第78章

"But to get down to business," he went on."I've eleven millions of the stock left--about a hundred and twenty thousand shares.Gladys has fifty thousand shares--how much have you got?""Less than ten thousand.And I'd have had none at all if my mind hadn't been full of other things as I was sailing.I forgot to tell my broker to sell."Dumont was reflecting.Presently he said: "Those curs not only took most of my stock and forced the sale of most of my other securities; they've put me in such a light that outside stockholders wouldn't send me their proxies now.To get back control I must smash them, and I must also acquire pretty nearly half the shares, and hold them till I'm firm in the saddle again.""You'd better devote yourself for the present to escaping the grave.Why bother about business? You've got enough--too much, as it is.Take a holiday--go away and amuse yourself."Dumont smiled."That's what I'm going to do, what I'm doing--amusing myself.I couldn't sleep, I couldn't live, if Ididn't feel that I was on my way back to power.Now--in the present market I couldn't borrow on my Woolens stock.I've two requests to make of you.""Anything that's possible."

"The first is, I want you to lend me four millions, or, rather, negotiate the loan for me, as if it were for yourself.I've got about that amount in Governments, in several good railways and in the property here.The place at Saint X is Pauline's, but the things I can put up would bring four millions and a half at least at forced sale.So, you'll be well secured.I'm asking you to do it instead of doing it myself because, if I'm to win out, the Herron crowd must think I'm done for and nearly dead."Langdon was silent several minutes.At last he said: "What's your plan?"Dumont looked irritated--he did not like to be questioned, to take any one into his confidence.But he restrained his temper and said: "I'm going to make a counter-raid.I know where to strike.""Are you sure?"

Dumont frowned."Don't disturb yourself," he said coldly."Ican arrange the loan in another way."

"I'm asking you only for your own sake, Jack," Langdon hastily interposed."Of course you can have the money, and I don't want your security.""Then I'll not borrow through you." Dumont never would accept a favor from any one.He regarded favors as profitable investments but ruinous debts.

"Oh--very well--I'll take the security," said Langdon."When do you want the money?""It must be covered into my account at the Inter-State National--remember, NOT the National Industrial, but the Inter-State National.A million must be deposited to-day--the rest by ten o'clock to-morrow at the latest.""I'll attend to it.What's your other request?""Woolens'll take another big drop on Monday and at least two hundred and fifty thousand shares'll be thrown on the market at perhaps an average price of eighteen--less rather than more.Iwant you quietly to organize a syndicate to buy what's offered.

They must agree to sell it to me for, say, two points advance on what they pay for it.I'll put up--in your name--a million dollars in cash and forfeit it if I don't take the stock off their hands.As Woolens is worth easily double what it now stands at, they can't lose.Of course the whole thing must be kept secret."Langdon deliberated this proposal.Finally he said: "I think brother-in-law Barrow and his partner and I can manage it.""You can assure them they'll make from six hundred thousand to a million on a less than thirty days' investment of four millions and a half, with no risk whatever.""Just about that," assented Langdon--he had been carefully brought up by his father to take care of a fortune and was cleverer at figures than he pretended.