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Three…quarters of an hour later Culver returned； half…carrying； half…dragging the box。 Dumont's eyes lighted up at sight of it。 〃Ah！〃 he said； in a sigh of satisfaction and relief。 〃Put it under the head of the bed here。 Thanks。 That's all。〃
The nurse came as Culver left； but he sent her away。 He supported himself to the door； locked it。 He took his keys from the night…stand； drew out the box and opened it。 On the mass of stocks and bonds lay an envelope containing two listsone； of the securities in the box that were the property of Gladys Dumont； the other； of the securities there that were the property of Laura Dumont； their mother。
His hands shook as he unfolded these lists； and a creaking in the walls or flooring made him start and glance round with the look of a surprised thief。 But this weakness was momentary。 He was soon absorbed in mentally arranging the securities to the best advantage for distribution among the money…lenders as collateral for the cash he purposed to stake in his game。
Such thought as he gave to the moral quality of what he was doing with his sister's and his mother's property without asking their consent was altogether favorable to himself。 His was a well…trained； 〃practical〃 conscience。 It often anticipated his drafts upon it for moral support in acts that might at first blush seem criminal； or for soothing apologies for acts which were undeniably 〃not QUITE right。〃 This particular act； conscience assured him； was of the highest moralityunder his own code。 For the code enacted by ordinary human beings to guide their foolish little selves he had no more respect than a lion would have for a moral code enacted by and for sheep。 The sheep might assert that their code was for lions also； but why should that move the lions to anything but amusement？ He had made his own codenot by special revelation from the Almighty； as did some of his fellow practitioners of high finance； but by especial command of his imperial 〃destiny。〃 And it was a strict codeit had earned him his unblemished reputation for inflexible commercial honesty and commercial truthfulness。 The foundation principle was his absolute right to the great property he had created。 This being granted； how could there be immorality in any act whatsoever that might be necessary to hold or regain his kingdom？ As well debate the morality of a mother in 〃commandeering〃 bread or even a life to save her baby from death。
His kingdom！ His by discovery； his by adroit appropriation； his by intelligent development； his by the right of mental mightHIS！ Stake his sister's and his mother's possessions for it？ Their lives； if necessary！
Than John Dumont； president of the Woolens Monopoly； there was no firmer believer in the gospel of divine rightthe divine right of this new race of kings； the puissant lords of trade。
When he had finished his preparations for the money…lenders he unlocked the door and sank into bed exhausted。 Hardly had he settled himself when； without knocking； Gladys entered； Pauline just behind her。 His face blanched and from his dry throat came a hoarse； strange cryit certainly sounded like fright。 〃You startled methat was all；〃 he hastened to explain； as much to himself as to them。 For； a something inside him had echoed the wondering inquiry in the two women's facesa something that persisted in reverencing the moral code which his new code had superseded。
XXVII。
THE OTHER MAN'S MIGHT。
At eleven o'clock on Monday morning James； head of the Fanning…Smith family； president of Fanning…Smith and Company； and chairman of the Great Lakes and Gulf railwayto note his chief titles to eminence up…town and downwas seated in his grandfather's office； in his grandfather's chair； at his grandfather's desk。 Above his head hung his grandfather's portrait； and he was a slightly modernized reproduction of it。 As he was thus in every outward essential his grandfather over again； he and his family and the social and business world assumed that he was the reincarnation of the crafty old fox who first saw the light of day through the chinks in a farm…hand's cottage in Maine and last saw it as it sifted through the real…lace curtains of his gorgeous bedroom in his great Madison Avenue mansion。 But in fact James was only physically and titularly the representative of his grandfather。 Actually he was typical of the present generation of Fanning…Smithsa self…intoxicated； stupid and pretentious generation； a polo…playing and racing and hunting； a yachting and palace…dwelling and money…scattering generation； a business…despising and business…neglecting； an old…world aristocracy…imitating generation。 He moved pompously through his two worlds； fashion and business； deceiving himself completely； every one else except his wife more or less； her not at allbut that was the one secret she kept。
James was the husband of Herron's daughter by his first wife； and Herron had induced him to finance the syndicate that had raided and captured National Woolens。
James was bred to conservatism。 His timidity was of that wholesome strength which so often saves chuckle…heads from the legitimate consequences of their vanity and folly。 But the spectacle of huge fortunes； risen overnight before the wands of financial magicians whose abilities he despised when he compared them with his own； was too much for timidity。 He had been born with a large vanity； and it had been stuffed from his babyhood by all around him until it was become as abnormal as the liver of a Strasburg gooseand as supersensitive。 It suffered acutely as these Jacks went climbing up their bean…stalk wealth to heights of magnificence from which the establishments and equipages of the Fanning…Smiths must seem poor to shabbiness。 He sneered at them as 〃vulgar new…comers〃； he professed abhorrence of their ostentation。 But heand Gertrude； his wifeenvied them； talked of them constantly； longed to imitate； to surpass them。
In the fullness of time his temptation came。 He shivered； shrank； leaped headlonghis wife pushing。
About ten days before the raid on National Woolens there had drifted in to Dumont through one of his many subterranean sources of information a rumor that the Fanning…Smiths had stealthily reduced their holdings of Great Lakes to twenty…one thousand shares and that the property was not so good as it had once been。 He never permitted any Wall Street development to pass unexplainedhe thought it simple prudence for a man with the care of a great financial and commercial enterprise to look into every dark corner of the Street and see what was hatching there。 Accordingly； he sent an inquiry back along his secret avenue。 Soon he learned that Great Lakes was sound； but the Fanning…Smiths had gone rotten； that they were gambling in the stock of the road they controlled and were supposed in large part to own； that they were secretly selling its stock 〃short〃that is； were betting it would go downwhen there was nothing in the condition of the property to justify a fall。 He reflected on this situation and reached these conclusions： 〃James Fanning…Smith purposes to pass the autumn dividend； which will cause the stock to drop。 Then he will take his profits from the shares he has sold short and will buy back control at the low price。 He is a fool and a knave。 Only an imbecile would thus trifle with an established property。 A chance for some one to make a fortune and win a railroad by smashing the Fanning…Smiths。〃 Having recorded in his indelible memory these facts and conclusions as to James Fanning…Smith's plunge from business into gambling； Dumont returned to his own exacting affairs。
He had himself begun the race for multi…millions as a gambler and had only recently become ALMOST altogether a business man。 But he thought there was a radical difference between his case and Fanning…Smith's。 To use courageous gambling as means to a foothold in businesshe regarded that as wise audacity。 To use a firm…established foothold in business as a means to gamblinghe regarded that as the acme of reckless folly。 Besides； when he marked the cards or loaded the dice for a great Wall Street game of 〃high finance；〃 he did it with skill and intelligence； and Fan