Arthur Somers Roche

“ Federated Motors had dropped twenty-five points, representing a loss of over seven million dollars. Those men interested in keeping up the price visited the physicians in charge of the unconscious financier and pleaded with them to issue more favorable bulletins, or to cease issuing any reports whatsoever concerning the condition of Cornwallis. The doctors indignantly refused, justly replying that Jonathan Cornwallis was a national figure, and that the right of the public to receive information concerning him was superior to the rights of a clique of stock traders. ”

“ Seeing an opening between a taxicab and a truck in front of him, Cornwallis' chauffeur made for it. He blew his horn thrice as he did so, but instead of turning in toward the curb the driver of the truck turned outward, to the left. And the driver of the taxicab, glancing back over his shoulder, seemed to lose his head completely. He applied the brakes to his car, and it came almost to a stop. Not even the quick braking by Cornwallis' chauffeur could prevent the limousine from being jammed between the two other machines. ”

“ The Gray Ghost would pick his stock; he would make its fluctuation, its rise or fall, absolutely certain. He would pick a stock of which great things were expected along a certain line and cause opposite things to happen. ”

“ A week ago Saturday they deposited three hundred thousand dollars."
"Was that unusual?" asked Pelham.
"Well, even the amount would be a bit unusual for them; they had been carrying a small balance since their difficulties with the exchange authorities last winter. But a deposit of three hundred thousand dolars in cash is rather unusual at any time."
Pelham pursed his lips. "That is funny," he conceded.
"The rest is funnier still," declared the banker. "As you know, they have been doing all the selling of Federated Motors. They've made a profit of close to ten millions. ”

“ The ambulance was driven away, bearing the still unconscious financier, and the early afternoon newspapers proclaimed to an interested public that Jonathan Cornwallis lay in the private hospital of Dr. Morgan Leclerc, and that his condition was serious.
*⁠*⁠*⁠*
THE stock market responds instantly to certain news. The exchange closed in the middle of a furious bear drive upon Federated Motor Patents stock. When the closing hour came to the rescue of the bulls, who, in view of the prospective amalgamation had been active with the stock, they had suffered a loss of five points. ”

“ No sensible man would have risked hundreds of thousands on such a chance. And yet, according to further information given him by the Devines, thousands of shares of Federated Motors had been offered for sale the minute the exchange opened, a good two hours before news of the accident had become public.
The accident had occurred at 9:30. The old man must have been in Dr. Leclerc's hospital by 9:45. Between that time and 10 o'clock, information as to the financier's condition must have reached the client of Simmons & Leidy. ”