that only the born speculator knows, warned him. Every now and then
during the course of his business career, this intuition came to
him, this flair, this intangible, vague premonition, this
presentiment that he must seize Opportunity or else Fortune, that so
long had stayed at his elbow, would desert him. In the air about him
he seemed to feel an influence, a sudden new element, the presence
of a new force. It was Luck, the great power, the great goddess, and
all at once it had stooped from out the invisible, and just over his
head passed swiftly in a rush of glittering wings.

"The thing would have to be handled like glass," observed the broker
thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing "A tip like this is public property
in twenty-four hours, and it don't give us any too much time. I
don't want to break the price by unloading a million or more bushels
on 'em all of a sudden. I'll scatter the orders pretty evenly. You
see," he added, "here's a big point in our favor. We'll be able to
sell on a strong market. The Pit traders have got some crazy war
rumour going, and they're as flighty over it as a young ladies'
seminary over a great big rat. And even without that, the market is
top-heavy. Porteous makes me weary. He and his gang have been
bucking it up till we've got an abnormal price. Ninety-four for May
wheat! Why, it's ridiculous. Ought to be selling way down in the
eighties. The least little jolt would tip her over. Well," he said
abruptly, squaring himself at Jadwin, "do we come in? If that same
luck of yours is still in working order, here's your chance, J., to
make a killing. There's just that gilt-edged, full-morocco chance
that a report of big 'visible' would give us."

Jadwin laughed. "Sam," he said, "I'll flip a coin for it."