The Profiteers

ion in Kensington. Perhaps because it was the first affair of its sort of the season, and perhaps, also, bec

little earlier than usual, and had shared a taxicab up west, congratulated themselves upon havi

arket to-day?" Kendrick a

e a littl

name of the damned things. And to tell you the truth, Ken, when

-to-do representative of the occupation which he, his father and grandfather had followed,-ten year

eller's at the back o

rgued. "They must have enormous backing, of course, but until they declare

interested in B. & I.'s, and he settled himself down comf

l and made a million or so, back to New York, where he got in with the copper lot and no doubt made real money. Then he went for that wheat corner in Chicago. He got out of that with another fortune, though they say he sold his fellow directo

the other directors

rtin, who may be worth half a million but certainly not more; and Dredlinton. Dredlinton's rabbit, of course. He hasn't got a bob. There's money enough amon

ver the world, you know, and this year, except in the States and Cana

hat three quarters of the wheat of the country is in their hands, and mind you, they sell nothing. The price goes up and up, just the same as the price of their shares has rise

nment interference," Kendrick observed. "Ga

nds what to do," White scoffed, "and by that time these

yawned. "I think I shall cut work on Fri

do the same," his compa

to be made out of them o

ts not to touch them.-H

's S

iends with a smile. She was attired in the smartest of garden-party frocks, her brown eyes were clear and attractive, her complexion freckled but pleasant, her m

not to touch what?" she enqui

shook h

he advised, "and don't dabble in what you don't understand. The Stock Exchan

ldwin made a

they are positively stingy. Even Jimmy here only gave me a sovereign for picking him up at St. James' Street, waiting twenty minut

d Imperial

Wilshaw-suddenly dropped his eyegla

he demanded. "They're large holders of w

comment. "Directly they leave off it will drop, and whe

seat by Sarah's side and swung

boy, why should they leave o

re is a little more wheat in the wor

ent on his way to this country--if he is not already here, by the by-one of the shrewdest and finest speculators in the wo

e asked with interest. "Why hav

te,' so I thought that I had better keep it to myself. His boat was due in Liverpool several days

ut him? I love American millionaires who do things in Wall Street and fight

that young man growled, w

hipps. What happened I don't exactly know," he went on ruminatively. "Phipps couldn't have squeezed him, or we should have heard about it, but somehow or other the two got at loggerheads, for it's common knowledge am

nd settled down once more in her chair. "Tell me more about Mr. Wingate, please. Mr. Phipps I know, of

to back. Wingate has sentiment and Phipps has none; conscience of which Phipps hasn't a shred, and a sense of honour with which Phipps was certainly never troubled. These points are all against him in a mar

red. "Now tell us where

in this present deal, at any rate, he has marvellous support, so that financially he must tower over Wingate. Then, too, I think he understands the tricks of the market better over here, and he has a very dangerous confederate in Skinflint Martin. What that ol

y lady of great social gifts and immense volubility, appeared, having for her escort a tall, well-groomed man of youthful middle

exclaimed. "I want you all to know my g

ate, and Kendrick and he exchan

to Sarah Baldwin. She's a capricious little minx, and, besides, she's engaged to Jimmy there, though heaven knows whether they'll ever get married.-There! I knew it! My own particular Bishop being lured into c

newcomer seated himself b

e here. We imagined you dashing in a great motor-car from Liverpool to your office in the City, dictating letters, speaking

iled good-

ng, and I will let you know whether

eady we were picturing to ourselves poor Dreadnought Phipps, the first of your victims, seeking for an asylum in the Stock Exchange Almshouses; an

s eyes t

ge that you have been di

anaries," h

ift of picturesque similies. Still, I have just been telling them that one reason why I wouldn't

ling in foodstuffs is one of them. But, Miss Baldwin," he went on, turning towards her, "why do we talk finance on such a wonderful afternoon, and so far away fro

not in the least in touch with us. On the Stock Exchange they do little, nowadays, I am told, but invent stories which the members can tell only to other men's wives, and up in the west

ked, "I had no idea thin

ingratiatingly, "is yo

d Imperial

replied, "my opinion would be t

good by selling a bear of

good by not dealing in them at all," Wingate

" Kendrick enquired.

y y

shook

he replied. "I was rather interested in having a glance

on't mean to tell me that you had strength

phone to my brokers. Kendrick here k

isted, "I can't imagine you spendi

y hair cut and my nails manicured; I was measured for four new suits of cloth

"you aren't at all the sort

y n

weren't supposed to buy or sell, that you would have been al

he replied. "One can learn

partial Press where B.

ck obs

s the brief reply. "Still, even

Sarah m

enquired, addressing Wingate for the first time, "what is

wered him d

ould say that Phipps is utterly unscrupulous and possesses every qualification of a blackguard. Rees, his nephew, is completely under his thumb, o

s sentence just as a tall, pale, beautifully gowned woman who ha

nton," Kendrick wh

d Dredlinton's commercial record scarcely entitles h