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P “Young man,’ » said Mr.. Opdyke, solemnly, “if”
y.. you will take my.adviée you wil! leave the stock
'. market alone.
tal it is the gate to the poorhouse. To a boy liké-
yourself itcis a ‘dangerous experiment. If your
object’. in asking me for a tip-on the market is
: $200 I’ presented you with for returning my wal-.
let with its contents intact, I will gladly: present |
: yo u with another. $200. But to encourage you
-to go into the market merely for the profit you
. be doing you a good turn in the long run.
~ not, therefore, give any pointer whatever, but I
-> can give you two more bills,” cand the operator
held them out to the boy. ~ ;
_-. “I am- much obliged to. you, sir, but must de-
-. cline to accept them, as I do not need the money |
‘>in the sense in.w hich vou offer it,” replied Fred, ~
- politely. “It is my ambition.to be a broker or
‘a banker some day, and I am‘on the lookout to
acquire the necessary -ecapital.. With my three
- years’ experience in the Street, the constant
Study I have’ given to stock market methods, and
“my present up-to-date knowledge of Wall Street
- affairs, it is my belief that I can gradually build
- up a bank account through cautious deals in cer-
: tain stocks, buying them'when they are low and
? selling at a small advance. A ‘tip from you
» + wo ould be of unusual advantage to me,. but, of
be _ course, I -have no right to -expect that you would
-favor me with one. Thanking you for the $200
“which you-have given me, I will now wish -you
: good-afternoon,” said Fred, rising.
» “Wait a moment, young man,” said the opera-
; tor, who had listened attentively to his words.”
“I am bound to’ say. that you interest me.‘ Have,
‘you already speculated in the market?”
~ “T only made. one. deal,
- cently... I put all my available funds into 100
‘shares, on margin, of P. & R.- I bought the stock «
§, ona and sold out at > 80 and a fraction, clearing |
oo Mr. Opdyke regarded him’ ‘more curiously than.
ever.
“You seem ‘to be quite a clever young fellow,”
said the. operator; “indeed, you appear to .be
“smart enough to understand without any advice
‘from.me that you are playing with edged tools
‘when you go into the market. Are you resolved
to follow up this first success of yours?
“I am, and | Ji am confident I shall win out. in
» the long ‘run.’
». “You. have certainly the courage of your con-,
‘victions. I ‘see there is no use in trying to»
~-dissuade you from your purpose, and therefore
‘shall not attempt to do so. If you will not profit
oe the experience of others, you -will have to
-Jearn at your own cost. However, I like you,
ie young man, and regret to see you join the pro-
cession that’ in nine cases. out of ten leads to
* Gnancial disaster. If I can be of service to you
' outside of the stock-market do not fail to call
at least. is
SN A IR RN A Aa I ER
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“upon me.- Your _sterling honesty
. worthy of encouragement.”
. “Thank you, sir. : I may take vou at your,
“word. some day,” replied Fred. “Good-afternoon. ”
,
CHAPTER WV. A Golden: Shower. fe .
To most people with a little capi--
“merely to double, for some specific purpose, the -
- may expect to reap from a lucky deal would not .
I can-~
sir, and that was ‘re. .
formation of importance, you were guilty of a"
very mean act. :
“Good: Katternoon.” ‘answered ‘the bic operator,
turning to his .desk.
~ “Well,” "said Robson, when Fred rejoined “him
“at the door, “you had quite a lengthy. interview
-with the big mogul.” a
“Yes. He treated me very nicely. I tried to >.
get a tip out of him,-but he wouldn’t have it.” —
“You -seem .to have caught the speculative .
fever at last.”
“Perhaps I have. “The microbe is pretty active
‘down in this’ neighborhood. The air is filled with
them, and it only requires a_ little capital for
them to propagate on. Given that, I guess you’d
have a touch-of the fever yourself.” o
Will admitted that: there ‘was a whole lot of
truth in his companion’s remark. Having reached
the underground. station, they purchased after-
‘noon papers and took a train bound-for. Harlem.
One morning about eleven. o’clock, when Fred
“stepped out of the elevator bound for Exchange
Place, he ran into Will Robson in the corridor. -
“T was just coming. up to see you,” said Will.
“Is that so?) Must be something important —
that would bring you to -the office.”
“It-js.- I’ve got hold of a tip, and I want to
make an arrangement with you. mo
“If it’s worth anything vou "ve brought your pig
to the right market. . What is this tip?”
“What will you give me: if it pans out a profit :
td vou? .
“Ten per cent. of my winnings,”
promptly. : _
“It’s a go. Glance your eyes over that. . I.
picked .it. up in -the street.” i
Fred looked at a memorandum, scribbled in’
pencil on a_bit of paper torn from a broker’s pad.
oo ee ths wy :
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replied Fred,
ist ro. . :
Doe Tn leg Mee ee So ate tee eM eee
fo SE ge Ae AIMEE ES
“Back C. & A. to the limit.
ten-point rise. The Great? Mocul has: lost his.
grip on the read, the I. C. having secured con-—
trol. ‘Act promptly, as the news may be out any ,
‘moment. : WwW. 0.”
It is good fora -—
Loy ate ae At een Ag Ee pm hae
“You say you picked this. up on the street 2".
Said: Fred. :
“Yes,” said Will, with a slight flush.
“JT “don’t like. to touch: such tips.”
“Hold on,” said Will hastily. “It was dropped - >
by Opdyke’s messenger.”
“How do you know that?” asked Fred, sharply. -
“I saw him. lose it.” : ae
“And- it wasn’t in an envelope?” said ‘Fred, a oh
looking keenly at his friend.
“Yes, it was, but the envelope ~ wasn’t very
gecurely fast ened, ”~replied Will, with a guilty
ook
“Wasn't it fastened enough to hold?” o~
“Oh, come now, what do you want to ask so
many questions for?” - oan
“Because I’m afraid, Willie, 5 you’ve been doing
something. you oughtn’t to have done.”
“What’s that?” : ,
“You -opened~ the envelope, which might not
have been fastened as securely’as it should. You |
yielded to.temptation. You cuessed the note was" :
from’ Mr. Opdyke, and suspecting it contained in-~
TE ae rein ae AT RE eae eg tape maine Me ER
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WATE ts Be
Isn't that right?”
“Well, the damage is done, what’s the’ use of .
hauling me over the coals: for it? Everything -
is fair in: Ww all Street among. the brokers, why
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