nd 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.

"Oh--very well--I'll take the security," said Langdon. "When do you
want the money?"

"It must be covered into my account at the Inter-State
National--remember, NOT the National Industrial, but the Inter-State
National. A million must be deposited to-day--the 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 eighteen--less 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 up--in your name--a 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 Langdon--he 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 try--I found that out when I was organizing my
original combine. One thing more--very important. Learn for me all
you can--without being suspected--about 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 bed--the 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