The Climbers Part 17

MASON. Certainly.

STERLING. This Hudson Electric Company.

DR. STEINHART. Oh! Dropped fearfully to-day.

STERLING. But that can happen easily with the best thing. To-morrow--

MASON. [_Interrupting._] To-morrow it will drop to its _very bottom_!

STERLING. I don't believe it.

DR. STEINHART. Surely, Mr. Mason, the men who floated that are too clever to ruin _themselves_?

MASON. They're out of it.

STERLING. Out of it!

MASON. They got out last week quietly.

STERLING. But--

MASON. Mark my words, the day after to-morrow there'll be several foolish people ruined, and _not one of the promoters of that company will lose a penny_!

STERLING. I don't believe it!

[_The crowd at the other end of the table, who have been listening to a tale from_ TROTTER, _laugh heartily._

TROTTER. [_Delighted with his success._] I'm no Dodo bird!

[WARDEN _leaves this group casually and joins the other._

MASON. [_To_ STERLING.] Don't tell me _you're_ in it?

STERLING. [_Ugly._] Yes, I am in it!

MASON. Not _much?_

STERLING. Yes, _much!_

WARDEN. Much what?

STERLING. Oh, nothing; we were just discussing stocks.

WARDEN. And up there they're discussing Jeffreys and Fitzsimmons.

MASON. Listen, d.i.c.k, after a lifelong experience in Wall Street, I defy any broker to produce one customer who can show a profit after three consecutive years of speculation.

STERLING. Oh, you're too conservative; nothing venture, nothing have.

Excuse me, I think Jeffreys and Fitzsimmons more amusing topics. Come along.

[STERLING _and_ DR. STEINHART _join the other group Right._

MASON. [_To_ WARDEN.] You're Sterling's broker.

WARDEN. No, not for over a year.

MASON. Then you can't tell me how deep he is in this Hudson Electric swindle?

WARDEN. Is he in it at all?

MASON. Yes, he says, deep.

WARDEN. I suspected it yesterday.

MASON. But what with--his wife's money?

WARDEN. That went fourteen months ago. I put him on his feet then, gave him some tips that enabled him to take this house with her mother, so that with his regular law business he ought to have done very well, but his living could not leave one cent over to speculate with.

MASON. [_To himself._] Good G.o.d!

WARDEN. I know what you're afraid of.

MASON. No!

WARDEN. Yes. The reason I'm no longer his broker is he was ashamed to let me know about his dealings.

MASON. But you don't mean you think he'd actually _steal_!

WARDEN. His _aunt's_ money? Why not? _He did his wife's!_

MASON. Does he handle any one else's affairs?

WARDEN. I know he takes care of that G.o.desby woman's property.

MASON. And she wouldn't hold her tongue if a crash came!

WARDEN. Not for a minute! Is Miss Hunter suspicious?

MASON. Yes. Does Sterling realize that to-morrow he will most probably be a ruined cheat?

WARDEN. Very likely.

MASON. If he made up his mind to-night it was all up with him, he might do--what?

WARDEN. Run away with whatever money he has left, or kill himself. I don't know if he's enough of a coward for that or not. There's _one_ hold on him--he loves his wife.

MASON. Which will make him all the more ashamed of discovery. Do you believe she suspects?

WARDEN. Not a bit. She loves him too dearly.