s were in repose。
Culver shifted from one weak leg to the other； and the movement reminded Dumont of his existence。 〃That's all。 Clear out！〃 he exclaimed； and fell back into his big chair and closed his eyes。 He thought he at last understood publicity。
But he was mistaken。
He finished dressing and choked down a little breakfast。 As he advanced toward the front door the servant there coughed uneasily and said： 〃Beg pardon； sir； but I fear you won't be able to get out。〃
〃What's the matter？〃 he demanded； his brows contracting and his lips beginning to slide back in a snarlit promised to be a sad morning for human curs of all kinds who did not scurry out of the lion's way。
〃The crowd； sir；〃 said the servant。 And he drew aside the curtain across the glass in one of the inside pair of great double doors of the palace entrance。 〃It's quite safe to look； sir。 They can't see through the outside doors as far as this。〃
Dumont peered through the bronze fretwork。 A closely packed mass of people was choking the sidewalk and streethis brougham was like an island in a troubled lake。 He saw several policementhey were trying to move the crowd on； but not trying sincerely。 He saw three huge cameras； their operators under the black cloths； their lenses pointed at the doorwaiting for him to appear。 For the first time in his life he completely lost his nerve。 Not only publicity； the papera lifeless sheet of print； but also publicity； the publicwith living eyes to peer and living voices to jeer。 He looked helplessly； appealingly at the 〃cur〃 he had itched to kick the moment before。
〃What the devil shall I do？〃 he asked in a voice without a trace of courage。
〃I don't know； sir；〃 replied the servant。 〃The basement door wouldn't help very much； would it？〃
The basement door was in front also。 〃Idiot！ Is there no way out at the rear？〃 he asked。
〃Only over the fences； sir；〃 said the servant； perfectly matter…of…fact。 Having no imagination； his mind made no picture of the great captain of industry scrambling over back fences like a stray cat flying from a brick。
Dumont turned back and into his first…floor sitting…room。 He unlocked his stand of brandy bottles； poured out an enormous drink and gulped it down。 His stomach reeled； then his head。 He went to the window and looked outthere must have been five hundred people in the street； and vehicles were making their way slowly and with difficulty； drivers gaping at the house and joking with the crowd； newsboys； bent sidewise to balance their huge bundles of papers； were darting in and out； and even through the thick plate glass he could hear： 〃All about Millionaire Dumont's disgrace！〃
He went through to a rear window。 No； there was a continuous wall； a high brick wall。 A servant came and told him he was wanted at the telephone。 It was Giddings； who said in a voice that was striving in vain to be calm against the pressure of some intense excitement： 〃You are coming down to…day； Mr。 Dumont？〃
〃Why？〃 asked Dumont； snapping the word out as short and savage as the crack of a lash。
〃There are disquieting rumors of a raid on us。〃
〃Who's to do the raiding？〃
〃They say it's Patterson and Fanning…Smith and Cassell and Herron。 It's a raid for control。〃
Dumont snorted scornfully。 〃Don't fret。 We're all right。 I'll be down soon。〃 And he hung up the receiver； muttering： 〃The ass！ I must kick him out！ He's an old woman the instant I turn my back。〃
He had intended not to go down； but to shut himself in with the brandy bottle until nightfall。 This news made his presence in the Street imperative。 〃They couldn't have sprung at me at a worse time；〃 he muttered。 〃But I can take care of 'em！〃
He returned to the library； took another drink； larger than the first。 His blood began to pound through his veins and to rush along under the surface of his skin like a sheet of fire。 Waves of fury surged into his brain； making him dizzy； confusing his sighthe could scarcely refrain from grinding his teeth。 He descended to the basement； his step unsteady。
〃A ladder；〃 he ordered in a thick voice。
He led the way to the rear wall。 A dozen men…servants swarming about； tried to assist him。 He ordered them aside and began to climb。 As the upper part of his body rose above the wall…line he heard a triumphant shout； many voices crying： 〃There he is！ There he is！〃
The lot round the corner from his place was not built upon； and there； in the side street； was a rapidly swelling crowd； the camera…bearers hastily putting their instruments in position； the black cloths fluttering like palls or pirate flags。 With a roaring howl he released his hold upon the ladder and shook both fists； his swollen face blazing between them。 He tottered； fell backward； crashed upon the stone flooring of the area。 His head struck with a crack that made the women…servants scream。 The men lifted him and carried him into the house。 He was not stunned； he tried to stand。 But he staggered back into the arms of his valet and his butler。
〃Brandy！〃 he gasped。
He took a third drinkand became unconscious。 When the doctor arrived he was raving in a high fever。 For years he had drunk to excessbut theretofore only when HE chose； never when his appetite chose； never when his affairs needed a clear brain。 Now appetite； long lying in wait for him； had found him helpless in the clutches of rage and fear； and had stolen away his mind。
The news was telephoned to the office at half…past eleven o'clock。 〃It doesn't matter；〃 said Giddings。 〃He'd only make things worse if he were to come now。〃
Giddings was apparently right。 From a tower of strength； supporting alone； yet with ease； National Woolens； and the vast structure based upon it； Dumont had crumbled into an obstruction and a weakness。 There is an abysmal difference between everybody knowing a thing privately and everybody knowing precisely the same thing publicly。 In that newspaper exposure there was no fact of importance that was not known to the entire Street； to his chief supporters in his great syndicate of ranches； railroads； factories； steamship lines and selling agencies。 But the tremendous blare of publicity acted like Joshua's horns at Jericho。 The solid walls of his public reputation tottered； toppled； fell flat。
There had been a tight money…market for two weeks。 Though there had been uneasiness as to all the small and many of the large 〃industrials；〃 belief in National Woolens and in the stability of John Dumont had remained strong。 But of all the cowards that stand sentinel for capital； the most craven is Confidence。 At the deafening crash of the fall of Dumont's private character； Confidence girded its loins and tightened its vocal cords to be in readiness for a shrieking flight。
Dumont ruled； through a parent and central corporation； the National Woolens Company； which held a majority of the stock in each of the seventeen corporations constituting the trust。 His control was in part through ownership of Woolens stock but chiefly through proxies sent him by thousands of small stock…holders because they had confidence in his abilities。 To wrest control from him it was necessary for the raiders both to make him 〃unload〃 his own holdings of stock and to impair his reputation so that his supporters would desert him or stand aloof。
On the previous day National Woolens closed at eighty…two for the preferred and thirty…nine for the common。 In the first hour of the day of the raid Giddings and the other members of Dumont's supporting group of financiers were able to keep it fairly steady at about five points below the closing price of the previous day； by buying all that was offeredthe early offerings were large； but not overwhelming。 The supporters of other industrials saw that the assault on Woolens was a menace to their stocksif a strong industrial weakened； the weaker ones would inevitably suffer disaster in the frightened market that would surely result。 They showed a disposition to rally to the support of the Dumont stocks。
At eleven o'clock Giddings began to hope that the raid was a failure； if indeed it had been a real raid。 At eleven…twenty Herron played his trump card。
The National Industrial Bank is the huge barometer to which both speculative and investing Wall Street looks for guidance。 Whom that bank protects is as safe as was the medieval fugitive who laid hold of the altar in the sanctuary； whom that bank frowns upon in the hour of stress is lost indeed if he have so much as a pin's…point area of heel that is vulnerable。 Melville； president of the National Industrial； was a fanatically religious man； with as keen a nose for heretics as for rotten spots in collateral。 He was peculiarly savage in his hatred of all matrimonial deviations。 He was a brother of Fanshaw's mother； and she and Herron had been working upon him。 But so long as Dumont's share in the scandal was not publicly attributed he remained obduratehe never permitted his up…town creed or code to interfere with his down…town doings unless it became necessarythat is； unless it could be done without money loss。 For up…town or down…town； to make money was always and in all circumstances the highest morality； to l