ller put it in
yet?" I asked, and how I strained for his answer! I well knew they had
not done so, knew they would think it safe to wait until the final tally
to see just how much they must put in to get their $65,000,000, which
would thus leave the public $10,000,000.

"Not yet," he returned. "It's all right, but we can do nothing till
Stillman gives us the total. He says there are millions and millions of
such a nature that he can easily throw them out. At four o'clock we will
have a meeting and figure out the best way to fix this matter up."

He saw no danger spot. I felt anyway his error was beyond correction
now. I told him I would be at his office by five, so that we could
arrange how much the press should have of our affair.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE BLACK FLAG HOISTED

It was a little after five when I reached 26 Broadway--my second visit
that day. Mr. Rogers was still at the bank. Half an hour later he
entered and threw himself wearily into a chair.

"Lawson, this is a fitting climax for all the stories you have been
telling Mr. Rockefeller and myself and the public for the past year
about 'Coppers.' I have talked with the Lewisohns, Governor Flower,
Morgan, and many others, and I have just come from an hour with Stillman
and we are all agreed this Amalgamated subscription is the greatest
accomplishment in finance. It is truly marvellous. The bank is literally
buried in money, and as near as we can make it out, the stock to be
delivered when allotted is actually selling at forty to fifty dollars
over the subscription price. The job is done, and you and I have good
reason to congratulate each other."

"I am not so sure, Mr. Rogers, that we should, right now. There's lots
of work ahead, and we may strike big snags yet," I began. He interrupted
impatiently:

"Oh, no, you're wrong, Lawson! We have the money safely housed at the
bank. Nothing can now turn it into failure."

There was a new note in his voice as he spoke. Tired though he was, I
detected a sharpness that seemed to indicate at once a relief and an
indifference which said plainer than words: "I am now beyond all your
power to hurt or harm me." I went on:

"I don't want to bring up any new things to-day, for you must be tired
out, Mr. Rogers, but surely you are taking into consideration that
unless everything is steered carefully to-morrow and for some time to
come, we may have a crash in the market which will throw back on our
hands the te