sneer.

"What kind of a trick is this you are trying to play on me?" the man
demanded.

Montague was too much taken aback to be angry. He simply stared. "I
don't understand you," he said.

"You don't, eh?" said the other, laughing in his face. "Well, it
seems I know more than you think I do."

"What do you mean?" asked Montague.

"Your client no longer has the stock that you are talking about,"
said the other.

Montague caught his breath. "No longer has the stock!" he gasped.

"Of course not," said Hanson. "She sold it three days ago." Then,
unable to deny himself the satisfaction, he added, "She sold it to
Stanley Ryder. And if you want to know any more about it, she sold
it for a hundred and sixty thousand dollars, and he gave her a six
months' note for a hundred and forty thousand."

Montague was utterly dumfounded. He could do nothing but stare.

It was evident to the other man that his emotion was genuine, and he
smiled sarcastically. "Evidently, Mr. Montague," he said, "you have
been permitting your client to take advantage of you."