MARKET MANIPULATION 95 



"Too late!" said the cashier, looking at the 

 clock. 



"On time!" exclaimed the boy producing his 

 watch which gave him five seconds to spare. 



"Guess you're wrong, Hallgarten," said I, 

 "but I'll walk around to Hammond's with you." 



I was interested in proving the boy wrong, for 

 the gold which was coming to us was half a mil- 

 lion dollars and the penalty if our office was right 

 was $1,250. At Hammond's we compared our 

 watches with his clock and I was nearer right than 

 the boy, who admitted that his delivery had been 

 late and left the watchmaker's office. I followed 

 closely, but when outside I happened to look back 

 through the glass door and saw Hammond be- 

 hind the counter. What spirit of evil or good 

 impelled me I know not, but I swung open that 

 door and called to Hammond as I pointed to the 

 clock with which we had compared our watches : 



"That clock is the standard, isn't it?" 



"No, this one," was the reply. 



The boy saved me from temptation by hearing 



