The rain fell in a drizzle, but anxious crowds lined the streets,
dodged into doorways for shelter, or boldly moved across the walks and
the cobbled roadway under the protection of bobbing umbrellas. The news
of the unprecedented jump in Omega in which the price had doubled
thrice in a few minutes, had flown from mouth to mouth, and excitement
was at fever heat.
"That was warm work," said Doddridge Knapp after a moment's halt.
"I was very sorry to have it turn out so," I said.
A grim smile passed over his face.
"I wasn't," he growled good-humoredly. "I thought it was rather neatly
done."
I looked at him in surprise.
"Oh, I forgot that I hadn't seen you," he continued. "And like enough I
shouldn't have told you if I had. The truth is, I found a block of four
thousand shares on Saturday night, and made a combination with them."
"Then the mine is yours?"
"The directors will be."
"But you were buying shares this morning."
"A mere optical illusion, Wilton. I was in fact a seller, for I had
shares to spare."
"It was a very good imitation."
"I don't wonder you were taken in, my boy. Decker was fooled to the
tune of about a million dollars this morning. I thought it was rather
neat for a clean-up."
I thought so, too, and the King of the Street smiled at my exclamations
over his cleverness. But my congratulations were cut short as a small
dark man pressed his way to the corner where we stood, and whispered in
Doddridge Knapp's ear.
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