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　friends；　on　the　fickle　public　that　had　trampled　and　spat　upon　him。　　His　wet　hair　was　hanging　in　strings　upon　his　forehead。　　His　face　was　flushed　and　his　green…gray　eyes　gleamed　like　a　mad　dog's。　　At　intervals　a　jeer　or　a　grunt　of　gratified　appetite　ripped　from　his　mouth　or　nose。　　Like　a　great　lean　spider　he　lay　hid　in　the　center　of　that　vast　net　of　electric　wires；　watching　his　prey　writhe　helpless。　　Pauline；　made　uneasy　by　his　long　isolation；　opened　his　door　and　lookedglanced；　rather。　　As　she　closed　it；　in　haste　to　shut　from　view　that　spectacle　of　a　hungry　monster　at　its　banquet　of　living　flesh；　Culver　saw　her　face。　　Such　an　expression　an　angel　might　have；　did　it　chance　to　glance　down　from　the　battlements　of　heaven　and；　before　it　could　turn　away；　catch　a　glimpse　of　some　orgy　in　hell。

But　Dumont　did　not　hear　the　door　open　and　close。　　He　was　at　the　climax　of　his　feast。

Upon　his　two　maelstroms；　sucking　in　the　wreckage　from　a　dozen　other　explosions　as　well　as　from　those　he　had　directly　caused；　he　could　see　as　well　as　if　he　were　among　the　fascinated；　horrified　spectators　in　the　galleries　of　the　Exchange；　the　mangled　flotsam　whirling　and　descending　and　ascending。　　The　entire　stock　list；　the　entire　speculating　public　of　the　country　was　involved。　　And　expression　of　the　emotions　everywhere　was　by　telegraph　and　telephone　concentrated　in　the　one　hall；　upon　the　faces　and　bodies　of　those　few　hundred　brokers。　　All　the　passions　which　love　of　wealth　and　dread　of　want　breed　in　the　human　animal　were　there　finding　ventall　degrees　and　shades　and　modes　of　greed；　of　hate；　of　fear；　of　despair。　　It　was　like　a　shipwreck　where　the　whole　fleet　is　flung　upon　the　reefs；　and　the　sailors；　drunk　and　insane；　struggle　with　death　each　in　his　own　awful　way。　　It　was　like　the　rout　where　frenzied　victors　ride　after　and　among　frenzied　vanquished　to　shoot　and　stab　and　saber。

And　while　this　battle；　precipitated　by　the　passions　of　a　few　〃captains　of　industry；〃　raged　in　Wall　Street　and　filled　the　nation　with　the　clamor　of　ruined　or　triumphant　gamblers；　ten…score　thousand　toilers　in　the　two　great　enterprises　directly　involved　toiled　tranquilly　onherding　sheep　and　shearing　them；　weaving　cloths　and　dyeing　them；　driving　engines；　handling　freight；　conducting　trains；　usefully　busy；　adding　to　the　sum　of　human　happiness；　subtracting　from　the　sum　of　human　misery。


At　three　o'clock　Dumont　sank　back　among　his　cushions　and　pillows。　　His　child；　his　other　self；　his　Woolens　Monopoly；　was　again　his　own；　his　enemies　were　under　his　heel；　as　much　so　as　those　heaps　and　coils　of　ticker…tape　he　had　been　churning　in　his　excitement。　　〃I'm　dead　tired；〃　he　muttered；　his　face　ghastly；　his　body　relaxed　in　utter　exhaustion。

He　closed　his　eyes。　　〃I　must　sleepI've　earned　it。　　To…morrow〃a　smile　flitted　round　his　mouth〃I'll　hang　their　hides　where　every　coyote　and　vulture　can　see。〃

Toward　four　o'clock　in　came　Doctor　Sackett　and　Culver。　　The　room　was　flooded　with　lightthe　infinite　light　of　the　late…spring　afternoon　reflected　on　the　white　enamel　and　white　brocade　of　walls　and　furniture。　　On　the　floor　in　the　heaps　and　coils　of　ticker…tape　lay　Dumont。

In　his　struggles　the　tape　had　wound　round　and　round　his　legs；　his　arms；　his　neck。　　It　lay　in　a　curling；　coiling　mat；　like　a　serpent's　head；　upon　his　throat；　where　his　hands　clutched　the　collar　of　his　pajamas。

Sackett　knelt　beside　him；　listening　at　his　chest；　feeling　for　his　pulse　in　vain。　　And　Culver　stood　by；　staring　stupidly　at　the　now　worthless　instrument　of　his　ambition　for　wealth　and　power。



XXVIII。

AFTER　THE　LONG　WINTER。


Within　two　hours　Langdon；　in　full　control；　had　arranged　with　Tavistock　to　make　the　imperiled　victory　secure。　　Thus；　not　until　the　next　day　but　one　did　it　come　out　that　the　cataclysm　had　been　caused　by　a　man　ruined　and　broken　and　with　his　back　against　death's　door　to　hold　it　shut；　that　Dumont　himself　had　turned　the　triumphing　host　of　his　enemies　into　a　flying　mob；　in　its　panic　flinging　away　its　own　possessions　as　well　as　its　booty。

Perhaps　the　truth　never　would　have　been　known；　perhaps　Langdon　would　have　bribed　Tavistock　to　silence　and　would　have　posed　as　the　conquering　genius；　had　he　found　out　a　day　earlier　how　Dumont　had　put　himself　in　funds。　　As　it　was；　this　discovery　did　not　come　too　late　for　him　to　seize　the　opportunity　that　was　his　through　Dumont's　secret　methods；　Pauline's　indifference　to　wealth　and　his　own　unchecked　authority。　　He　has　got　many　an　hour　ofstrictly　privatemental　gymnastics　out　of　the　moral　problem　he　saw；　in　his　keeping　for　himself　and　Gladys　the　spoils　he　gathered　up。　　He　is　inclined　to　think　he　was　intelligent　rather　than　right；　but；　knowing　his　weakness　for　self…criticism；　he　never　gives　a　positive　verdict　against　himself。　　That；　however；　is　unimportant；　as　he　is　not　the　man　to　permit　conscience　to　influence　conduct　in　grave　matters。

He　feels　that；　in　any　case；　he　did　not　despoil　Pauline　or　Gardiner。　　For；　after　he　had　told　her　what　Dumont　didand　to　protect　himself　he　hastened　to　tell　itshe　said：　　〃Whatever　there　may　be；　it's　all　for　Gardiner。　　I　waive　my　own　rights；　if　I　have　any。　　But　you　must　give　me　your　word　of　honor　that　you　won't　let　anything　tainted　pass　to　him。〃　　Langdon；　judging　with　the　delicacy　of　a　man　of　honor　put　on　honor；　was　able　to　find　little　such　wealth。

He　gives　himself　most　of　the　credit　for　Gardiner's　turning　out　so　well〃Inherited　riches　are　a　hopeless　handicap；〃　he　often　says　to　Gladys　when　they　are　talking　over　the　future　of　their　children。

Pauline

The　first　six　months　of　her　new　life；　of　her　resumed　life；　she　spent　in　Europe　with　her　father　and　mother　and　Gardiner。　　Late　in　the　fall　they　were　back　at　Saint　X；　at　the　old　house　in　Jefferson　Street。　　In　the　following　June　came　Scarborough。　　She　was　in　the　garden；　was　waiting　for　him；　was　tying　up　a　tall　rose；　whose　splendid；　haughty　head　had　bent　under　the　night's　rain。

He　was　quite　near　her　when　she　heard　his　step　and　turned。　　He　stood；　looked　at　herthe　look　she　had　seen　that　last　afternoon　at　Battle　Field。　　He　came　slowly　up　and　took　both　her　hands。

〃After　all　the　waiting　and　longing　and　hoping；〃　he　said；　〃at　lastyou！　　I　can't　put　it　into　wordsexcept　to　sayjustPauline！〃

She　drew　a　long　breath；　her　gaze　met　his。　　And　in　her　eyes　he　saw　a　flame　that　had　never　shone　clearly　there　beforethe　fire　of　her　own　real　self；　free　and　proud。　　〃Once　you　told　me　about　your　father　and　motherhow　he　caredcared　always。〃

〃I　remember；〃　he　answered。

〃WellII；〃　said　Pauline；　〃I　care　as　SHE　must　have　cared　when　she　gave　him　herselfand　YOU。〃






End