BUSINESS OR GAMBLING 85 



member a bull and my heart turned to water as 

 wild advances were predicted, advances that 

 would have swept us and our fortunes from the 

 board. 



I think I never flinched in that room, whatever 

 the thrust, but in our private office I must have 

 shown my distress, for my partner would leave 

 the room and going over to the Exchange to "look 

 at the market" would return with pallid face. 

 When I begged him not to go to the Exchange 

 till the strain was over he would reply, — 



"I ought to be able to stand it, if you can." 

 Then I would go back to the Gold Room with de- 

 fiance in my heart and when some rampant bull 

 with a challenging look at me would bid for a hun- 

 dred thousand gold at an eighth above the last 

 sale, I would nod a smiling acceptance of his bid, 

 and offer him a hundred thousand more at the 

 same price and if he shook his head would offer 

 any part of a million at an eighth or a quarter per 

 cent lower, and while the market shivered and 

 dropped half a point or so would turn to the 

 "Gold Loan Market" and arrange to carry on 



