y in the pit which we digged for them. The New
York five are taking it in a temper of stolid philosophy, being
bruins of experience. We may keep them in the pit what time you
will before we begin the butchery--one week, one month, one year.
They cannot escape, since my agents on the floor of the Exchange
will be always on the watch to see that they don't climb out. The
first time an offer to buy or sell a share of Northern Consolidated
is made, I shall put the price to three hundred. Our bears,
however, know this, and will make no attempt to get away, realizing
its hopelessness. The Storri bear is already dead; that first call
for margins killed him, and I send you a specimen of his pelt, to
wit, the French shares, with this. As for the others, whenever you
are ready we will call on them for their fur and their grease and
what else is valuable about a bear. Believe me your friend, as was
your father the friend of

Robert Lance Bayard.

Richard, now he had possession of those fateful securities, was somewhat
put about as to the best manner of getting them into the hands of Mr.
Harley. He, Richard, could not personally appear in the transaction. He
thought of using the excellent Mr. Gwynn; but that course offered
objections, since it would be assumed hereafter by Mr. Harley that
Richard, because of his confidential relations with Mr. Gwynn, must know
the history of those shares. Richard did not care to have such a thought
take hold on Mr. Harley; it might later embarrass both Mr. Harley and
Richard when the latter called at the Harley house, as he meant shortly
to do. Finally he hit upon an idea; he would employ the worthy name of
Mr. Fopling. The secret would be safe with one who, like Mr. Fopling,
could never be brought to understand it.

Being decided as to a path, Richard inclosed those dangerous shares with
a typewritten note to Mr. Harley. The note, speaking in the third
person, presented Mr. Fopling's compliments, explained that Mr. Fopling
was given to understand that Mr. Harley would purchase those particular
shares, stated their value as fifteen thousand dollars, and said that
Mr. Harley might send his check to Mr. Fopling.

This missive and those shares being safely on their road to Mr. Harley,
Richard made speed to hunt up Mr. Fopling. He found the sinless one at
the house of his beloved. Fortune favored Richard; Bess was not there,