s of the latter, their arms crossed upon their knees,
two men, one wearing a silk skull cap all awry, conversed earnestly in
low tones.

Winston, a great, broad-shouldered bass-voiced fellow of some
thirty-five years, who was associated with Landry in executing the
orders of the Gretry-Converse house, came up to him, and, omitting any
salutation, remarked, deliberately, slowly:

"What's all this about this trouble between Turkey and England?"

But before Landry could reply a third trader for the Gretry Company
joined the two. This was a young fellow named Rusbridge, lean,
black-haired, a constant excitement glinting in his deep-set eyes.

"Say," he exclaimed, "there's something in that, there's something in
that!"

"Where did you hear it?" demanded Landry.

"Oh--everywhere." Rusbridge made a vague gesture with one arm. "Hirsch
seemed to know all about it. It appears that there's talk of mobilising
the Mediterranean squadron. Darned if I know."

"Might ask that 'Inter-Ocean' reporter. He'd be likely to know. I've
seen him 'round here this morning, or you might telephone the
Associated Press," suggested Landry. "The office never said a word to
me."

"Oh, the 'Associated.' They know a lot always, don't they?" jeered
Winston. "Yes, I rung 'em up. They 'couldn't confirm the rumour.'
That's always the way. You can spend half a million a year in leased
wires and special service and subscriptions to news agencies, and you
get the first smell of news like this right here on the floor. Remember
that time when the Northwestern millers sold a hundred and fifty
thousand barrels at one lick? The floor was talking of it three hours
before the news slips were sent 'round, or a single wire was in.
Suppose we had waited for the Associated people or the Commercial
people then?"

"It's that Higgins-Pasha incident, I'll bet," observed Rusbridge, his
eyes snapping.

"I heard something about that this morning," returned Landry. "But only
that it was--"

"There! What did I tell you?" interrupted Rusbridge. "I said it was
everywhere. There's no smoke without some fire. And I wouldn't be a bit
surprised if we get cables before noon that the British War Office had
sent an ultimatum."

And very naturally a few minutes later Winston, at that time standing
on the steps of the corn pit, heard from a certain broker, who had it
from a friend who had just received a despatch from some one "in the
know," that the British Secretary of Sta