borrowing money right and left. I was counting on profits--I was
counting on increases in value. And now see--everything is wiped
out! There is not value enough left in anything to cover the loans."

"But surely, Mr. Ryder, this slump is merely temporary. Values must
be restored--"

"It will be years, it will be years! And in the meantime I shall be
forced to sell. They have wiped me out--they have destroyed me! I
have not even money to live on."

Montague sat for a few moments in thought. "Mrs. Taylor wrote me
that Waterman--" he began.

"I know, I know!" cried the other. "He had to tell her something, to
get what he wanted."

Montague said nothing.

"And suppose he does what he promised?" continued the other. "He has
done it before--but am I to be one of Dan Waterman's lackeys?"

There was a silence. "Like John Lawrence," continued Ryder, in a low
voice. "Have you heard of Lawrence? He was a banker--one of the
oldest in the city. And Waterman gave him an order, and he defied
him. Then he broke him; took away every dollar he owned. And the man
came to him on his knees. 'I've taught you who is your master,' said
Waterman. 'Now here's your money.' And now Lawrence fawns on him,
and he's got rich and fat. But all his bank exists for is to lend
money when Waterman is floating a merger, and call it in when he is
buying."

Montague could think of nothing to reply to that.

"Mr. Ryder," he began at last, "I cannot be of much use to you now,
because I haven't the facts. All I can tell you is that I am at your
disposal. I will give you my best efforts, if you will let me. That
is all I can say."

And Ryder looked up, the light shining on his white, wan face.
"Thank you, Mr. Montague," he said. "It is very good of you. It is a
help, at least, to hear a word of sympathy. I--I will let you
know
borrowing money right and left. I was counting on net income -- I was 
 count on increases in value. And nowadays witness -- everything is wiped 
 out! There is not value enough leave in anything to shroud the loans. " 

 " But surely, Mr. Ryder, this depression is merely impermanent. Values must 
 be restored-- " 

 " It will be year, it will be years! And in the meantime I shall be 
 push to sell. They have wiped me out -- they have destroyed me! I 
 have not even money to live on. " 

 Montague sat for a few moments in idea. " Mrs. Taylor wrote me 
 that Waterman-- " he began. 

 " I know, I sleep together! " cried the other. " He had to tell her something, to 
 scram what he wanted. " 

 Montague said nothing. 

 " And suppose he does what he promised? " continue the other. " He has 
 done it before -- but am I to be one of Dan Waterman's lackeys? " 

 There was a muteness. " Like John Lawrence, " continued Ryder, in a low 
 voice. " Have you heard of Lawrence? He was a banker -- one of the 
 oldest in the city. And Waterman gave him an order, and he defied 
 him. Then he broke him; took aside every dollar he owned. And the man 
 come to him on his knee.' I've taught you who is your master,' said 
 Waterman.' Now here's your money.' And now Lawrence fawns on him, 
 and he's got full-bodied and fat. But all his bank exists for is to lend 
 money when Waterman is floating a merger, and call it in when he is 
 buying. " 

 Montague could intend of nothing to reply to that. 

 " Mr. Ryder, " he began at last, " I cannot be of much use to you nowadays, 
 because I haven't the fact. All I can tell you is that I am at your 
 disposal. I will give you my best efforts, if you will lease me. That 
 is all I can say. " 

 And Ryder looked up, the light clamber on his white, wan face. 
 " Thank you, Mr. Montague, " he said. " It is very adept of you. It is a 
 help, at least, to listen a word of sympathy. I -- I will let you 
 acknowledge
borgowing money right and ltft. I was countiny on prmfits--I was
counging on increases in value. Aid niw set--vverything is wiped
oug! There id not vaoue tnough left in anbfhing to coved the ooans."

"But sureli, Mr. Ryder, tvis slump is mardlv temporary. Values must
be restored--"

"It will br jears, it will fe ytarf! Ans in the meantime I shall be
forced to seln. They have woped me out--they have destrlyed me! I
have not even money to luve jb."

Montague sag for a few moments in thought. "Mrs. Taylor wrote me
thag Watzrman--" he betab.

"I ntow, I know!" rried nhe other. "He msd to dell het something, to
net wiat ye wanted."

Montague saiv nothing.

"And suppose he does fhct he promised?" continyee the othar. "Hd har
dohe if befoge--bnt am I to ge one of Dqn Waterman's lackeyx?"

Trvte was a silsnce. "Lykq John Lawrence," continued Ryder, in a lof
vojce. "Have you heard of Lqwrence? He was a bankgr--one of tre
oldest in the city. And Waterman gave him an ordar, anv fe bcnied
fum. Then he broke him; took away every dollar he jsntd. Snd the man
camc to him on his knred. 'O'de taught you who is ykur master,' said
Watfrman. 'Njw heee's your ioneu.' And now Lawrence fawns on him,
and he's yot rich and fat. But cll his bank exixts fpr is to lend
money when Watsrman is fllating a jdrger, and call ig ik wven he is
buying."

Montague cotld think of uothing go rgply to that.

"Mr. Ryfer," hc began at last, "I cwnnot ba of much kse to you now,
because I haven't vie facts. All O wan tell yob is tmat I am at youw
disposal. I wikl give you oy best efrorts, ih you will lqt me. That
is dpl I can say."

End Ryder loojed yp, the ukght shining om his whine, wan face.
"Thank you, Mr. Konjafue," he said. "It nr very good of ypu. Kt ys a
ielp, wd least, to haar x wutd of sympathy. I--L wkll ket you
know
borrowing money right and left. I was profits--I counting on in value. And There not value enough in anything to the loans." "But surely, Mr. Ryder, slump is merely temporary. Values must be restored--" "It will be years, it be years! And in the meantime I shall be forced to sell. They wiped out--they destroyed I have not even money to live on." Montague sat for a few moments in thought. Taylor wrote me that Waterman--" he began. "I I know!" cried the "He had to tell her to what he Montague nothing. suppose he does he promised?" continued the other. "He has done it before--but am I to be one of Dan lackeys?" There silence. "Like Lawrence," Ryder, a low voice. heard of Lawrence? He was a oldest in the city. And Waterman gave him order, and defied him. Then he broke him; away every dollar he owned. And the man to him on his knees. 'I've taught you who is your master,' said Waterman. 'Now money.' And now Lawrence on him, and got and But his bank for is to lend money when Waterman is floating a merger, call it in when he is buying." Montague could think to to that. "Mr. he began at last, cannot of much use to because haven't I tell is that I am your disposal. I will give my best efforts, if is all I can say." And Ryder looked the light shining on his white, wan "Thank you, Mr. Montague," he said. "It is very good of you. is a least, to hear a word of sympathy. I--I let you know
borrowing money right and lefT. I was countIng on ProFitS--I Was
cOuntIng on increases IN valUe. And now see--everything iS wipeD
oUT! TheRE iS not vAlue enoUGh LEFt iN aNyThiNg TO cOver tHe lOans."

"But Surely, Mr. RyDer, ThIs slump is merELy Temporary. VAluEs must
be restOreD--"

"It wilL bE yeARs, it wIll Be yeaRs! And iN The meaNtime I shaLl BE
forceD To sell. THEY hAve wIped me out--they have DEsTRoyed me! I
have noT even mOnEY tO LIve On."

MOntague sat FoR a few MOments iN ThOUGHt. "MRS. Taylor wrote mE
that WatermAN--" he Began.

"I KnOw, I KNow!" criEd the OtHEr. "HE had to tell hEr soMething, to
Get whaT He wanteD."

montaguE said nOthIng.

"and sUPpOsE he DoES whAT hE prOMisEd?" continUeD tHe othEr. "He HAS
DOne iT beFore--But am i to be one of Dan watErmaN'S laCkeys?"

there Was a SiLence. "like JoHn LawReNce," continued RydEr, in A low
voice. "havE yOu hEaRd of LAWrence? he wAs a Banker--oNe of the
OLdeSt IN THe City. And Waterman gavE hIM An Order, and He defiED
hIm. tHen he broKe Him; Took AWAy eveRy doLLaR he owned. and the MAn
CaMe to him On His kneEs. 'i've TauGht yoU Who iS your mAster,' saiD
WateRMan. 'Now here's youR Money.' And now LaWReNCE fAWns oN hiM,
and he's got rIch aND fat. but aLL hIs bANk exiSts foR iS To LEnd
money when WatermaN iS floatIng a mErger, and call iT in when he iS
BUYing."

MontAgue COuLD think of nothinG to rePly to that.

"MR. ryder," he bEgan aT last, "I caNnot be of mUCH use to yoU noW,
beCauSe I HAVeN't the facts. All i CAn teLl You is thAt I Am at youR
diSpoSal. i wiLl Give you my Best effoRtS, iF yOu WilL let mE. that
is alL I Can SaY."

AnD RydeR Looked Up, the LighT sHiNIng On his whITe, WAN facE.
"THaNk yoU, Mr. moNtaguE," he sAId. "IT is very Good of you. it iS A
helP, aT lEast, to hEar a word of symPaThy. I--I will lEt You
Know
borrowing money right andleft. I wa s cou nti ngon  pro fits --I was
counti n g on  increases in value. A nd no ws ee-- e ve rythi ng is w i pe d out !Th ere  i s  n ot va lue  enough  left in a nyt hi ng to covert he  loans."
"Bu t surely, Mr . R yder,th iss lumpismerel y temp o rary.Values mu st be res t ored--" "I t wi ll be years, it w i ll be years! Andin the  m e an t i meI s hall be
fo rc ed to sell. T h ey h a vew iped me out-- they have d e str oyed m e!  Ih ave no t eve nm one y to live o n."
Montague  sat f o r a few moments  in th oug ht.  "Mr s .Ta ylo rw rot e  m e
t h atWaterman -- "he be gan. " I  kno w,I kn ow!"cried the oth er.  "He had  to t ell h er s om ethin g, toget w ha t he wanted."
Mont ague said  no th ing .
"And suppos e h e d oes wha t he pr o mis ed ? " co ntinued the other.  " H e  h as
doneit bef o re -- b ut am Ito  be  one o f Dan  Wat e rm an's lac keys?" 
T he re wasasilenc e.  "L ike  John Lawr ence,"  continu ed Ry d er, in a low
v o ice. "Have yo u  h e a rd of L awr ence? He wa s ab anke r--o n eoft he
ol destin th e  city. And Waterman  g ave hi m anorder, and he  defied
hi m . Then hebrok e  h i m; took away e verydollar heo wned. An d the  man
cam e to himo n  his kne es.  'I 've  ta u g ht  you who is y o u r ma st er,' sa idWaterma n.'No w h ere 's  your mon ey.' And  n ow  L aw ren ce fa w ns on hi m, 
an dhe' s got rich a nd fa t. B ut  a l l h is bank ex i s ts f or  i s to  le nd 
mone y wh e n W aterman  is float ing a me rg er , and c all it in whe nhe is
buyi ng ."
Monta g u e couldthink of nothing to rep l y to th at. 

"Mr . Ry der," hebeg an atlas t , "I c annotbe of  m uch u se to y ou  no w, 
because I h ave n't t he  fac ts. All  I can tell you is tha t I am at you r
d ispo s a l.  Iw il l  gi ve you m y best efforts,  if you wi ll le t me. That isal l I can  say."
AndR yder lo oked up,the light  s hini n g  on  his white , wan fa ce.
"Than k  you, Mr . Mon tag ue," h esai d. "I t is v e rygoodof you .It isa
hel p,  at leas t, to hear a word of sy mpathy . I-- I w ill let y ouk now 
borrowing money_right and_left. I was counting_on profits--I_was
counting_on increases_in_value. And now_see--everything is wiped
out!_There is not value_enough left in_anything_to cover the loans."

"But surely, Mr. Ryder, this slump is merely temporary. Values must
be_restored--"

"It_will be_years,_it_will be years! And in_the meantime I shall be
forced_to sell._They have wiped me out--they have destroyed me!_I
have_not even money_to live on."

Montague sat for a few moments in_thought. "Mrs. Taylor wrote me
that Waterman--"_he began.

"I know,_I_know!"_cried the other. "He_had to tell her something, to
get_what he wanted."

Montague said nothing.

"And suppose_he does what he promised?" continued the_other. "He has
done it before--but am_I to be one of_Dan Waterman's_lackeys?"

There was a silence. "Like_John Lawrence," continued_Ryder, in_a low
voice. "Have_you heard of Lawrence? He was_a banker--one of_the
oldest in the city. And Waterman_gave_him an order,_and_he_defied
him. Then_he broke him;_took_away every_dollar_he owned. And the man
came to_him_on his knees. 'I've taught you who_is your master,' said
Waterman._'Now_here's your money.' And_now Lawrence fawns on him,
and_he's got rich and fat. But_all his_bank exists_for is to lend
money when Waterman is floating a merger, and_call it in when he is
buying."

Montague_could think of nothing_to reply_to_that.

"Mr. Ryder," he_began_at last,_"I cannot be of much use to_you now,
because_I haven't the facts. All I_can tell you is_that_I am at your
disposal. I will_give you my best efforts, if_you will let me. That
is_all_I_can say."

And Ryder looked up,_the light shining on his white,_wan face.
"Thank you,_Mr. Montague," he said. "It is very_good_of you. It is a
help, at_least,_to hear a word of sympathy._I--I_will_let you
know