"The effect of your plunge has worn off, Brewster, and the other
side will drive prices down. They won't be caught napping again,
either," said one of the bystanders earnestly.

"Do you think so?" And there was a note of relief in Monty's
voice.

From all sides came the advice to sell at once, but Brewster was
not to be pushed. He calmly lighted a cigarette, and with an
assured air of wisdom told them to wait a little while and see.

"She's already falling off," said some one at the ticker.

When Brewster's bewildered eyes raced over the figures the stock
was quoted at 112. His sigh of relief was heard but misunderstood.
He might be saved after all. The stock had started to go down and
there seemed no reason why it should stop. As he intended to
purchase no more it was fair to assume that the backbone was at
the breaking point. The crash was bound to come. He could hardly
restrain a cry of joy. Even while he stood at the ticker the
little instrument began to tell of a further decline. As the price
went down his hopes went up.

The bystanders were beginning to be disgusted. "It was only a
fluke after all," they said to each other. Colonel Drew was
appealed to urge Monty to save himself, and he was on the point of
remonstrance when the message came that the threatened strike was
off, and that the men were willing to arbitrate. Almost before one
could draw breath this startling news began to make itself felt.