d have known your
thoughts." While she was speaking, Grace, under the lap-robe, pressed her
lover's hand.
CHAPTER XIII.
TWO KINDS OF SORROW.
But as June wore away, one day when Jack visited the office of his
step-father, he found Stetson there, and was informed by him that some
evil-disposed persons were 'bearing' the stock of the Wedge of Gold
Company, which was most unfortunate, as it interfered with the
arrangements in progress for building the mill.
Browning did not know enough about stocks to see through the deception,
but bluntly asked what could be done to stop the injury. "The true way,"
said Stetson, "would be to go on the market and take all the stock
offered until the bear movement should be broken."
Browning had heard about Captain Kelly "bearing" the bonanza stocks, and
how the bonanza firm had taken all he offered, so he said: "Why do you
not go out and put a stopper on the beggars?" Stetson explained that he
had not the money. "Why, we can fix that," said Jack. So he wrote a note
to the ---- Bank to honor the orders of Jenvie & Hamlin until further
instructions, turned the check over to Hamlin and told him to manage it.
The days went by. There was an excursion of the young people to Wales,
and another to Scotland, and besides Jack had gone down to Devonshire,
bonded the place he liked, paid L1,000 down, and was to meet the
remainder of the obligation--L9,000--when the titles were all looked up
and transferred to him. Meanwhile, June and the better part of July were
gone when one morning Jack went to the bank and drew a check for a few
pounds which he needed for spending money. The cashier as he paid the
check, informed Browning that the directors would be glad to see him in
the private office of the bank. A messenger showed him the way, and he
was there informed that the house of Jenvie & Hamlin had been drawing so
heavily upon his order that only some L12,000 remained to his credit. The
news was a paralyzer, but Jack was a game man and said: "That is all
right," talked pleasantly for a few minutes, then withdrew, and going
directly to his step-father's office, demanded an explanation.
The old men informed him that they had tried to hold up the stock of the
"Wedge of Gold," but their efforts had proved of no use. The shares had
run down to almost nothing. They had even used the reserve fund intended
for the building of the mill, and it looked, they said, as though they
could never rea
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