excuse me. My dear love to Fitz, and tell him not to give my
imprisonment a thought. Good-by," and he waved his hand majestically
and stepped back into the cell.

III

The arrival of Fitz in a cab at the police-station half an hour
later--just time enough for me to run all the way to his office--the
bailing out of the Colonel much against his protest, his consent being
gained only when Fitz and I assured him that such things were quite
within the limit of our judicial code, and that no stain on his honor
would or could ensue from any such relief; the Colonel's formal
leave-taking of the Captain, the Sergeant and the Turnkey, each of
whom he thanked impressively for the courtesies they had shown him;
our driving--the Colonel and I--post-haste to Bedford Place, lest by
any means Chad might have heard of the affair and so be frightened
half out of his wits; the calm indifference of that loyal darky when
he ushered us into the hall and heard the Colonel's statement, and
Chad's sententious comment: "In de Calaboose, Colonel! Well, fo' Gawd!
what I tell ye 'bout dis caanin' bis'ness. Got to git dem barkers
ready jes' I tol' ye; dat's de only thing dat'll settle dis
muss,"--these and other incidents of the day equally interesting form
connecting links in a story which has not only become part of the
history of the Carter family but which still serve as delightful
topics whenever the Colonel's name is mentioned by his many friends in
the Street.

More important things, however, than the arrest and bailing out of the
Colonel were taking place in the Street. One of those financial bombs
which are always lying around loose--a Pacific Mail, or Erie, or N.
P.--awaiting some fool-match to start it, sailed out from its
hiding-place a few minutes before the Exchange closed--while Fitz was
bailing out the Colonel, in fact--hung for an instant trembling in
mid-air, and burst into prominence with a sound that shook the Street
to its foundations. In five minutes the floor of the Exchange was a
howling mob, the brokers fighting, tearing, yelling themselves hoarse.
Money went up to one per cent and legal interest over night, and
stocks that had withstood every financial assault for years tottered,
swayed and plunged headlong. Into the abyss fell Consolidated
Smelting. Not only were the ten points of the day's rise wiped out,
but thirty points besides. Shares that at the opening sold readily at
55 went begging at 30. Klutchem and