Page:Stewart Edward White--The Rose Dawn.djvu/288

276 "Why that you've been selling out," said the doctor in a hushed voice.

"I am," confessed Paige, shamefaced.

The doctor looked him over astoundedly.

"Well, I must hurry out and see Mrs. Robbins. Sudden call," he muttered, and disappeared.

Within three days Jim Paige was back in the game.

So it was with dozens of others to whom was vouchsafed a momentary gleam of wisdom. The trend of events was too powerful for them. The dynamic force of the combined thought of so many people swept them back in the current. During their brief absence from the market prices had gone up. An excursion arrived bringing a throng of hungry buyers. Other excursions would be running all winter. Why be content with thousands when one could just as well make a million? Chances such as this come once in a lifetime. Some people thought themselves too wise to be greedy. They were not going to try to squeeze the last dollar from the opportunity: they were going to get enough and then quit. What was enough? Last year it might have been ten thousand dollars: a princely fortune to a small farmer. What was ten thousand, a hundred thousand now? Enough was always just a little more than a man had. Of course one should get out; but next week would be time enough. And next week prices were still rising: it seemed a shame not to make just a few dollars more!

the end, when it came, stole upon them so gradually that at first they never suspected. People told each other that the market was a little dull, just for this week. They explained nonchalantly that it was always so about the holidays, that the Presidential year had its influence, that at this season the payment of taxes always more or less tied things up by taking money out of circulation, that everybody was holding tight for the rise that was sure to come with the new batches of excursionists. There were a few clear-headed men who saw the point; but they were speedily silenced by loud and wrathful outcries.

"Prices too high!" shrieked the millionaries [sic], turning purple