The Market-Place by Harold Frederic
page 46 of 485 (09%)
page 46 of 485 (09%)
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money--they must pay me my own price for them, or be
ruined men. The moment they realize the situation, they will begin offering a premium for Rubber Consols. The price of a one-pound share will be two pounds, then four--six--ten--twenty--thirty--whatever I want to drive it to." Louisa stared up at him with wide open eyes. It seemed to her that she understood now. It was very exciting. "You see," he went on, taking approving note of the new light of comprehension in her glance, "we did something that Tuesday afternoon beside buy up these shares. Semple rushed off to his office, and he and his clerks got up a lot of dummy applications for shares, made out in all the different names they could be safe in using, and they put these into the bank with the application money--Semple found that--and next day he went and saw the advertising agent and the solicitor and the auditors--and got them to pool the shares that I've promised to give them. A pool? That means they agree to transfer their shares to me as trustee, and let me deal with them as I like--of course to their advantage. In any case, their shares are vendor's shares, and couldn't be dealt with in this transaction. So you see the thing is hermetically sealed. Nobody can get a share except from me, and at my price. But these fellows that have sold them--they've got to have them, don't you see. They had their little temporary joke with me on the street that afternoon--and now they must walk up to the captain's |
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