"Oh, the 'Associated.' They know a lot always, don't they?" jeered
Winston. "Yes, I rung 'em up. They 'couldn't confirm the rumour.'
That's always the way. You can spend half a million a year in leased
wires and special service and subscriptions to news agencies, and
you get the first smell of news like this right here on the floor.
Remember that time when the Northwestern millers sold a hundred and
fifty thousand barrels at one lick? The floor was talking of it
three hours before the news slips were sent 'round, or a single wire
was in. Suppose we had waited for the Associated people or the
Commercial people then?"

"It's that Higgins-Pasha incident, I'll bet," observed Rusbridge,
his eyes snapping.

"I heard something about that this morning," returned Landry. "But
only that it was--"

"There! What did I tell you?" interrupted Rusbridge. "I said it was
everywhere. There's no smoke without some fire. And I wouldn't be a
bit surprised if we get cables before noon that the British War
Office had sent an ultimatum."

And very naturally a few minutes later Winston, at that time
standing on the steps of the corn pit, heard from a certain broker,
who had it from a friend who had just received a despatch from some
one "in the know," that the British Secretary of State for War had
forwarded an ultimatum to the Porte, and that diplomatic relations
between Turkey and England were about to be suspended.