this, that these four men who have dined with me here to-night, with
myself, are under a solemn covenant to conduct all our operations upon
the market and in finance, whether in this country or in Europe,
absolutely in unison. We control practically an unlimited capital, and
we pool all profits. We never speculate individually, at least that is a
condition of our agreement. You may not understand this, but such a
combination as ours, honestly adhered to, can do what it likes with the
money-markets anywhere. We can bend them to our will. We buy or sell,
and our profits are sure. We keep our agreement secret, but even then it
is guessed at. I can assure you that we are probably the five best hated
men in America. During the last two years we have made great fortunes.
Our system is perfect. So far as the acquisition of wealth goes, there
could be no object in any treachery, and yet one of these five men is
playing a double game, if not more."

"You have found him out?" she asked breathlessly.

He shook his head.

"It is not so easy," he said, "only I know. To-night," he continued,
lowering his voice almost to a whisper, "a new suspicion has come to me.
I have an idea that there is a scheme, in which all four are concerned,
for ruining me and sharing the plunder,"

"It is infamous!" she cried, turning pale.

He smiled slowly. It was the smile she hated. It seemed to change his
face from the similitude of a benevolent divine to something hard,
almost satanic.