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business hours。
His head was aching horribly and at every throb of his pulse a pain tore through him。 He rang for his messenger。
〃Tell Mr。 Giddings I want to see himyou！〃 he said； his teeth clenched and his eyes blazinghe looked insane。
Giddings came。 His conscience was clearhe had never liked Dumont； owed him nothing； yet had stood by him until further fidelity would have ruined himself； would not have saved Dumont； or prevented the Herron…Cassell raiders from getting control。 Now that he could afford to look at his revenge…books he was deeply resenting the insults and indignities heaped upon him in the past five years。 But he was unable to gloat； was moved to pity； at sight of the physical and mental wreck in that chair which he had always seen occupied by the most robust of despots。
〃Well；〃 said Dumont in a dull； far…away voice； without looking at him。 〃What's happened？〃
Giddings cast about for a smooth beginning but could find none。 〃They did us upthat's all；〃 he said funereally。
Dumont lifted himself into a momentary semblance of his old look and manner。 〃You lie； damn you！〃 he shouted； his mouth raw and ragged as a hungry tiger's。
Giddings began to cringe； remembered the changed conditions； bounded to his feet。
〃I'll tolerate such language from no man！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I wish you good morning； sir！〃 And he was on his way to the door。
〃Come back！〃 commanded Dumont。 And Giddings； the habit of implicit obedience to that voice still strong upon him； hesitated and half turned。
Dumont was more impressed with the truth of the cataclysm by Giddings' revolt than by the newspaper head…lines or by Giddings' words。 And from somewhere in the depths of his reserve…self he summoned the last of his coolness and self…control。 〃Beg pardon； Giddings；〃 said he。 〃You see I'm not well。〃
Giddings returnedhe had taken orders all his life； he had submitted to this master slavishly； the concession of an apology mollified him and flattered him in spite of himself。
〃Oh； don't mention it；〃 he said； seating himself again。 〃As I was saying； the raid was a success。 I did the best I could。 Some called our loans and some demanded more collateral。 And while I was fighting front and rear and both sides； bang came that lie about your condition。 The market broke。 All I could do was sell； sell； sell； to try to meet or protect our loans。〃
Giddings heard a sound that made him glance at Dumont。 His head had fallen forward and he was snoring。 Giddings looked long and pityingly。
〃A sure enough dead one；〃 he muttered； unconsciously using the slang of the Street which he habitually avoided。 And he went away； closing the door behind him。
After half an hour Dumont roused himselfout of a stupor into a half…delirious dream。
〃Must get cash；〃 he mumbled； 〃and look after the time loans。〃 He lifted his head and pushed back his hair from his hot forehead。 〃I'll stamp on those curs yet！〃
He took another drinkhis hands were so unsteady that he had to use both of them in lifting it to his lips。 He put the flask in his pocket instead of returning it to the drawer。 No one spoke to him； all pretended not to see him as he passed through the offices on his way to the elevator。 With glassy unseeing eyes he fumbled at the dash…board and side of the hansom； with a groan like a rheumatic old man's he lifted his heavy body up into the seat； dropped back and fell asleep。 A crowd of clerks and messengers； newsboys and peddlers gathered and gaped； awed as they looked at the man who had been for five years one of the heroes of the Street； and thought of his dazzling catastrophe。
〃What's the matter？〃 inquired a new…comer； apparently a tourist； edging his way into the outskirts of the crowd。
〃That's Dumont； the head of the Woolens Trust；〃 the curb…broker he addressed replied in a low tone。 〃He was raided yesterdaywoke up in the morning worth a hundred millions； went to bed worthperhaps five； maybe nothing at all。〃
At this exaggeration of the height and depth of the disaster； awe and sympathy became intense in that cluster of faces。 A hundred millions to nothing at all； or at most a beggarly five millionswhat a dizzy precipice！ Great indeed must be he who could fall so far。 The driver peered through the trap； wondering why his distinguished fare endured this vulgar scrutiny。 He saw that Dumont was asleep； thrust down a hand and shook him。 〃Where to； sir？〃 he asked； as Dumont straightened himself。
〃To the National Industrial Bank； you fool；〃 snapped Dumont。 〃How many times must I tell you？〃
〃Thank you； sir；〃 said the driverwithout sarcasm； thinking steadfastly of his payand drove swiftly away。
Theretofore； whenever he had gone to the National Industrial Bank he had been received as one king is received by another。 Either eager and obsequious high officers of King Melville had escorted him directly to the presence； or King Melville； because he had a caller who could not be summarily dismissed； had come out apologetically to conduct King Dumont to another audience chamber。 That day the third assistant cashier greeted him with politeness carefully graded to the due of a man merely moderately rich and not a factor in the game of high finance。
〃Be seated； Mr。 Dumont；〃 he said； pointing to a chair just inside the railinga seat not unworthy of a man of rank in the plutocratic hierarchy； but a man of far from high rank。 〃I'll see whether Mr。 Melville's disengaged。〃
Dumont dropped into the chair and his heavy head was almost immediately resting upon his shirt…bosom。 The third assistant cashier returned； roused him somewhat impatiently。 〃Mr。 Melville's engaged；〃 said he。 〃But Mr。 Cowles will see you。〃 Mr。 Cowles was the third vice…president。
Dumont rose。 The blood flushed into his face and his body shook from head to foot。 〃Tell Melville to go to hell；〃 he jerked out； the haze clearing for a moment from his piercing； wicked eyes。 And he stalked through the gateway in the railing。 He turned。 〃Tell him I'll tear him down and grind him into the gutter within six months。〃
In the hansom again； he reflected or tried to reflect。 But the lofty buildings seemed to cast a black shadow on his mind； and the roar and rush of the tremendous tide of traffic through that deep canon set his thoughts to whirling like drink…maddened bacchanals dancing round a punch…bowl。 〃That woman！〃 he exclaimed suddenly。 〃What asses they make of us men！ And all these vulturesI'm not carrion yet。 But THEY soon will be！〃 And he laughed and his thoughts began their crazy spin again。
A newsboy came； waving an extra in at the open doors of the hansom。 〃Dumont's downfall！〃 he yelled in his shrill； childish voice。 〃All about the big smash！〃
Dumont snatched a paper and flung a copper at the boy。
〃Gimme a tip on Woolens； Mr。 Dumont；〃 said the boy； with an impudent grin； balancing himself for flight。 〃How's Mrs。 Fanshaw？〃
The newspapers had made his face as familiar as the details of his private life。 He shrank and quivered。 He pushed up the trap。 〃Home！〃 he said； forgetting that the hansom and driver were not his own。
〃All right； Mr。 Dumont！〃 replied the driver。 Dumont shrank again and sat cowerin