan　of　battle　to　get　an　idea　of　the　whole。

〃Now　for　the　ammunition；〃　he　muttered；　when　the　last　appointment　was　made。　　And　he　rang　for　Culver。

Culver　brought　him　writing　materials。　　〃Take　this　order；〃　he　said；　as　he　wrote；　〃to　the　Central　Park　Safety　Deposit　vaults　and　bring　me　from　my　compartment　the　big　tin　box　with　my　initials　in　whiteremember；　IN　WHITEon　the　end　of　it。〃

Three…quarters　of　an　hour　later　Culver　returned；　half…carrying；　half…dragging　the　box。　　Dumont's　eyes　lighted　up　at　sight　of　it。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said；　in　a　sigh　of　satisfaction　and　relief。　　〃Put　it　under　t