118 WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



their accounts had not been made up for two or 

 three days, but that if they found they were 

 twenty-five gold over they would send it to me. 

 I replied that I had no interest in their accounts, 

 but that they had $25,000 of gold that belonged 

 to us and I was not going to wait any 

 longer for it. Ten minutes later the gold was 

 in our office and then I went around with my 

 apologies to the houses which by implication I 

 had accused. My interview with Lyons was 

 amusing : 



''Oh, Lyons, it was a mistake about that gold. 

 It was another house that had it. I am sorry I 

 bothered you about it." 



"No bother at all, but I am very glad you 

 found your gold. Are you sure you made any 

 mistake, though, in coming here?' : and Lyons 

 laughed heartily as he asked the question. 



"What do you mean?" I asked in some confu- 

 sion, for I saw that he was onto my method. 



"I made up my mind after you left that you 

 were out twenty-five gold and didn't know where 

 it had gone and that you started out to 



