ost of the stock's in small lots in
the middle West."

"So much the better."

"I'm pretty sure I can get you a fairly accurate list."

Tavistock, Dumont's very private and personal broker, had many curious
ways of reaching into the carefully guarded books and other business
secrets of brokers and of the enterprises listed on the New York Stock
Exchange. He and Dumont had long worked together in the speculative
parts of Dumont's schemes. Dumont was the chief source of his rapidly
growing fortune, though no one except Culver, not even Mrs. Tavistock,
knew that they had business relations. Dumont moved through Tavistock
secretly, and Tavistock in turn moved through other agents secretly.
But for such precautions as these the great men of Wall Street would be
playing with all the cards exposed for the very lambs to cock their
ears at.

"I want it immediately," said Dumont. "Only the larger holders, you
understand."

"Haste always costs. I'll have to get hold of a man who can get hold
of some one high up in the Great Lakes dividend department."

"Pay what you must--ten--twenty thousand--more if necessary. But get it
to-night!"

"I'll try."

"Then you'll get it."

He slept, with a break of fifteen minutes, until ten the next morning.
Then Tavistock appeared with the list. "It was nearly midnight before
my man could strike a bargain, so I didn't telephone you. The dividend
clerk made a memory list. I had him verify it this morning as early as
he could get at the books. He says at least a third of the road is
held in small lots abroad. He's been in charge of the books for twenty
years, and he says there have been more changes in the last two months
than in all that time. He thinks somebody has sold a big block of the
stock on the quiet."

Dumont smiled significantly. "I think I understand that," he said. He
glanced at the list. "It's even shorter than I thought."

"You notice, one-third of the stock's tied up in the Wentworth estate,"
said Tavistock.

"Yes. And here's the name of Bowen's dividend clerk. Bowen is
traveling in the far East. Probably he's left no orders about his
Great Lakes--why should he when it's supposed to be as sound and steady
as Government bonds? That means another fifty thousand shares out of
the way for our purposes. Which of these names stand for the
Fanning-Smiths?"

"I only recognize Scannell--James Fanning-Smith's private secretary.
But there must be others, as he