for his sake, your sake, and the sake of--PHIL DEMOREST."

Stacy put the letter back in its envelope, and tossing it grimly aside
went on with his calculations. Presently he stopped, restored the letter
to his cabinet, and rang a bell on his table. "Send Mr. North here,"
he said to the negro messenger. In a few moments his chief book-keeper
appeared in the doorway.

"Turn to the Branch ledger and bring me a statement of Mr. George
Barker's account."

"He was here a moment ago," said North, essaying a confidential look
towards his chief.

"I know it," said Stacy coolly, without looking up.

"He's been running a good deal on wildcat lately," suggested North.

"I asked for his account, and not your opinion of it," said Stacy
shortly.

The subordinate withdrew somewhat abashed but still curious, and
returned presently with a ledger which he laid before his chief. Stacy
ran his eyes over the list of Barker's securities; it seemed to him that
all the wildest schemes of the past year stared him in the face. His
finger, however, stopped on the Wide West Extension. "Mr. Barker will be
wanting to sell some of this stock. What is it quoted at now?"

"Sixty."