“Here,” said Jadwin, “let’s get some figures. Let’s get a squint on the whole situation. Got a Price Current here? Let’s find out what the stocks are in Chicago. I don’t believe the elevators are exactly bursting, and, say,” he called after the broker, who had started for the front office, “say, find out about the primary receipts, and the Paris and Liverpool stocks. Bet you what you like that Paris and Liverpool together couldn’t show ten million to save their necks.”

In a few moments Gretry was back again, his hands full of pamphlets and trade journals.

By now the offices were quite deserted. The last clerk had gone home. Without, the neighbourhood was emptying rapidly. Only a few stragglers hurried over the glistening sidewalks; only a few lights yet remained in the façades of the tall, grey office buildings. And in the widening silence the cooing of the pigeons on the ledges and windowsills of the Board of Trade Building made itself heard with increasing distinctness.