"Now your work must come in," said Sedgwick. "You and your wife must go to England as soon as Tom is a little better. In your own way, make arrangements to have announced, so that Hamlin, Jenvie and Stetson will see it, that there is a good deal of movement in "The Wedge of Gold"; have substantially the same report, only differently worded, as that contained in the prospectus which you were caught on; let it be known through what brokers the stock is being handled, and have copies of the reports in their hands, only fix the price at 1 per share. If the old men please to buy, let them have some of the stock. If they do not, we will try to make them sorry that they did not buy when they could. By the way, have you still your hand on Emanuel, and can you depend upon him?"
"I think I can," said Jack.
"Well, then," said Sedgwick, "if no news of the mill has been received in England, and the conspirators think you are merely trying to unload some of your stock on the old report, may be if they can be handled right, they may be induced to sell some of the stock short. If they can, perhaps we can get back some of the money from them."
"I understand," said Jack, "and I believe I can work it."
"Especially if, when I get to England with the bullion, we can call a meeting and declare a dividend," said Sedgwick.
"I see," said Browning. "But, old boy, I wish you had let me help you work this thing out. I do, by Jove."
Just then Grace and Rose came out on the veranda, where the old friends were talking.
Rose bent over and put her arms around Jack"s neck, and said: "Dear old Jack, do you know what day this is?"
"Why, little one?" asked Jack.
"O, you stupid!" said Rose.
"What is to-day?" asked Sedgwick.
"Another stupid!" said Rose. "Two beautiful and accomplished ladies go to church and give respectability to two of the wild tribe of the West, by marrying them, and they forget it in a little year."
"It was this day year, on my soul," said Jack. "It was, by Jove."
"Come here, sweet," said Sedgwick to Grace. Then taking her in his arms he kissed her, and said: "My days have been turned into nights of late, else I would not have forgotten. Are you glad you are married, Grace?"
"Very glad," Grace whispered. "Are you glad?"
"Very," said Sedgwick, "even as is the ransomed soul when the symphonies of Summer Land first give their enchantment to the spirit ear."
"I will tell you why I forgot, Rose," said Jack. "My life did not count until you became a part of myself. I am really but a year old, and you do not chide one-year-old kids for being forgetful."
"What glorified prevaricators these men are, Grace, are they not?" said Rose.
"O, Rose!" said Grace. "The mission of woman is to suffer and be devoted in her suffering, and how could we carry out our mission if all men were good, and had good memories, and did not run away to Africa and Venezuela and Australia, and come home with fevers, and--and--." Then she kissed Sedgwick, and jumping up caught Rose by the arm, and said: "Let us punish them by running away from them."
As they walked away Sedgwick watched them, and when they turned a corner of the veranda, said: "Jack, would you give the year"s happiness just past for all the gold in Africa?"
"No, indeed," was the reply; "but you had the strength to leave your bride on your marriage day for a chance of gaining a little of that gold."
"O, no, old friend," said Sedgwick. "We had enough money left, but there was a principle at stake. I went to vindicate that principle if I could."
"Pardon me, Jim," said Jack. "But you were stronger than I could have been. I could not have left my bride then. I had waited so long, that to have parted then would have broken her heart and would have destroyed me."
"I realized all that, Jack," said his friend; "so did Grace, and we both sympathized with you both, and decided that the cup of bitterness must be turned from you."
"Of course," said Jack. "What you did was jolly grand; what you have done has been so splendid that I cannot express my thoughts of it yet; I can"t, by Jove! And Gracie"s part through all has been superb. I think, too, your sick friend has been pure gold through it all."
"Pure diamonds rather," said Sedgwick. "O Jack, you do not half comprehend the grandeur of that sterling man. When his heart was slowly shriveling up in his breast, he forgot himself and his sorrow to cheer me, and when it was necessary to go for the machinery, he insisted that I should go, and he, of his own accord, went back to the depths of that South Land wilderness and worked uncomplainingly for months. No grander man ever lived."
CHAPTER XXVII.
SELLING STOCK SHORT.
After a few days more Jack and Rose returned to England.
Soon after their return, one of the morning papers had an announcement that the banking house of Campbell & Co. (Limited), No. ---- street, was promoting the "Wedge of Gold," a mining property in Southern Africa, near the border of the Transvaal, which was believed to be a most promising property.
The same day Emanuel dropped into the house of Jenvie, Hamlin & Stetson.
He was seedy-looking, and seemed a good deal run down both in purse and spirits.
"What do you think of the "Wedge of Gold" announcement?" asked Jenvie.
"What is it?" asked Emanuel. He was shown the paper.
"What do I think?" he said. "I think may be the young man needs a little money. The mails came in from Port Natal yesterday. Is there any news from the mine?"
"None at all that we can find," said Jenvie.
"I have no idea," said the Portuguese, "but if it is more than three shillings per share, it is one good chance for a bear to sell it short and hug himself for his own act."
With this he went out. The three men were silent for a good five minutes.
Then Jenvie rang the bell, and when it was answered he said to the messenger: "Go to Campbell & Co."s; find out the price of "Wedge of Gold"
stock, and ask what data the house has from the property."
The clerk returned in half an hour, and reported that it was held at 1, and he produced a statement of the property.
This was eagerly run over by the three. "Why," said Jenvie, as he completed reading it, "this is but a rehash of the statement of a year ago; the same depth is given, all the details just as they were. Jack must be making a desperate play for money."
"One pound per share!" said Hamlin. "Why, the man must be after some other Nevada miner who has more money than judgment."
"The "Wedge of Gold" was our good fortune," said Stetson. "Through it we got a real start. We made a good bit out of it, which we have since doubled. Let us try another venture in the stock."
"What! Buy it at 1 per share?" asked Hamlin.
"No, no," said Jenvie. "Let us sell 20,000 shares to be delivered in three months at ten shillings. We can send Emanuel and get it at four or five shillings."
After weighing the matter in every way they decided to increase the amount and sell 30,000 shares.
The offer was taken, the money paid, and the contract to deliver the 30,000 shares in three months was signed by Jenvie, Hamlin & Co. Then each, unknown to the other, sold 10,000 shares more short.
The fact was wired to Sedgwick at once. He showed Grace the dispatch and said: "My enchantress, that will leave your mother"s husband and Rose"s mother"s husband bankrupt if we wish it; what shall we do?"
"How will it do so?" asked Grace.