action he must urge and bring about, would knock the bottom out of
Northern Consolidated. It must fall to twenty by every rule of
speculation. Facing collection by the government of those claims for
lands ravished and pine trees swept away, to say naught of losing
original grants which were as its life-blood to Northern Consolidated,
the value of the stock--to speak most hopefully in its favor--would be
diminished by one-half.

The conspirators grew in confidence as they talked, and at the end
looked upon Northern Consolidated as already in their talons. They named
the old gray buccaneer to manage for the pool. The amount to be paid in
by each of the eight members--for they counted Senator Hanway--was
settled at five hundred thousand dollars. Four millions would be
required to start the ball rolling; the "bear" movement in the beginning
would demand margins. Once under headway, it would take care of itself.
It would succeed like a barrel downhill.

Storri did not protest the suggestion of the old gray buccaneer that
four millions be contributed to form a working capital for the pool. His
share of a half-million meant fifty thousand more dollars than Storri at
the time possessed, but he did not propose to have the others discover
the fact. Somehow he would scrape together those fifty thousand; his
note might do. Being, like every savage, a congenital gambler, Storri
went into the pool with zest as well as confidence, and rejoiced in
speculation that offered chances wide enough to employ his last dollar
in the stake. Moreover, those four millions would not be asked for
before the first of January. Other speculations might intervene, and
provide those lacking fifty thousand.

Mr. Harley laid the Storri project, and the plans of the pool to seize