Fred M. White

“ If you manipulate matters properly you’ll find it worth your while. What you have to do is this: take a third of my stock and offer it at ten per cent. discount. That will cause a big slump, and frighten all the little men. I’ll see that the papers are fed with sensational paragraphs. Once the thing is started others will follow, and before anyone knows what has happened we’ll have ‘Crysoline’ down to ten cents. Some fool is certain to start legal proceedings, and that will settle it.”
“Quite so. And then, Mr. Cradlestone?”
The millionaire winked from behind the pungent cloud of his cigar. ”

“ If buyers insist upon a delivery we’re in a fix.”
“But they won’t,” Cradlestone said confidently. “We’ll offer them a few cents premium, which after all is the thing they require. Within a month ‘Crysoline’ will be mine, stock, lock and barrel. It will be a nice little lesson to Manners.”
But Manners, otherwise Gryde, did not seem to resent the way in which he had been treated. For the present he was, perhaps, the most prominent and worst abused individual in the United States. Nothing was too bad to say about him. ”

“ Will you be so good as to deliver me my shares.”
“Man alive,” Cradlestone yelled, “where are we to get them?”
“From me, seeing that I actually possess the lot.”
“At three dollars, of course, Mr. Manners?”
“I’VE A GREAT MIND TO RETIRE” “Not much,” Gryde said drily. “I am ready to place you in a position to carry out your lawful obligations at the price paid by the public—ten dollars.”
Then followed an awkward silence. Gryde was in a position to sell for ten dollars what, a few minutes later, would be handed back to him for some paltry cents. The thing spelt ruin to more than one man there.” ”

“ Bly proceeded. “You see the position. I sold all the shares you had at par, so there is no loss. Then we offered thousands of shares according to your instructions at a few cents. Somebody else is having a flutter at the same game, and we shall have to deliver.”
“Then you must go out and buy for the purpose,” said Cradlestone. “In fact, you had better start buying all you can lay your hands on. We must be in a position to satisfy these people at the price they purchased at before we can do anything for ourselves. Then you must slip in and scoop the market.” ”

“ And yet as the shares were shot into the market at any price they were bought. Small speculators can always be found at such tempting prices, whilst the general sale still continued, and ten times as many “Crysolines” as could be found were disposed of by brokers who would have to find them at a price a fortnight hence. Cradlestone felt quite satisfied at length.
“Nothing could be better,” he said. “By the time that the fortnightly settlement comes the game will be up, and then we can gradually gather the stock in at our own price. The little holders will only be too glad to sell at a profit.” ”

“ No blame is attached to anyone, nor do the police credit the suggestion that the fire was inspired. As to the rest, nothing can be known till Manners’ representatives in England have been communicated with. The absence of anybody to bury will be regretted in Wall Street ”