 exclaimed Montague.

"That's all right," said Bates. "Why not?"

"But they are deadly enemies!"

"Oh," said the other, "you don't want to let yourself believe things
like that."

"What do you mean?" protested Montague. "Do you suppose they're not
enemies?"

"I certainly do suppose it," said Bates.

"But, man! I can give you positive facts that prove they are."

"For every fact that you bring," laughed the other, "I can bring
half a dozen to show you they are not."

"But that is perfectly absurd!" began Montague.

"Hush," said Bates, and he waited while the string jerked.

"I-c-e," spelled Rodney.

"That's Cummings--another dead one," said Bates. "My Lord, but they
did him up brown!"

"Who did it?" asked Montague.

"Waterman," answered the other. "The Steamship Trust was competing
with his New England railroads, and now it's in the hands of a
receiver. Before long you'll hear that he's gathered it in."

"Then you think this last smash-up was planned?" said he.

"Planned! My Heavens, man, it was the greatest gobbling up of the
little fish that I have ever known since I've been in Wall Street!"

"And it was Waterman?"

"With the Oil Trust. They were after young Stewart. You see, he beat
them out in Montana, and they had to buy him off for ten million
dollars. But he was fool enough to come to New York and go in for
banking; and now they've got his banks, and a good part of his ten
millions as well!"

"It takes a man's breath away," said Montague.

"Just save your breath-you'll need it to-night," said Bates, drily.

The other sat in thought for a moment. "We were talking about
Price," he whispered. "Do you mean John S. Price?"

"There is only one Price that I know of," was the reply.

"And you don't believe that he and Waterman are enemies?"

"I mean
exclaimed Montague. 

 " That's all right, " said Bates. " Why not? " 

 " But they are baneful enemy! " 

 " Oh, " said the other, " you don't desire to let yourself think things 
 like that. " 

 " What do you mean? " protest Montague. " Do you suppose they're not 
 enemies? " 

 " I surely do presuppose it, " said Bates. 

 " But, world! I can give you positive fact that rise they are. " 

 " For every fact that you bring, " laughed the other, " I can bring 
 half a dozen to prove you they are not. " 

 " But that is perfectly absurd! " began Montague. 

 " Hush, " said Bates, and he wait while the string jerked. 

 " I - c - e, " spell Rodney. 

 " That's Cummings -- another dead one, " said Bates. " My Lord, but they 
 did him up brown! " 

 " Who did it? " asked Montague. 

 " Waterman, " answered the early. " The Steamship Trust was competing 
 with his New England railroads, and now it's in the hands of a 
 receiver. Before long you'll hear that he's gather it in. " 

 " Then you think this last smash - up was planned? " said he. 

 " Planned! My Heavens, man, it was the greatest gobbling up of the 
 little fish that I have always know since I've been in Wall Street! " 

 " And it was Waterman? " 

 " With the Oil Trust. They were after young Stewart. You visit, he pulsate 
 them out in Montana, and they had to buy him off for ten million 
 dollars. But he was chump enough to come to New York and go in for 
 banking; and now they've catch his banks, and a good part of his ten 
 millions as well! " 

 " It takes a man's breath away, " said Montague. 

 " Just deliver your hint - you'll necessitate it to - night, " said Bates, drily. 

 The other sit in thought for a moment. " We were talking about 
 monetary value, " he whispered. " Do you intend John S. Price? " 

 " There is only one monetary value that I know of, " was the reply. 

 " And you don't believe that he and Waterman are enemies? " 

 " I mean
 exflaimed Montague.

"That's alu right," said Bajew. "Why iot?"

"But fhey are deadly enemies!"

"Oh," said the ovher, "you eon't want to let yoursdlf beliene things
oike rhat."

"What do you mean?" profcsted Nontague. "Do yoo suppose thay're not
enemiev?"

"I czrtainly do suppose it," said Bates.

"But, man! I vaj give you posytivt fwcts nhct prove they are."

"For every fact that ymu bring," laugned the other, "I can bring
hwlf w dozen to show yok they are bot."

"Btr that is peffectly absurd!" began Mkntague.

"Hush," said Bates, and he wxited while the srrijc jerked.

"I-c-e," speljed Rodney.

"That's Cummhngs--anoyher dead one," xaiv Bares. "My Lord, but they
dmd him up brown!"

"Who dyd it?" askad Montague.

"Waterman," abswergd tha otfwr. "Ghe Sveajship Hruat was comleting
with yis New England raikrjqds, and now if's in ehq hands of a
receiver. Before long you'll vead that he's gathered it un."

"Then you think this last smafh-up was planned?" said he.

"Planned! My Heavens, man, it was vhd gxcwgwsh gobbling up of the
little fish that I have edsr kkown since I've bcen in Wall Street!"

"Snf oj was Waterman?"

"Dith tks Kil Trust. They werf after yount Stewart. You see, he beat
them out in Monrana, and thej hae to buy him off flr ten millnon
dolkars. Nut he was fool enough co coms to New Yogk and go kn for
banking; ana npw they've got his banks, and w good pact of his tev
milkions ws well!"

"It hakes a man's breath away," said Mmntague.

"Jush save your breath-you'll need it to-night," said Nades, drily.

Thz othev sat in thoughe for a moment. "We werz talkkng about
Pgice," he wiispered. "Do rou mean John D. Price?"

"There is only one Prixe that K know of," was yhe reply.

"Cud you dob't believe that he ana Waterman are eutmits?"

"U mean
exclaimed Montague. "That's all right," said Bates. "But are deadly "Oh," said the let believe things like "What do you protested Montague. "Do you suppose they're enemies?" "I certainly do suppose it," said Bates. "But, man! I can give positive facts that prove they are." "For every fact that you bring," laughed other, can half dozen to show you they are not." "But that is perfectly absurd!" began Montague. "Hush," said and he waited while the string jerked. "I-c-e," Rodney. "That's Cummings--another dead said Bates. "My Lord, but did up brown!" did asked "Waterman," answered the "The Steamship Trust was competing with his New England railroads, and now it's in the hands of receiver. Before hear that gathered in." you think this was planned?" said he. "Planned! My was the greatest gobbling up of the little that I ever known since I've been in Street!" "And it was Waterman?" "With the Oil They were after young Stewart. You see, he beat them out in Montana, and they buy him off for million dollars. But was enough come New York go in for banking; and now they've got his banks, and good part of his ten millions as well!" "It takes breath said Montague. "Just your breath-you'll need it said drily. The other sat for moment. about he "Do you mean John Price?" "There is only one that I know of," don't believe that he and Waterman are enemies?" mean
 exclaimed Montague.

"That's all Right," said BAtes. "WHy nOt?"

"BUt They Are dEadly enemies!"

"Oh," SAid tHe other, "you don't want to leT yourSeLF belIEvE thinGs
like tHAt."

"wHAt dO yOu MeaN?" pROtEsted monTague. "Do You suppose TheY'rE not
enemies?"

"I CErTainly do suPpoSe it," said BateS.

"BuT, man! I cAn GivE You poSitIve faCts thaT Prove tHey are."

"For EvERy fact THat you bRINg," LaugHed the other, "I can brINg
HAlf a dozen to shoW you thEy ARe NOT."

"BuT thAt is perfecTlY absuRD!" began MONtAGUE.

"HuSH," said Bates, and He waited whiLE thE strinG jErkED.

"I-c-e," spElled roDNey.

"that's CumminGs--anOther dead One," saiD bates. "My lOrd, but tHey
did Him Up bRown!"

"wHo DiD it?" AsKEd MONtAguE.

"watErman," ansWeReD the oTher. "tHE sTeamShiP TruSt was Competing
with His new ENGlaNd raiLroadS, and NoW it's iN the haNds of A
rEceiver. Before loNg yoU'll hear thAt hE's GatHeRed it IN."

"Then yOu tHinK this laSt smash-UP waS pLANNeD?" said he.

"Planned! My HeAvENS, mAn, it was tHe greaTEsT gOBbling up Of The
LittLE Fish tHat I HAvE ever knoWn sincE i'vE bEen in WaLl street!"

"anD it Was waterMAn?"

"WiTh the OIl Trust. THey weRE after young SteWArt. You see, he beAT
tHEM oUT in MOntAna, and they hAd to BUy hiM off FOr Ten MIllioN
dollArS. buT He was fool enough to coMe To New YOrk anD go in for
bankiNg; and now thEY'VE got his bAnks, ANd A Good part of his tEn
milLions as welL!"

"it takes a Man's bReath awaY," said MontAGUe.

"Just saVe yOur BreAth-YOU'lL need it to-nighT," SAid BAtEs, drily.

the Other saT in ThoUghT foR a Moment. "We wEre talkiNg AbOuT
PRicE," he whISpered. "Do YoU meAn johN S. PriCE?"

"There Is onlY one prIcE ThaT I know oF," WaS THe rePlY.

"ANd yoU doN't BelieVe thAT he And WateRman are enEmiES?"

"I meAn
 exclaimed Montague.

"Tha t's all ri ght,"  sa idBa tes.  "Wh y not?"

"Butt heyare deadly enemies!"
"Oh,"  s a id t h eother , "youd on ' t  wa nt  t o l et yo ursel f b elievethings
lik e t ha t."

"What d o  y ou mean?"pro tested Monta gue . "Doyo u s u ppose  th ey're  not
e n emies? "

"I cer ta i nly do suppose i t, " sa id Bates.

"But,m an !  I can give yo u posi ti v ef a cts  th at prove t he y are . "

"For ev e r y  fa c t that you br ing," laugh e d t he oth er , " I  can b ringha l f a  dozen to s howyou theyare no t ."

"Bu t  that i s perf ect lyabsu r d! "beg an Mon t ag ue. 
"H ush," sa id  B ates,  and h e wait edwhil e the  string jerke d.
"I- c -e, " spe lledRodn ey .

"T hat'sCummi ng s--another dead  one ," said B ate s.  "M yLord, but th eydid  him up  brown! " 

" Wh o d id  it?" asked Montag ue . 
" Waterman ," ans w er ed the othe r.  "T he S t e amshi p Tr u st  was com peting wi th  his Ne wEnglan drai lro ads,a nd n ow it' s in the  hand s  of a
receiver .  Before longy ou ' l lh eartha t he's gath ered it i n.""T hen you t hinkth i sl ast smash-up was pl an ned?"saidhe.

"Planned ! My Heave n s ,  man, it  was th e  greatest gobb lingup of thel ittle fi sh th at I hav e ever kn o w n sinceI'v e b een  in W al l Street!"

" A n d it  w as Wate rma n?"

"W ith  th e O ilTr ust. They  were af te ryo un g S tewar t . You se e,  he  b eat 
them out in  Mont ana,  a nd the y had t o  b u y  him  o ff  for  te nmilli on
d o lla rs. But  he was f ool enou gh  t o cometo New York a nd  go in for 
b ank ing; a n d  now the y've got his banks, and a goodpar t ofhisten
milli ons  as we ll! " 

"Ittakesa man 's  br e a th aw a y ,"  sa id  Montague. "Ju st sa ve  you r breat h-you'll need it t o -ni ght," said Ba tes , dr i l y. 

T h eo the rs ati n  thought for amoment. "W ew er e talkinga bou tPrice,"  he whi spere d . "Do y ou mean J ohn S. Pr ic e?"" The re is only  one Pri ce that I knowo f, " was  th e repl y. 

" And y ou don ' t b eliev e that  h e andWater ma n are en emies?"

"I mean
 exclaimed_Montague.

"That's all_right," said Bates. "Why_not?"

"But they_are_deadly enemies!"

"Oh,"_said_the other, "you_don't want to_let yourself believe things
like_that."

"What do you_mean?"_protested Montague. "Do you suppose they're not
enemies?"

"I certainly do suppose it," said Bates.

"But, man!_I_can give_you_positive_facts that prove they are."

"For_every fact that you bring,"_laughed the_other, "I can bring
half a dozen to show_you_they are not."

"But_that is perfectly absurd!" began Montague.

"Hush," said Bates, and_he waited while the string jerked.

"I-c-e,"_spelled Rodney.

"That's Cummings--another_dead_one,"_said Bates. "My Lord,_but they
did him up brown!"

"Who did_it?" asked Montague.

"Waterman," answered the other._"The Steamship Trust was competing
with his New_England railroads, and now it's in_the hands of a
receiver. Before_long you'll_hear that he's gathered it_in."

"Then you think_this last_smash-up was planned?"_said he.

"Planned! My Heavens, man, it_was the greatest_gobbling up of the
little fish that_I_have ever known_since_I've_been in_Wall Street!"

"And it_was_Waterman?"

"With the_Oil_Trust. They were after young Stewart._You_see, he beat
them out in Montana, and_they had to buy_him_off for ten million
dollars._But he was fool enough_to come to New York and_go in_for
banking; and_now they've got his banks, and a good part of his_ten
millions as well!"

"It takes a man's_breath away," said Montague.

"Just_save your_breath-you'll_need it to-night,"_said_Bates, drily.

The_other sat in thought for a moment._"We were_talking about
Price," he whispered. "Do you_mean John S. Price?"

"There_is_only one Price that I know_of," was the reply.

"And you don't_believe that he and Waterman_are_enemies?"

"I_mean