The Pit

mind full of a subject about which, she told herself, she could no longer keep from speaking. So soon as an opportun

rti

, old

alle Street or the Board of Trade Building. Dearest, you don't know. I don't mean to complain, and I don't want to be exacting or selfish, but-sometimes I-I am lonesome. Don't interrupt," she said, hastily. "I want to say it all at once, and then never speak of it again. Last night, when Mr. Gretry was here, you said, just after dinner, that you would be a

lamations of self-reproach and self-condemnation. He was a brute, he cried, a senseless, selfish ass, who had no

it again," she began. "

exclaimed. "Don't talk

r good? Oh, I do look forward to it so! And, Curtis, what is the use? We'r

e answered. "It's the fun o

metimes, and sometimes you don't listen to me when I talk to you. I can just see what's in your mind

wouldn't make you unhappy a single m

ill stop s

t. At any rate, I won't have any business of mine come between us. I don't like it any more than you

came back from

twiddle my thumbs. And I don't believe in lounging around clubs, or playing with race horses, or murdering game birds, or running some poor, helpless fox to death. Speculating seems to be about the only game, or the only business that's left open to me-that appears to be legitimate. I know I've gone too far

urt or Mr. Gretry, but never through you. Don't you think you could trust me? I want to enter int

ou mustn't speak about it. It's nothing very secret, bu

ble, prepared to listen intently. Jadwin crushed a

been doing anything very exc

at

p. I was the very first to see it, I guess, way back last April. Now in Aug

urmured. "Why, what do you do

e right to call for the grain on a certain date,

" she told h

Argentine Republic to feed pretty much the whole world. Of course that would make wheat valuable. Seems to be a short-crop year everywhere. I saw that wheat would go higher and higher, so I bought another million bushels in October, and another early in this month. Th

"Give it to those poor people-your five million

stared

xactly how it wor

ver, the maid came in and hand

gone out, "you get those every morning. Are

ts of mine in Europe. Gretry arranged to have them sent to me. Here now, this is from Odessa. It's

otting down the translation on the back of an envelo

ed one cent bushel on Liverpool buying, stock light. Shippi

that mean?"

has no more than enough for herself, so that West

hers? Read

dwin tra

is fro

at in your market-stocks lighter th

to say?" s

million bushels. They find it hard to get th

sell it

l talk to S

w the l

ust understand, is the great buyer of whea

ey book, one finger following the s

nly contract. "By George," he muttered,

he demanded. "I

er heard nor responded. Three

tell me,"

d impatiently and he

he said. "Wa

translation of the cablegram,

ess I've had enough breakfast," he declared. He looked at his

ring the buggy ar

e forgotten my very existence. When it's a question of wheat I count for nothing. And just now, when you read the desp

claimed, "if you understood.

Over each code word he had written

owing to curtailment in Argentine shipments. Can neg

" she

ll this off, if this goes through-and, by George," he went on, speaking as much to himself as to her, new phases of the affair presenting themselves to him at every moment, "by George, I don't have to throw this wheat into the Pit and break down the price-and Gretry has understandings with the railroads, through the elevator gang, so we get big rebates. Why, this wheat is worth eighty-two cents to them-and then ther

a long moment. She heard the front door close, and then the sound of the horses' hoofs on the asphalt by t

inking. At l

id to herself, "that Curtis ev

snow which had fallen ten days before was practically gone. In fine, it was a perfect day for riding. Laura called

ppling mane caressed her hand and forearm, and as she looked down upon his shoulder she could see the long, slender muscles, working smoothly, beneath the satin sheen of the skin. At the water works she turned into the long, straight road that leads to North Lake, and touched Crusader with the crop, checking him slightly at the same time. With a little toss of his head he broke from a trot into a canter, and then, as she leaned forward in the saddle, into his long, even gallop. There was no one to see; she would not be conspicuous, so Laura gave the horse his head, and in another moment he was carrying her with a swiftness that brought the water to he

had seen no one but the park gardeners and the single grey-coated, mounted policeman whom she met each time she rode, and who always touched his helmet to her as she cantered past. Possibly she had grow

tle start of apprehension, and started again as

alities, and relapsing all at once into the young girl of B

er was for him an eventuality not at all remote. There was more of pleasure than o

nd the mustaches were brushed away from his lips in the same French style that she remembered he used to affect. He was, as always, carefully dressed. He wore a suit of tweeds of a foreign cut, but no overcoat, a cloth cap of greenish plaid w

impression of the details, when he came quickly fo

ou how glad I am

rism was changed, even to the little tilting of the chin when he spoke, or the quick winking of the eyelids, or the smile that narrowed the corners of the eyes the

again," she cried.

re yesterday, and quite surreptitiously. No one knows yet that I am here. I crept

Tusc

ns and marb

ens and-and all that kind of thing for a

had come to seem to me a little-as the French would put it-malle. I began to long for a touch of

d down at h

ht you had cut yours

now that I have come to that time of li

ing," she confessed, "and I l

Tell me about everybody," he went on. "Your husband, he is well, of course, and distressful

ou will hardly recognise her;

impressed me as though he had just had his hair

be delighted to hear you are

n? But I needn't ask; I can s

she queried, "is a

y, thank you. One has lost a few illusions, but has managed to

told him, "that one lost il

went there to cherish the few that yet remained. But," he added, without change of manner, "on

and I think you will like some of our pictures. I will have all your ol

I might call to-night. You see, I am only in Chicago for a couple of day

with his. There's where your note went. But, never mind, it makes no difference now that we've met. Yes, by all means, come to-night-to dinner. We're not a bit formal. Curtis won't have it. We

is appreciation and ac

ve?" she demanded. "You

ning, and I passed your house on my way out. You see, I had to look up your address in the d

ever speak of yourself, what have

a little, and studying some thirteenth

ll you g

me little businesses of mine-which puts me in mind," he said, glancing at

e not only talked well himself, but seemed to have the faculty of making her do the same. She remembered that in the old days, before she had met Jad

d up the definition of "pergola" in the dictiona

ll, dear me, if he wasn't the last person in my mind. I do remember the lovely windows he u

-night, and I want you a

d him. Isn't it too provoking? I've got to sit and listen to those two, clattering commissions and percentages and a

terested in the book, and from time to time glanced nervously at the clock upon the mantel-shelf over her head. Jadwin was not home yet, and she was distressed at the thought of keeping dinner waiting. He usually came back from down town at five o'clock, and even earlier. To-day

usband. But as she was crossing the hall on her way to the drawing-room, one of the servan

w?" she asked, quickly. "W

in had "hung up" without

"Mr. Jadwin told Jarvis not to wait. He

d delay dinner a half hour, a

s they exchanged greetings in the drawing-room. "Curtis has s

rocade and thick, muffling rugs, and for upwards of three-quarters of an hour Corthell interested her with his de

e in yet?" Laura as

mad

er lip in

added, at the end of her resources, "we must make the best of it. I think

illed with a dull crimson light, the air just touched with the sc

he artist, "that Mr. Ja

sionally that anything keeps him down town late. I scolded him this morning, however, about his speculating, and made him promise not to do so much of it

hell, sipping his wine. "Is it right for one to be absorbe

I don't know,

ividual work, isn't that the essential? I suppose, of course, that we must hoe, each of us, his own little row, b

n more than a stroke or t

excess of it. One must do one's own hoeing first. That's the foundation of things. A religion that would mean to be 'altoge

eighbour's row

and the weeds of my row would spread until they c

bour were maimed or halt or blind? His poor little row would

o one's own work. It seems to me that a work accomplished benefits the whole world-the people-pro rata. If we help another at the expense of our work instead of in excess of it, we benefit only the indi

the mould, the form, the sort of composite photograph of hundreds of thousands of Laura Jadwins. Yes," she continued, her brows bent, her mind hard at work, "what I am, the little things that distinguish me from everybody else, those pass away very quic

ype never reced

from going below a certain point, and it is left to us to lift it higher and higher. No, the type can't be bad. Of course

natu

ed again, "work together? No, no,

e remarked, smiling back

ul?" She put her hand to her forehead with a little laugh of d

of it, and they were still talking an

in the art gallery," Laur

he two passed into the gr

best," said Laura, stand

it is because it demands less of you than some others. I see what you mean. It ple

t know," sh

it," he answered. "But I cannot p

considered the greatest-one of the greatest-his w

-a fine hanging, a beautiful vase would have exactly the same value upon your wall. Now, on the other hand, take

ere in America, in New York. It's by a Wester

the night mist was on his hands. And he was very lonely and even a little sad. In those deep shadows under the trees he put something of himself, the gloom and the sadness that he felt at the moment. And that little pool, still and black and sombre-why, the whole thing is the tragedy of a life full of d

w. It is better, of course. I shall come in here often now and study it. Of all the rooms in our house th

l turne

f all your treasures. May I play for you? Something to compen

to have you,"

ttons that extinguished all but a very few of them. After he had done this he came back to the or

e organ, and that gave light to the keyboard. And on this keyboard, full in the reflection, lay his long, slim hands. They were the only things that moved in the room, and

this. The questions are passionate and tumultuous and varied, but t

ong breath, speaking

yes, I u

art," he said; "a little too 'easy,' perhaps, like the Bougereau, but 'Consolati

a, but he had continued wit

assionata,' the F minor sona

nished Laura begge

. "Play anything. You ca

wn orchestral score, very ingeniously. It is difficult to render on the organ, but I think you can get the idea of it." As he spoke he began playing, his hea

You see it, of course.... And all the while this undercurrent of the sensual, and that feline, eager sentiment ... and here, I think, is the best part of it, the very essence of passion, the voluptuousness that is a verita

and played them. Music she understood with an intuitive quickness; and those prolonged chords of Liszt's, heavy and clogged and cloyed with passion, reached some hitherto untouched string within her he

sures she had ignored! How infinitely removed from her had been the real world of art and artists of which Corthell was a part! Ah, but she would make amends now. No more Verdi and Bougereau. She would get rid of the "Bathing Nymphs." Never, nev

pleasure in the duties of the housewife. This was the Laura who liked plain, homely, matter-of-fact Mrs. Cressler, who adored her husband, who delig

great lady from room to room of her vast house, who read Meredith, who revelled in swift gallops through the park on jet-black, long-tailed horses, who affected black velvet, black jet, and black lace in her gowns, who was conscious and pro

hat which follows upon the flight of a falling star, and after a long moment Laura sat upright, adjust

rful. It is like a new language-no, it is

of the educated. But music-ah, that is different, it is one soul speaking to another soul. The composer meant it for you and himself. No one else has anything to do with it. Because his soul was heavy and broken with grief, or bursting with passion, or tortured with doubt, or searching for some unnamed ideal, he has come to you-you

gallery flashed out in a sudden blaze, and

irl, we pulled it off, and I've clean

bout, blinking at the sudden glare,

as he came forward. "But I thought it wouldn't be

r the first time Jadw

urtis," Laura said. "You

ess I came in on you abruptly," he observed. "They told me Mrs. Jadwin was in here, and I was full of my good news. By the way, I do remember now. When I came to look over m

gone off with

I clean forgot it. I've let the cat out of the bag already, Mr. Corthell, and I might as well tell the whole thing now. I've been putting through

d then you'd be u

into a couple of fellows over there, if we could come to terms. We came to terms right enough. Some of that wheat I sold at a profit of fifteen cents on every bushel. My broker and I figured it out just now before I started home, and, as I say, I'm a clean half million to the good. So mu

dined, Curtis

we might as well have eaten sawdust. Heigho, I sure am tired. It takes it

wife, and held her glance in his a moment. He was full of trium

ell-'J., I take off my hat to you. I thought you were wrong from the very first, but I guess you know this game better than I do.' Yes, sir, that's what he said, and Sam Gretry has been trading in wheat for pretty nearly thirty years. Oh, I knew it," he cried, with a quick gesture; "I knew wheat was going to go up. I knew it from the first, when all the rest of em laughe

he last-isn't

ting. Let some one else have a try now. See if they can hold five million bushels

your hand?" she

," he exclaimed, "I must be flustered. Corthell," he declared between

ist. "I should lose my senses if

fun in it unless you risk more than you can afford to lose. Well, let's no

the library, art gallery, and drawing-rooms-a nightly task which he never would intrust

are out of

heat," he assured her. "I

ding. He talked over a few business matters with the manager of his real estate office, wrote an unimportant letter or two,

his paper, he got up, and, thrusting his hands in

aid. "Now wh

once the letter

the park?" she suggested.

slowly. "All right. L

at the prospect was

o. I don't think y

t is, Laura, I just about know that park by heart.

ed himself comfortably in the librar

. "Now this is what I call solid comfort. Better than stewing and fussing about La Salle

as not there. The magazines were helter-skeltered upon the floor and table, where he had tosse

chman and looking over one of the horses. But he came back to the house in a

she caught a glimpse of the title. "Isn't

time for lunch? Let's go to the matinee this aftern

, reaching for the book. "I know you'll b

ems terribly dry. Do you know," he said, abruptly, "if the law was off I'd go up t

va Lake over Christmas. We'll open up the house and t

. Page and Aunt Wess' came as a matter of course. Jadwin brought up some of the horses and a couple of sleighs. On Ch

er, found a group in front of the fireplace, where the huge logs were hissing and crackling. Her husband and Cressler were there, and Gretry, who had come down on an earlier train. Page sat near at hand, her chin on her palm, li

ed steady enough at eighty-three, but just as soon as the gong tapped we began to get it. Buy, buy, buy. Everybody is in it now. The public are

Jadwin's

this, Sam," he said,

army of ancient hayseeds who have the stuff tucked away-in old stockings, I guess-and who'll dump it on you all right if you pay enough. There's plenty of wheat. I've see

s going out of the country-and it's going fast. And some of

seem pretty confident the market will break. I

e idea of selling short in face of this Argentin

of shorts," urged Gr

alle Street was swirling now with a mightier rush than for years past. Thundering, its vortex smoking, it sent its whirling far out over the coun

hut their eyes to the swelling of its waters, neglecting the chances which he would have known how to use with such large, such vast results. That mysterious event which long ago he felt was preparing, was not yet consummated. The great Fact, the great Result which was

poleon? Would another, not himself, at last, seeing where s

fly. He took long drives over the lonely country roads, or tramped the hills or the frozen lake, thoughtful, preoccupied. He still held his seat upo

ould take up the whole jing-bang of that Crookes crowd in one hand and"-his large fi

Trade, and about a fortnight after the Jadwins had returned to their city home

is?" he asked. Sh

"let me tell you, we are having pretty-lively-times-down there

d in the Chicago wheat market. A "Bull" clique had evidently been formed, presumably of New York capitalists, who were ousting t

ho were advancing prices, bulling the market. Still a

y last, when the Great Bull gathered in a long line of two million bushels in a single half hour. Scalping and eighth-chasing are almost entirely at an end, the smaller traders dreading to be caught on the horns of the Unknown. The new operator's identity has been carefully concealed, but whoever he is, he is a wonderful tra

d he returned her glance without spe

ring his voice, "I guess we're b

t he was going to stop all that k

ught to thi

ldn't thin

ng about it. My business is to

Mr. Jadwin is down town all day again.

te business that keeps him dow

e goes to bed at nine o'clock, and Laura sits there alone reading till eleven and twelve. But she's afraid, too, of the effect upon him. He's getting so absorbed. He don't care for literature now as he did on

y stoutly

or gang of men-could down him. He's head and shoulders above the biggest of them down there. I tell you he's Napoleonic. Yes

had gone back to the wheat market, and that, too, with such impetuosity, such ea

t move on the part of the "Unknown Bull," the nameless mysterious stranger

an wheat rose, insistent and vehement, from fifty cities and centres of eastern Europe; while the jam of men in the Wheat Pit grew ever more frantic, ever more furious, and while the impassive hand on the great dial over the floor of the Board rose, resistless, till it stood at eighty-seven, he

when Curtis Jadwin owned some ten million bushels of May

dwin, "what do

d in the office, while in the streets the lamps at the corners were reflected downward in long shafts of light upon the drenched pavements. From the windows of the room one could see directly up La Salle Street. The cable cars, as they made the turn into or out of the street at the corner of Monroe, threw momentary glares of red and green lig

rs' offices and commission houses on either side of La Salle Street, continually, unendingly, moving with the dragging sluggishness of the fatigue of a hard day's work. Under that grey sky and blurring veil of rain they lost their individualities, they became conglomerate-a mass, slow-moving, black. All day long the torrent had seethed and thundered through the street-the torrent that swirled out and back fro

s. In the street, immediately in front of the entrance to the Board of Trade, a group of pigeons, garnet-eyed, trim, with coral-coloured feet and

t of his lips his unlit cigar to the other corne

s and statistics, replied only by

here's less than a hundred million bushels in the farmers'

might say, colossa

rther. Gretry took a pamphlet of statistics from a pigeon-hole of his

h the subdued rustle of silk. A newsboy raised

that a whole pile of that wheat has got to go to

ve millio

, July-four months before a new crop. Eighty million bushels will go out of the co

way," answ

cago. I don't believe the elevators are exactly bursting, and, say," he called after the broker, who had started for the front office, "say, find out about th

ack again, his hands full of

hurried over the glistening sidewalks; only a few lights yet remained in the facades of the tall, grey office buildings. And in the widening

of papers. The broker's pencil was in his hand and from

how the millers up here in the Northwest have been

"navigation will be open in anoth

re is here will be moving out. I'd forgotten that point

ough," returned Gretry. "I've got a lot

Jadwin started, and looked a

"There are a lot of fell

okes' followers-yes,

is mustache. Then suddenly he leaned for

e cried. "Don't you

he broker, puzzled at

his collar wit

e country. Why, there ain't going to be any wheat left in Chicago by May! If I get in now and buy a long line of cash wheat, where are all these fe

sk, consulted his pencilled memoranda, then thrust his hands deep into his pockets, w

he murmure

get it?" Jadwin cried once mo

broker, "J., I-I'

en months had been preparing was suddenly consummated, suddenly stood revealed, as though a veil had

rd, gripping the br

eat God!-do you know what this mea