The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 30, 1903, Page 2

him out in the fifth nd — surprised two hs were busy ones for Brewster. Miss Drew saw im quite as often as before the im- interview, s attitude is ged some- she thought elf, and then she remembered that “a man who it 4r1 after an ardent suit is often Zh:‘c‘lr"h: runs af streetcar and en his competitors the consclousness of .. Bach day be sent nsidered that he had He used no his case his mission was almost n his e for Barbara. tude was not due to any ot his affection, but to the very © business In which he was en- that, plan as fresh ways He was race, but was not far parties and & y suppers fficient average, time was ripe He cou harmless ism told r himself in the s. He w show them mind he decided to him that was the one safely plunge. £0 far as er,” said consclence sh of mor- e of his friend the quick what I'm talking eaded for it Think the Lumber ecan't of the situation; orth and West e is a strike that comes The slump sald the other despair. ““Will t execute an order for g to-morrow? I'll start What will it cost me usand, exclu- sive of twelve be a half & st strer and and p Instead of sever: brokers and ghout the session. This was a point Monty had overlooked There had been little to excite the.Stock ge for some weeks; nothing was active and the Ty was hafled event e knew that the uld be at some near nobod umber and usion th was sce c a ven 1 o t stock. When Eilon M & a foregcne ump was. coming and rading in the Gardner, acting fur n thousand as fontgomery Brewster, took t hares &t 108% there was a r the erch ge. hen then commotion Asto; 4 Dy Drvousness, s gle. Brewster, confident that the stock could go no higher, and that sooner or later it ust drop, calmly e ride In the snow cov though he knew the ve fallure in , he was The feel of He was exhila- er of the snow, the an- mt of his horse, the gay- about him. &wering exc ety and sparkle of life Somewhere far back in inner self there seemed to be the sound of cheer- ing and the clapping of hands. Shortly before nmoon he reached his unch with club, where Colonel Drew. In g-room he observed that men looking &t him in a manner less than was customary. Some of were casual them went so far as to smile encourag- end others waved their hands in fashion. Three or four embers looked upon him with envy and even the porters ed more obsequious. There was hing strangely oppressive in all this show of defere; Colonel Drew’s dignity relaxed amaz- ingly when he caught sight of the young man. He came forward to meet him and his greeting almost carried Monty off his feet “How daid u do it, my boy?”’ cried the colonel he's off & point or two now, 1 belleve, but half an hour ago she was booming. Gad, I never heard of anything more spectacular Monty’s beart was in his mouti as he rushed over to the ticker. It did not take him long to grasp the immensity of the disa Gardner had bought in at 108%, and that very action seemed to put new life into the stock. Just as it was on the point of breaking for lack eof support [ along came this sensational order for ten thousand share and there could be but one result. At one time in the morning Lumber and Fuel, traded in by excited holders, touched 113% and seemed n a fair way to hold firm around that figure. Othe: men came up and listened eager- ly. Brewster realized that his dash in Lumber and Fuel had been a master- stroke of cleverness when considered from the point of view of these men, but a catastrophe from his own. hope you sold it when it was at the said the colonel excitedly. instructed Gardner to sell only when I gave the word,” sald Monty, lamely. Several of the men looked at him In sur- prise and disgust. ““Well, if I were you I'd tell him to sell,” remarked the colonel coldly. ““The effect of your plunge has worn off, Brewster, and the other side will drive the prices down. They won't be caught napping again, either,” said one of the bystanders earnestly. “Do you think 50?" And there was & note of relief in Monty’s voice. From all sides came the advice to sell at once, but Brewster was not to be pushed. He calmly lighted a clgarette &and with an assured alr of wisdom told them to wait a little while and see. “She’s already falling off,” sald some one at the ticker. When Brewster's bewildered eyes raced over the figures the stock was quoted at 112. His sigh of rellef was heard but mis understood. He might be saved after all. The stock had started to go dcwn and there seemed no reason why it should stop. As he Intended to purchase no more it was fair to assume that the back- o was at the breaking point. The was bound to come. He could dly restrain a cry of joy. Even while ood at the ticker the little instru- t began to tell of a further decline. a fluke after h other. Colonel pealed to to urge Monty to he was on the peint of n the message came the threatened strike was off, and that the men were willing to arbitrate. A st before one could draw breath this ing news began to make {iself felt ertainty of a great strike was one of the things that had made Brewster sure that the price could not hold. With th: nger removed there was nothing iize the earning power of the The next quotation was & point all,” they Drew was a stock. higher “You sly dog,” sald the Colonel, dig- ging Monty the side.. “I had confi- tn dence in you all the time.” In ten minutes’ time Lumber and Fuel was again up to 113 and soaring. Brew- ster, panic-stricken, rushed to the tele- phone and called up Gardner. The broker, hoarse with excitement, was delighted when he recognized Brew- ster's voice. “¥ou're a wonder, Monty! T'll see you close. How the devil did you outed Gardner. hat's the price now?” asked Brew- One thirteen and three-fourths, ing up all the time. Hooray!" . vou think she’ll go down again?” anded Brewster “Not if I can help 1t.” “Very well then, go roared Brewster. “But she’s going up like—" and and scl] out” “Sell, damn you! Didn't ydu hear?” C ner, dazed and weak, began selling lly liquidated the full line at prices ranging from 114 to 1224, but Mont- gomery Brewster had cleared $58,550, and all because it was he and not the market that got excited. XL COALS OF FIRE. It was not that he had realized heavily i his investments which caused his friends and his enemies. to resard him in a new light; his profit had been quite small, as things go on the Exchange in these days. The mere fact that he had shown such foresight proved sufficient cause for the reversal of opinion. Men looked at him with new interest in their eyes, with fresh confidence. His unfor- tunate operations in the stock market had restored him to favor in all circles. The man, young or old, who could do what he had done with Lumber and Fuel | deserved the new promises that were being made for him. Brewster bobbed uncertainly between two emot s—elation and distress. He had achleved two kinds of success—the desired and the undesired. It was but natural that he should feel proud of the distinction the venture had brought to him on one hand, but there was reason r over the acquisition of $50,000. it necessary for him to under- superhuman fegt—increase f his January bills. The plane for the ensuing spring and summer were dimly getting into shape and they cov- ered many startling projects. Since con- fiding some of them to “Nopper” Harri- son, that gentleman had worn a never- creasing look of worry and anxfety in awles added to his despair a day or two after the S8tock Exchange misfortune. He brought up ‘the information that six splendid little pupples had come to bless his Boston terrier family, and Joe Brag- do who was present, enthusiastically predicted that he could get $100 apiece for them. Brewster loved dogs, yet for one single horrible moment he longed to mas- cre the helpless little creatures. But e old affection came back to him, and hurried out with Bragdon to inspect the brood. “And I've either got to sell them or kill them,” he groaned. Later on he in- structed Bragdon to sell the pups for $25 apiece, and went away, ashamed to look their proud mother in the face. Fortune smiled on him before the day was over, however. He took “Subway" Smith for a ride In the “Green Jugger- naut,” bad weather and bad roads not- withstanding. Monty lost control of the machine and headed for a subway excava- tion. He and Smith saved themselves by leaping to the pavement, sustaining slight bruises, but the great machine crashed through the barricade and dropped to the bottom of the trench far below. To Smith's grief and Brewster's delight the automobile was hopelessly ruined, a clear loss of many thousands. Monty's joy was short-lived, for it was soon learned that three ‘uckless workmen down in the depths had been badly injured by the green meteor from above. The mere fact that Brewster could and did pay lber- ally for the relief of the poor fellows af- forded him little consolation. His care- lessness, and possibly his indifference, had brought suffering to these men and thelr families which was not pleasant to look back upon. Lawsults were avolded by compromises. Each. of the injured men received $4000. At this time every one was interested in the charity bazaar at the Astoria. Soclety was on exhibition, and the public paid for the privilege of gazing at the men and women whose names filled the soclety col- umns. Brewster frequented the booth pre- sided over by Miss Drew, and there seemed to be no end to his philan- thropy. The bazaar lasted two days and nights, and after that period his account- book showed an even “profit” of nearly $3000. Monty’s serenity, however, was considerably ruffied by the appearance of & new and aggressive claimant for the smiles of the fair Barbara. He was a Cal- ifornian of immense wealth and unbound. ed eonfidence in himself, and letters to people in New York had given him a cer- tain entree. The triumphs In love and finance that had come with hils two score vears and ten had demolished every ves- tige of timidity that may have been born with him. He was successful enough in the world of finance to have become four or five times a millionaire, and he had fared so well In love that twice he had been a widower. Rodney Grimes was starting out to win Barbara with the same cdash and impulsiveness that over- came Mary Farrell, the cook in the min- ing-camp, and Jane Boothroyd, the school-teacher, who came to California ready to marry the first man who asked her. He was a penniless prospector when he married Mary, and when he led Jane to the altar she rejoiced in having captured & husband worth at least ,000. He vied with Brewster in patronising Barbara's booth, and he rushed into the conflict with an impetuosity that seemed destined to carry everything before it. Monty was brushed aside, Barbara was pre-empted as if she were a mining claim and ten days after his arrival in New York, Grimes was the most talked of man in town. Brewster was not the sort to be dispatched without a struggle, however. Recognizing Grimes as an obstacle, but not as a rival, he once more donned his armor and beset Barbara with all the sest of & champion who seeks to protect and not to conquer. He regarded the Cali- fornian as an impostor and summary ac- tion was necessary. “I know all abput him, Babs,” he said one day after he felt sure of his position. “Why, his father was honored by the V. C., on the coast in 49, “The Victoria Cross?” innocently. “No, the vigilance committee.” In this way Monty routed the enemy and cleared the field before ghe end of an- other week. Grimes transferred his objec- tionable affection and Barbara was not even asked to be wife number three. Brewster's campaign was so ardent that he neglected other duties deplorably, fall- ing far behind his improvident average. With Grimes disposed of, he once more forsook the battlefield pf love and gave his harassed and undlyiged attention to his own peculiar bwsiness. asked Baybm The fast-and-loose game - displeased Mies Barbara greatly. She was at first surprised, then piqued, then resentful. Monty gradually awoke to the distressing fact that she was going to be intractable, as he put it, and dorthwith undertook to smooth the troubled sea. To his amaze- ment and concern she was not to be ap- peased. *‘Does it occur to you, Monty,” she said, with a gentle coldnkss that was infinitely worse than heat, “that you have been carrying things with a pretty high hand? Where did you acquire the right to inter- fere with my privileges? You seem to think that I am not to speak to any man but you.” ‘Oh, come now, Babs,” retorted Monty; “I've not been quite as unreasonable as that. And you know yourself that Grimes is the worst kind of a bounder.” “I know nothing of the sort,” replied the lady, with growing irritation. ‘You say that of every man who gives me a smile or a flower. Does It indicate such atrocious taste?” “Don't be silly, Barbara. You know perfectly well that you have talked to Gardner and that idiot Valentine by the hour and I've not sald a word. But there are some things I can't stand, and the fmpertinence of Grimes is one of ‘them. Jove! he looked at you out of those fishy eyes sometimes as though he owned you. If you knew how many times I've fairly achegd to knock him down!” Inwardly Barbara wa weakening a little before his masterfulness. But she gave no sign. “And it never occurred to you,” she eald, with that exasperating coldness of the voice, “that I was equal to the situa- tion. I suppose you thought Mr. Grimes had only to beckon and I would joyfully answer. I'll have you know, Monty Brewster, right now, that I am quite able to choose my friends and to handle them, Mr. Grimes has character and I like him. He has seen more of life in a year of bis strenuous career than you ever dreamed of in all your pampered exis- tence, His life has been real, Mon PBrewster, and yours is only an imi tion.” It struck him hard, but it left him gen- tle. “Babs,” he sald, softly, “I can't take THE SUNDAY CALL. that from you. You don't really mean it, do you? Am I as bad as that?” It was & moment for dominance and he missed it. His gentleness left her cold. “Monty,” she exclaimed Irrita- bly, “you are terribly exasperat- ing. Do make up your mind that you and your milllon are not the only things in the world.” His blood was up now, but it flung him away from her. “Some day, perhaps, you'll find out that there is not much besides. I am just a little too big for one thing, to be played with and thrown aside. 1 won't stand it.” He left the house with his head high in the air, angry red in his cheeks, and a feeling in his heart that she was the most unreasonable of women. Barbara, in the meantime, cried herself to sleep, vowing she would never love Monty Brewster again as long as she lived. A sharp cutting wind was blowing ia Monty’s face us he left the house. was thoroughly wretched. “Throw up your hands!” came hoarsely from somewhere, and there was no ten- derness in the tones. For an Instant Monty was dazed and bewlldered, but in the next he saw two shadowy figures ne walking beside him. *Stop where you are, young fellow,” was the next com- mand, and he stopped short. He was in a mood to fight, but the sight of a revol- ver made him think again. Monty was not a coward, neither was he a fool. He was quick to see that @ struggle would be madness, “‘What do you want?” he demanded as coolly as his nerves would permit. “‘Put up your hands quick!” and he has- tily obeyed the injunction. “Not a sound out of you or you get it good and proper. You know what we want. Get to work, Bill; I'll watch his hands. “Help yourselves, boys. I'm not fool enough to scrap about it. Don't hit me or shoot—that's all. Be quick about it, because I'll take cold if my overcoat is open long. How's business been to- night?” Brewster was to all intents and purposes the calmest man iff New York. “Fierce!” sald the one who was doing the searching. “You're the first guy we've seen in a week that looks good. “1 hope you wen't be disappointed,’ sald Monty, genially. “If I'd expected this 1 mignt have brought more money.” “I guess we'll be satisfled,” chuckled the man with the revolver. “You're aw- ful nice and kind, mister, and maybe you wouldn't abject to tellin’ us when you'll be up dis way ag'in.” “It's a pleasure to do business with you, pardner,” sald the other, dropping Manty’s $300 watch in his pocket. “We'll leave car fare for you for your honesty. His hands were running through Brew- ster's pockets with the quickness of a machine. “You don't go much on jew- elry, 1 guess. Are dese shoit buttons de real t'ing?"” ‘‘They're pearls,” tully. “My favorite jool,” sad the man with the revolver. “Clip 'em out, BilL" “Don't cut the shirt,” urged Hont;‘ “I'm going to a little supper and I don’ ltke the idea of a punctured shirt-front.” “I'll be careful as I kin, mister. There, I guess dat's all. 8| I call & cab for you, sir?" “No, thank you; I think I'll walk.” ““Well, just walk south a hundred steps without lookin’ 'round er yellin' and you kin save your skin. I guess you know ‘what I mean, pardner.” “I'm pure I.do. Good-night “By gad!” he exclaimed; “you chaps are very careless. Do you'know you've missed a roll of three hundred dollars in this overcoat pocket?” The men gasped and the spasmodic oaths that came from them were born of incredulity. It was plain that they doubted their ears. “Say it ag'ln,” muttered Bill, in bewil- dered tones. “He's stringin’ us, Bill,” said the other. “Sure;”” growled Bill. “It's a nice way to treat us, mister. Move atong now and don't turn ‘round.” said Monty, cheer- “Well, you're a couple of nfce highway- men,” cried Monty in disgust. :'Sh—not s0 loud.” ‘That is no way to attend to business. Do you expect me to go down into my pocket and hnad you the goods on a sil- ver tray?"” / “Keep your hands up! You don't woik dat game on me. You got a gun there.” “No, I haven't. This is on the level. You overlooked a roll of bills in your haste, and I'm not the sort of fellow to see an earnest endeavorer get the worst of it. My hands are up. See for your- self if I'm not telling you the truth.” ‘What kind of a game is dis?”’ growled Bill, dazed and bewildered. “I'm blowed if 1 know w’at ta t'ink o' you,” cried he in honest amazement. ‘“You don't act drunk, and you ain't crazy, but there's somethin’ wrong wid you. Are you givin’ it to us straight about de wad?" “You can find out easily.” ‘Well, 1 hate to do It, boss, but I guess we'll just take de overcoat and all. It looks like a trick and we takes no chances. Off wid de coat.” Monty’s coat came off in a Jiffy and he stood shivering before the dam- founded robbers. “We'll leave de coat at de next cor- ner, pardner. It's cold and you need it more'n we do. You're de limit, you are. So Jong. Walk right straight ahead and don’t yell.” Brewster found his coat a few minutes later, and went whistling away into the night. The roll of bills was gone. XIL CHRISTMAS DESPAIR. Brewster made a good story of the “hold-up” at the club, but he did not late the detalls. One of the listeners was & new public commissioner who was aggressive In his efforts at reform. Ac- cordingly, Brewster was summoned to headquarters the next morning for the purpot of looking over the ‘‘suspects” that had been brought in. Almost the firat man that he espied was a rough- looking fellow whose identity could not be mistaken. It was BIIL “Hello, Bill,” called Monty, gaily. Bill ground his teeth for a second, but his eyes had such an appeal in them that Monty relented. “You know this fellow, Mr. Brewster?” demanded the captain, Bill helpless. questioned Monty in sur- prise. “‘Of course I do, Captain.” *“He was picked up late last night and detained, becauss he would give no ac- count of his actions.” “Was it as bad as that, Bill?” asked Brewster, with a smile. Bill mumbled unuthh‘ .fi' assumed a look of defl- ance. onty's attitude puzzled -him sorely. He hardly breathed for an. in- stant, and gulped perceptibly. “Pass Blll, Captain. He was with me last night just beforse my money was en, and he couldn’'t possibly have robbed me without my knowledge. Walt for me outside, Bill. I want to talk to you. I'm quite sure neither of the thieves is here, Captain,” concluded Brewster, quickly. P o yov con out of the line. Outside the door the puzzled crook met Brewster, who ghook him warmly by the hand. “You're & peach,” whispered Blll, grate- “What did you do it for, mis- “Becfuse you were kind enough not to cut my shirt.” # “Say, you're all right, that's what. Would you mind havin’ a drink with me? It's your money, but the drink won't be any thea worse for that We blowed most of it already, but here's what's left.” Bill handed Monty a roll of bills. “I'd a kept it if you'd made a fight,” he continued, “but it ain't square to keep it now.” - T esocs AHE TEO ' . A o3 DREW ? OUE IHED Racir. Brewster refused the money, but took back his watch. “Keep it, Bill,” he sald, “you need it more than I do. It's enough to met you up in some other trade. Why not try 17 “I will try, boss,” and Bill was so pro- fuse in his thanks that Monty had difi- culty in getting away. As he climbed into a cab he heard Bill say, “I wall try, boss, and say, If ever I can do any- thing for you, jes'’ put me nex’. I'm nex’ you all de time.” He gave the driver the name of his club, but as he was passing the Waldorf he remembered that he had several things to say to Mrs. Dan. The order was changed, and a few moments later he was received in Mrs. Dan's very spe- clal den. She wore something soft and graceful in lavender, something that was light and wavy and evanescent, and made you watch its changing shadows. Monty looked down at her with the feel- ing that she made a very effective plc- ture, “You are looking pretty fit this morn- ing, my lady,” he sald by way of pre- amble. “How well everything plays up to you. And you are unusually courtly, Mon- ty,” she smiled. “Has the world treated you so generously of late?” “It is treating me generously enough Just now to make up for anything,” and he looked at her, “Do you know, Mrs. Dan, that it is'borne in upon me now and then that there are things that are quite worth while?” “Oh, if you come to that,”" she an- swered, lightly, ‘“everything 1is worth ‘while. For you, Monty, life is certainly not slow. You can dominate; you ecan make things go your way. Aren't they going your way now, Monty”—this more seriously—""What's wrong? Is the pace too fast?” His mood Increased upon him with her sympathy. “Oh, no,” he said, “it sn't that. You are good—and I'm a selfish beast. Things are perverse and people are desperately obstinate sometimes. And here I'm taking it out on you. You are not perverse. You are not obstinate. You are g ripper, Mrs. Dan, and you are going to help me out in more ways than one.” ““Well, to pay for all these gallantries, Monty, I ought to do much. I'm your friend through thick and thin. You have only to command me.” “It was precisely to get your help that I came in. I'm tired of those confounded dinners. You know yourself that they are all allke—the same people, the same flowers, the same things to eat, and the same Inane twaddle in the shape of talk. ‘Who cares about them, anyway?* “Well, I like that,” she interrupted. “After all the thought I put into thos dinners, after all the varlety I so care- fully secured! My dear boy, you ape frighttully ungrateful,” *“‘Oh, you know _what I mean. And you know quite as well as I do that it is per- fectly true. The dinners were a beastly bore, which proves that they were a loud success. Your work was not done in vain, But now I want soméfhing else. We after Bill had obeyed the order to step | must push along this ball we've been talking of. And the yachting cruise — that can’'t wait very much longer.” “The ball first,” she decreed. “I'Il see to the cards at once, and in & day or two I'll have a list ready for your gracious approval. A n d what have you done?” “Pettingill some great Iideas over é:ftrry‘d:mflufl.on is in ocommunioa~ tion with the manager of that Hun- garian orchestra you spoke of, and ha finds the men quite ready for & little jaunt across the water. We have that military band—I've forgotten the number of its regiment—for the promenads music, and the new Paris sensation, the con- tralto, is coming over with buf. primo tenore for some special numbers. “You were certainly cut out for an ex- ecutive, Monty,” said Mrs. Dan “But with the music and the decorstions ar- ranged, you've only begun. The favers are the real thing, and If say the wmm’ummflnmmlm Don't worry about it, Monty. It's & go already. We'll pull it off ether. Few are & tharoughbred. Mre Das he exclaimed. “You do help & fellow at & “That's all right, Monty,” she an- swered; “give me until after Christmas and I'll have the finest favors ever sean. Other people may have their paper hats and pink ribbons, but e = -‘h_?v them how the thing ought to be don: Her rlfun:co t‘o Christmas haunted Brewster as he drove down Fifth avenus, with the dread of a new disaster. Never before had he looked upon presents as & calamity; but this year it was different. Immedtately he began to plan a bombard ment of his friends with costly trinkets, when he suddenly grew doubtful of the opinion of his uncle’s executor upon this move. But in response to telegram, Swearengen Jones, with pleasing irasci- bility, informed him that “any one with a has drop of human kindness in his body would consider it his duty to give Christ- mas presents to those who deserved them.” If his friends meant to handicap him with gifts, he knew a way to get even. For two weeks his mornings were spent at Tiffany’s and the afternoons brought joy to the heart of every dealer in antiquities in Fourth and Fifth ave- nues. He gave much thought to the mat- ter in the effort to secure many small ar- ticles which elaborately concealed their value. And he had taste. The result of his endeavor was that many friends who would not have thought of remembering Monty with even a card were pleasantly surprised on Christmas Eve. FH be fared very well lays As it turned o in the matter of gifts, and much of his time was spent for some in rea m with an agree Dan had remembered him and some of the able lack of ostentation, “Little Sons of the Rich one evening a fortnig! pose of “using up their mea Monty’s, were only too generot ful. Miss Drew had fo and when they met after her - recognition was of He had thought that, % circumstances, he could send her a gift of value, but the beautiful pearls with which he asked for a reconciliation wers returned “with Miss Drew's thanks.” He loved Barbara end it cut Peggy Gray was taken Into his confldence and he was comforted by her encourage- ment. Tt was a bit difficult for her to ad- vise him to try again, but his happiness hing she had at heart. 'E?l:‘Mlilly unfalr, Peggy,” he sald. “T've really been white to her. I bellave I'll chuck the whole business and leave New York.” “You're going away?’ and there was Just a suggestion of catch in her breath. “T'm going to charter a yacht and sail away from this place for three or four months.” Peggy fairly gasped. “What do you think of the scheme?’ he added, noticing the alarm and incredulity in her eyes. T think you'll end in the poorhouse, Montgomery Brewster,” she sald, with & laugh. sincerely, XII. A FRIEND IN NEED. It was while Brewster was In the depths of despair that his financial af- fairs had a windfall. One of the banks in which his money was deposited falled and his balance of over $100,000 was wiped out. Mismanagement was the cause, and the collapse came on Friday, the thir- teenth day of the month. Needless te say It destroyed every vestige of the su- perstition he may have had regarding Friday and the number thirteen. Brewster had money deposited in five banks, a transaction inspired- by the wild hope that one of them might some day suspend operations and thereby prove a legitimate benefit to him. There seemed no prospect that the bank could resume operations_ and if the depositors in the end realized 20 cents on the dollar they would be fortunate. Notwithstanding the fact that everybody had considered the institution substantial there were not a few wiseacres who called Brewster a fool and were so unreasonable as to say that he did not know how to.handle meney. He heard that Miss Drew, in particular, was bitterly sarcastic in referring to his faflure caused a tremendous flurry in banking circles. It was but natural that questions concerning the stability of other banks should be asked, and it was not long before many wild, disquiet- ing reports were afloat. Anxious deposi- tors rushed into the big bdanking insti- tutions and then rushed out again, par- tially assured that there was no danger. The newspapers sought to allay the fears of the people, but there were many to whom fear became panic. There were short, wild runs on some of the smaller banks, but all were In a fair way to re- store eonfidence when out came u mor that the Bank of Manhattan was In trouble. Colonel Prentiss Drew, rallroad magnate, was the president of this bank. When the bank opened for business on the Tuesday following the fallure there was a stampede of frightened depesitors. Before 11 o'clock the run had assumed ugly proportions and no amount of argu- ment could stay the onslaught. Colonel Drew and the directors, at first mildly distressed, and then seeing that the af- fair had become serious, grew more alarmed than they could afford to let the public see. The loans of all of the banks were unusually large. Ineiplent runs on some had put all of them in an attitude of caution and there was a nat- ural reluctance to expose their own In- terests to jeqpardy by coming to the re- llef of the Bank of Manhattan Island. Monty Brewster had something like $200,000 in Colonel Drew's bank. He would not have regretted on his own account the collapse of this institution, but he realized what it meant to the hundreds of other depositors. and for the first time he appreciated what his money could ac- complish. Thinking that his presence might give confidence fo the other de- positors and stop the run he went over to the bank with Harrison and Brage don. The tellers were handing out thoue nds of dpllars to the ger depositors His friends advised him strongly to withe