"What's the price now?" asked Brewster.

"One thirteen and three-fourths, and going up all the time. Hooray!"

"Do you think she'll go down again?" demanded Brewster.

"Not if I can help it."

"Very well, then, go and sell out," roared Brewster.

"But she's going up like--"

"Sell, damn you! Didn't you hear?"

Gardner, dazed and weak, began selling, and finally liquidated the full
line at prices ranging from 114 to 112 1/2, but Montgomery Brewster had
cleared $58,550, and all because it was he and not the market that got
excited.

CHAPTER XI

COALS OF FIRE

It was not that he had realized heavily in his investments which caused
his friends and his enemies to regard him in a new light; his profit
had been quite small, as things go on the Exchange in these days. The
mere fact that he had shown such foresight proved sufficient cause for
the reversal of opinion. Men looked at him with new interest in their
eyes, with fresh confidence. His unfortunate operations in the stock
market had restored him to favor in all circles. The man, young or old,
who could do what he had done with Lumber and Fuel well deserved the
new promises that were being made for him.

Brewster bobbed uncertainly between two emotions--elation and distress.
He had achieved two kinds of success--the desired and the undesired. It
was but natural that he should feel proud of the distinction the
venture had brought to him on one hand, but there was reason for
despair over the acquisition of $50,000. It made it necessary for him
to undertake an almost superhuman feat--increase the number of his
January bills. The plans for the ensuing spring and summer were dimly
getting into shape and they covered many startling projects. Since
confiding some of them to "Nopper" Harrison, that gentleman had worn a
never-decreasing look of worry and anxiety in his eyes.

Rawles added to his despair a day or two after the Stock Exchange
misfortune. He brought up the information that six splendid little
puppies had come to bless his Boston terrier family, and Joe Bragdon,
who was present, enthusiastically predicted that he could get $100
apiece for them. Brewster loved dogs, yet for one single horrible
moment he longed to massacre the helpless little creatures. But the old
affection came back to him, and he hurried out with Bragdon to inspect
the brood.

"And I've either got to sell them or kill them," he groaned. Later on
he instructed Bragdon to sell t