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In a distant part of the field all this time was posted the commander…in…chief of the army of attack。 Like all wise commanders in all well…conducted battles； he was far removed from the blinding smoke； from the distracting confusion。 He had placed himself where he could hear； see； instantly direct； without being disturbed by trifling reverse or success； by unimportant rumors to vast proportions blown。
To play his game for dominion or destruction John Dumont had had himself arrayed in a wine…colored； wadded silk dressing…gown over his white silk pajamas and had stretched himself on a divan in his sitting…room in his palace。 A telephone and a stock…ticker within easy reach were his field…glasses and his aidesthe stock…ticker would show him second by second the precise posture of the battle； the telephone would enable him to direct it to the minutest manoeuver。
The telephone led to the ear of his chief of staff； Tavistock； who was at his desk in his privatest office in the Mills Building； about him telephones straight to the ears of the division commanders。 None of these knew who was his commander； indeed； none knew that there was to be a battle or； after the battle was on； that they were part of one of its two contending armies。 They would blindly obey orders； ignorant who was aiming the guns they fired and at whom those guns were aimed。 Such conditions would have been fatal to the barbaric struggles for supremacy which ambition has waged through all the past； they are ideal conditions for these modern conflicts of the market which more and more absorb the ambitions of men。 Instead of shot and shell and regiments of 〃cannon food；〃 there are battalions of capital； the paper certificates of the stored…up toil or trickery of men； instead of mangled bodies and dead； there are minds in the torment of financial peril or numb with the despair of financial ruin。 But the stakes are the same old stakespower and glory and wealth for a few； thousands on thousands dragged or cozened into the battle in whose victory they share scantily； if at all； although they bear its heaviest losses on both sides。
It was half…past eight o'clock when Dumont put the receiver to his ear and greeted Tavistock in a strong； cheerful voice。 〃Never felt better in my life；〃 was his answer to Tavistock's inquiry as to his health。 〃Even old Sackett admits I'm in condition。 But he says I must have no irritationsso； be careful to carry out orders。〃
He felt as well as he said。 His body seemed the better for its rest and purification； for its long freedom from his occasional but terrific assaults upon it； for having got rid of the superfluous flesh which had been swelling and weighting it。
He made Tavistock repeat all the orders he had given him； to assure himself he had not been misunderstood。 As he listened to the rehearsal of his own shrewd plans his eyes sparkled。 〃I'll bag the lastof them；〃 he muttered； and his lips twisted into a smile at which Culver winced。
When the ticker clicked the first quotation of Great Lakes Dumont said： 〃Now； clear out； Culver！ And shut the door after you； and let no one interrupt me until I call。〃 He wished to have no restraint upon his thoughts； no eyes to watch his face； no ears to hear what the fortune of the battle might wring from him。
As the ticker pushed out the news of the early declines and recoveries in Great Lakes； Tavistock leading the Fanning…Smith crowd on to make heavier and heavier plunges； Dumont could see in imagination the battle…fieldthe floor of the Stock Exchangeas plainly as if he were there。
The battle began with a languid cannonade between the two seemingly opposed parts of Dumont's army。 Under cover of this he captured most of the available actual shares of Great Lakesvaluable aids toward making his position； his 〃corner；〃 impregnable。 But before he had accomplished his full purpose Zabriskie； nominal lieutenant…commander； actual commander of the Fanning…Smith forces； advanced to give battle。 Instead of becoming suspicious at the steadiness of the price under his attacks upon it； Zabriskie was lured on to sell more of those Great Lakes shares which he did not have。 And he beamed from his masked position as he thought of the batteries he was holding in reserve for his grand movement to batter down the price of the stock late in the day； and capture these backers of the property that was supposed to be under the protection of the high and honorable Fanning…Smiths。
He was still thinking along this line； as he stood aloof and apparently disinterested； when Dumont began to close in upon him。 Zabriskie； astonished by this sudden tremendous fire； was alarmed when under its protection the price advanced。 He assaulted in force with large selling orders； but the price pushed on and the fierce cannonade of larger and larger buying orders kept up。 When Great Lakes had mounted in a dozen bounds from one hundred and seven to one hundred and thirty…nine； he for the first time realized that he was facing not an unorganized speculating public but a compact army； directed by a single mind to a single purpose。 〃A lunatica lot of lunatics；〃 he said； having not the faintest suspicion of the reason for the creation of these conditions of frenzy。 Still； if this rise continued or was not reversed the Fanning…Smiths would be ruinedby whom？ 〃Some of those Chicago bluffers；〃 he finally decided。 〃I must throw a scare into I them。〃
He could have withdrawn from the battle then with a pitiful remnant of the Fanning…Smiths and their associatesthat is； he thought he could； for he did not dream of the existence of the 〃corner。〃 But he chose the opposite course。 He flung off his disguise and boldly attacked the stock with selling orders openly in the name of the Fanning…Smiths。
〃When they see us apparently unloading our own ancestral property I think they'll take to their heels；〃 he said。 But his face was pale as he awaited the effect of his assault。
The price staggered； trembled。 The clamor of the battle alarmed those in the galleries of the Stock ExchangeZabriskie's brokers selling； the brokers of the mysterious speculator buying； the speculating public through its brokers joining in on either side； men shrieking into each other's faces as they danced round and round the Great Lakes pillar。 The price went down； went up； went down； down； downZabriskie had hurled selling orders for nearly fifty thousand shares at it and Dumont had commanded his guns to cease firing。 He did not dare take any more offerings； he had reached the end of the ammunition he had planned to expend at that particular stage of the battle。
The alarm spread and； although Zabriskie ceased selling； the price continued to fall under the assaults of the speculating public； mad to get rid of that which its own best friends were so eagerly and so frankly throwing over。 Down； down； down to one hundred and twenty； to one hundred and ten； to one hundred and five
Zabriskie telephoned victory to his nominal commander； lifting him； weak and trembling； from the depths into which he had fallen； to an at least upright position upon his embossed leather throne。 Then Zabriskie began stealthily to cover his appallingly long line of 〃shorts〃 by making purchases at the lowest obtainable pricesone hundred and fourone hundred and threeone hundred and oneninety…nineone hundred and six！
The price rebounded so rapidly and so high that Zabriskie was forced to stop his retreat。 Dumont； noting the celerity with which the enemy were escaping under cover of the demoralization； had decided no longer to delay the move for which he had saved himself。 He had suddenly exploded under the falling price mine after mine of buying orders that blew it skyward。 Zabriskie's retreat was cut off。
But before he had time to reason out this savage renewal of the assault by that mysterious foe whom he thought he had routed； he saw a new and more dreadful peril。 Brackett； his firm's secret broker； rushed to him and； to make himself heard through the hurly…burly； shouted into his ear：
〃Look what's doing in Woolens！〃
Dumont had ordered a general assault upon his enemies； front； rear and both flanks。 His forces were now attacking not only