Jacques Futrelle

“ And who’s in it?”
“That I can't tell you,” said Stanton. “I know there is such a plan, and I am merely telling you because I know, if it succeeds, you will be ruined. It is enough to let you know that it is coming. You can save yourself.”
John Norwood sank back into his chair, his eyes half-closed, his mind far away, trying out his defenses, his fortifications, thinking over all things connected with his Steel holdings. For a full minute he sat thus, and gradually the fierce jaw retired to its normal position. Then his eyes fell to Stanton. Again he was aggressive. ”

“ But a couple of days later the Westinghouse interests awoke to the fact that some one else had a hand on the pulse of the road. It dawned on them suddenly, when the price, already high, jumped. They immediately began an investigation, and found, to their consternation, that a broker representing an unknown had quietly bought up K. L. & M. at a greatly advanced price, and now held four thousand nine hundred and eighty-three shares. The Westinghouse people were scared. They hustled about, and found that thirty outstanding shares were in the hands of an old client. ”

“ In another fortnight, Norwood began to realize that he was bucking a stone wall. He began to feel, for the first time, that there was a possibility of failure. He saw that a man who can negotiate hundred-million-dollar loans for the government, merge railroads, steamships, steel interests, copper bo1anzas, who held the financial interests of the country in his open hand, was not always victorious if he happened to have a man against him who could not be frightened. ”

“ The K. L. & M. paid a couple of million a year; this was fifteen per cent. on the original investment. Their administration had been wise, economical, and lucrative. The price of the stock was above par. ”