the pit-第68节

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ing　ready　to　dump　it　on　us。　　The　Pit　knows　that；　of　course。　　Why；　just　think；　they　are　harvesting　in　some　places。　　These　fellows　we've　caught　in　the　corner　will　be　able　to　buy　all　the　wheat　they　want　from　the　farmers　if　they　can　hold　out　a　little　longer。　　And　that　Government　report　yesterday　showed　that　the　growing　wheat　is　in　good　condition。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort。　　It　was　a　little　over　eighty…　six。〃

〃Good　enough；〃　declared　Gretry；　〃good　enough　so　that　it　broke　the　price　down　to　a　dollar　and　twenty。　　Just　think；　we　were　at　a　dollar　and　a　half　a　little　while　ago。〃

〃And　we'll　be　at　two　dollars　in　another　ten　days；　I　tell　you。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　we　stand　J。？〃　said　the　broker　gravely。　〃Do　you　know　how　we　standfinancially？　　It's　taken　pretty　nearly　every　cent　of　our　ready　money　to　support　this　July　market。　　Oh；　we　can　figure　out　our　paper　profits　into　the　millions。　　We've　got　thirty；　forty；　fifty　million　bushels　of　wheat　that's　worth　over　a　dollar　a　bushel；　but　if　we　can't　sell　it；　we're　none　the　better　offand　that　wheat　is　costing　us　six　thousand　dollars　a　day。　　Hell；　old　man；　where's　the　money　going　to　come　from？　　You　don't　seem　to　realise　that　we　are　in　a　precarious　condition。〃　　He　raised　an　arm；　and　pointed　above　him　in　the　direction　of　the　floor　of　the　Board　of　Trade。

〃The　moment　we　can't　give　our　boysLandry　Court；　and　the　rest　of　'emthe　moment　we　can't　give　them　buying　orders；　that　Pit　will　suck　us　down　like　a　chip。　　The　moment　we　admit　that　we　can't　buy　all　the　wheat　that's　offered；　there's　the　moment　we　bust。〃

〃Well；　we'll　buy　it；〃　cried　Jadwin；　through　his　set　teeth。　　〃I'll　show　those　brutes。　　Look　here；　is　it　money　we　want？　　You　cable　to　Paris　and　offer　two　million；　atoh；　at　eight　cents　below　the　market；　and　to　Liverpool；　and　let　'em　have　twopence　off　on　the　same　amount。　　They'll　snap　it　up　as　quick　as　look　at　it。　That　will　bring　in　one　lot　of　money；　and　as　for　the　rest；　I　guess　I've　got　some　real　estate　in　this　town　that't　pretty　good　security。〃

〃Whatyou　going　to　mortgage　part　of　that？〃

〃No；〃　cried　Jadwin；　jumping　up　with　a　quick　impatient　gesture；　〃no；　I'm　going　to　mortgage　all　of　it；　and　I'm　going　to　do　it　to…daythis　morning。　　If　you　say　we're　in　a　precarious　condition；　it's　no　time　for　half　measures。　　I'll　have　more　money　than　you'll　know　what　to　do　with　in　the　Illinois　Trust　by　three　o'clock　this　afternoon；　and　when　the　Board　opens　to…morrow　morning；　I'm　going　to　light　into　those　cattle　in　the　Pit　there；　so　as　they'll　think　a　locomotive　has　struck　'em。　They'd　stand　me　off；　would　they？　　They'd　try　to　sell　me　down；　they　won't　cover　when　I　turn　the　screw！　I'll　show　'em；　Sam　Gretry。　　I'll　run　wheat　up　so　high　before　the　next　two　days；　that　the　Bank　of　England　can't　pull　it　down；　and　before　the　Pit　can　catch　its　breath；　I'll　sell　our　long　line；　and　with　the　profits　of　that；　by　God！　I'll　run　it　up　again。　　Two　dollars！　Why；　it　will　be　two　fifty　here　so　quick　you　won't　know　how　it's　happened。　　I've　just　been　fooling　with　this　crowd　until　now。　　_Now；_　I'm　really　going　to　get　down　to　business。〃

Gretry　did　not　answer。　　He　twirled　his　pencil　between　his　fingers；　and　stared　down　at　the　papers　on　his　desk。　Once　he　started　to　speak；　but　checked　himself。　　Then　at　last　he　turned　about。

〃All　right；〃　he　said；　briskly。　　〃We'll　see　what　that　will　do。〃

〃I'm　going　over　to　the　Illinois　Trust　now；〃　said　Jadwin；　putting　on　his　hat。　　〃When　your　boys　come　in　for　their　orders；　tell　them　for　to…day　just　to　support　the　market。　　If　there's　much　wheat　offered　they'd　better　buy　it。　　Tell　them　not　to　let　the　market　go　below　a　dollar　twenty。　　When　I　come　back　we'll　make　out　those　cables。〃

That　day　Jadwin　carried　out　his　programme　so　vehemently　announced　to　his　broker。　　Upon　every　piece　of　real　estate　that　he　owned　he　placed　as　heavy　a　mortgage　as　the　property　would　stand。　　Even　his　old　house　on　Michigan　Avenue；　even　the　〃homestead〃　on　North　State　Street　were　encumbered。　　The　time　was　come；　he　felt；　for　the　grand　_coup；_　the　last　huge　strategical　move；　the　concentration　of　every　piece　of　heavy　artillery。　Never　in　all　his　multitude　of　operations　on　the　Chicago　Board　of　Trade　had　he　failed。　　He　knew　he　would　not　fail　now；　Luck；　the　golden　goddess；　still　staid　at　his　shoulder。　　He　did　more　than　mortgage　his　property；　he　floated　a　number　of　promissory　notes。　　His　credit；　always　unimpeachable；　he　taxed　to　its　farthest　stretch；　from　every　source　he　gathered　in　the　sinews　of　the　war　he　was　waging。　　No　sum　was　too　great　to　daunt　him；　none　too　small　to　be　overlooked。　　Reserves；　van　and　rear；　battle　line　and　skirmish　outposts　he　summoned　together　to　form　one　single　vast　column　of　attack。

It　was　on　this　same　day　while　Jadwin；　pressed　for　money；　was　leaving　no　stone　unturned　to　secure　ready　cash；　that　he　came　across　old　Hargus　in　his　usual　place　in　Gretry's　customers'　room；　reading　a　two　days　old　newspaper。　　Of　a　sudden　an　idea　occurred　to　Jadwin。　　He　took　the　old　man　aside。　　〃Hargus；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　want　a　good　investment　for　your　money；　that　money　I　turned　over　to　you？　　I　can　give　you　a　better　rate　than　the　bank；　and　pretty　good　security。　　Let　me　have　about　a　hundred　thousand　atoh；　ten　per　cent。〃

〃Heywhat？〃　asked　the　old　fellow　querulously。　　Jadwin　repeated　his　request。

But　Hargus　cast　a　suspicious　glance　at　him　and　drew　away。

〃II　don't　lend　my　money；〃　he　observed。

〃Whyyou　old　fool；〃　exclaimed　Jadwin。　　Here；　is　it　more　interest　you　want？　　Why；　we'll　say　fifteen　per　cent。；　if　you　like。〃

〃I　don't　lend　my　money；〃　exclaimed　Hargus；　shaking　his　head。　　〃I　ain't　got　any　to　lend；〃　and　with　the　words　took　himself　off。〃

One　source　of　help　alone　Jadwin　left　untried。　　Sorely　tempted；　he　nevertheless　kept　himself　from　involving　his　wife's　money　in　the　hazard。　　Laura；　in　her　own　name；　was　possessed　of　a　little　fortune；　sure　as　he　was　of　winning；　Jadwin　none　the　less　hesitated　from　seeking　an　auxiliary　here。　　He　felt　it　was　a　matter　of　pride。　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　make　use　of　a　woman's　succour。

But　his　entire　personal　fortune　now　swung　in　the　balance。　　It　was　the　last　fight；　the　supreme　attempt　the　final　consummate　assault；　and　the　thrill　of　a　victory　more　brilliant；　more　conclusive；　more　decisive　than　any　he　had　ever　known；　vibrated　in　Jadwin's　breast；　as　he　went　to　and　fro　in　Jackson；　Adams；　and　La　Salle　streets　all　through　that　day　of　the　eleventh。

But　he　knew　the　dangerknew　just　how　terrible　was　to　be　the　grapple。　　Once　that　same　day　a　certain　detail　of　business　took　him　near　to　the　entrance　of　the　Floor。　Though　he　did　not　so　much　as　look　inside　the　doors；　he　could　not　but　hear　the　thunder　of　the　Pit；　and　even　in　that　moment　of　confidence；　his　great　triumph　only　a　few　hours　distant；　Jadwin；　for　the　instant；　stood　daunted。　The　roar　was　appalling；　the　whirlpool　was　again　unchained；　the　maelstrom　was　again　unleashed。　　And　during　the　briefest　of　seconds　he　could　fancy　that　the　familiar　bellow　of　its　swirling；　had　taken　on　another　pitch。　　Out　of　that　hideous　turmoil；　he　imagined；　there　issued　a　strange　unwonted　note；　as　it　were；　the　first　rasp　and　grind　of　a　new　avalanche　just　beginning　to　stir；　a　diapason　more　profound　than　any　he　had　yet　known；　a　hollow　distant　bourdon　as　of　the　slipping　and　sliding　of　some　almighty　and　chaotic　power。

It　was　the　Wheat；　the　Wheat！　It　was　on　the　move　again。　From　the　farms　of　Illinois　and　Iowa；　from　the　ranches　of　Kansas　and　Nebraska；　from　all　the　reaches　of　the　Middle　West；　the　Wheat；　like　a　tidal　wave；　was　rising；　rising。　　Almighty；　blood…brother　to　the　earthquake；　coeval　with　the　volcano　and　the　whirlwind；　that　gigantic　world…force；　that　colossal　billow；　Nourisher　of　the　Nations；　was　swelling　and　advancing。

There　in　the　Pit　its　first　premonitory　eddies　already　swirled　and　spun。　　If　even　the　first　ripples　of　the　tide　smote　terribly　upon　the　heart；　what　was　it　to　be　when　the　ocean　itself　burst　through；　on　its　eternal　way　from　west　to　east？　　For　an　instant　came　clear　vision。　What　were　these　shouting；　gesticulating　men　of　the　Board　of　Trade；　these　brokers；　traders；　and　speculators？　　It　was　not　these　he　fought；　it　was　that　fatal　New　Harvest；　it　was　the　Wheat；　it　wasas　Gretry　had　saidthe　very　Earth　itself。　　What　were　those　scattered　hundreds　of　farmers　of　the　Middle　West；　who　because　he　had　put　the　price　so　high　had　planted　the　grain　as　never　before？　　What　had　they　to　do　with　it？　Why　the　Wheat　had　grown　itself；　demand　and　supply；　these　were　the　two　great　laws　the　Wheat　obeyed。　　Almost　blasphemous　in　his　effrontery；　he　had　tampered　with　these　laws；　and　had　roused　a　Titan。　　He　had　laid　his　puny　human　grasp　upon　Creation　and　the　very　earth　herself；　the　great　mother；　feeling　the　touch　of　the　cobweb　that　the　human　insect　had　spun；　had　stirred　at　last　in　her　sleep　and　sent　her　omnipotence　moving　through　the　grooves　of　the　world；　to　find　and　crush　the　disturber　of　her　appointed　courses。

The　new　harvest　was　coming　in；　the　new　harvest　of　wheat；　huge　beyond　possibility　of　control；　so　vast　that　no　money　could　buy　it；　so　swift　that　no　strategy　could　turn　it。　　But　Jadwin　hurried　away　from　the　sound　of　the　near　roaring　of　the　Pit。　　No；　no。　　Luck　was　with　him；　he　had　mastered　the　current　of　the　Pit　many　times　beforehe　would　master　it　again。　　The　day　passed　and　the　night；　and　at　nine　o'clock　the　f