136 WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



nearest Peter kept others from clutching his 

 arms. Fast and faster he jotted down names 

 and amounts while his face grew white and hands 

 and voice trembled as he hastily added the 

 columns in his little book and noted the porten- 

 tous footings. 



As I stood quietly outside the frenzied group 

 many an excited broker bid me a higher price 

 than that at which the Government agent was of- 

 fering it. One broker bid me a hundred and 

 thirty-two for a million. It looked like easy 

 money. I had only to sell it and then catching 

 Peter Myers's eye buy it in at a profit of ten 

 thousand dollars. And Peter was a good friend 

 of mine who would be quick to see my uplifted 

 hand and recognize my voice. 



But I wasn't to be tempted. I had borne the 

 burden in the heat of the day and was entitled to 

 the fulness of my reward. I might fail to get 

 back the gold if I sold it and I did not care in this 

 hour of my triumph to compete for the gold 

 which others so sadly needed. Already the Gov- 

 ernment walls were crumbling and from the class 



