This trustee meeting had for him a double interest. A panic in Wall
Street had all but ruined Van Meter. He had attempted to corner
the bread market. The wheat crop had been ruined by a hard winter,
and the little black eyes, watching, believed the coup could be
made.

The attempt was in concerted action through his associate houses
in Chicago and St. Louis, and he had plunged as never before. The
corner had failed. It was reported that he had made an assignment.
This had proved a mistake. His long-established credit and his high
personal standing in Wall Street had rallied money to his support
and he had pulled out with the loss of three-fourths of his fortune.

Gordon wondered what the effect of this blow would be on his
character and attitude toward the church's work. He was specially
anxious to know the effect of the reverse on the imagination of
the other members of the Board, who merely revolved in worshipful
admiration around his millions.

He asked Van Meter to come to his study for a personal interview
before the meeting. The Deacon was cool and polite, and his little
eyes were shining with a distant luster.

"I was sorry, Deacon, to learn of your personal misfortunes."

Van Meter wet his dry lips with his tongue, looked Gordon squarely
in the face and snapped:

"Were you the clergyman who made the statement concerning that
corner reported yesterday in an evening paper?"