"But, Monty, I know what I'm talking about. At least let me tell
you something about this stock," pleaded Elon, loyally, despite
the wound.

"Gardy, I've gone into this thing carefully, and if ever a man
felt sure about anything I do about this," said Monty, decidedly,
but affectionately.

"Take my word for it Lumber can't go any higher. Think of the
situation; the lumber men in the north and west are overstocked,
and there is a strike ready to go into effect. When that comes the
stock will go for a song. The slump is liable to begin any day."

"My mind is made up," said the other firmly, and Gardner was in
despair. "Will you or will you not execute an order for me at the
opening to-morrow? I'll start with ten thousand shares. What will
it cost me to margin it for ten points?"

"At least a hundred thousand, exclusive of commission, which would
be twelve and a half a hundred shares." Despite the most strenuous
opposition from Gardner, Brewster adhered to his design, and the
broker executed the order the next morning. He knew that Brewster
had but one chance to win, and that was to buy the stock in a lump
instead of distributing it among several brokers and throughout
the session. This was a point that Monty had overlooked.

There had been little to excite the Stock Exchange for some weeks:
nothing was active and the slightest flurry was hailed as an
event. Every one knew that the calm would be disturbed at some