"You were right, Bryant. One of the syndicate did give it away, and Halsey admits it."
"Ah! Did he name the scoundrel?" Bryant asked.
"Yes. I asked him how he got on to it, and he said 'Bryant gave it away.'"
Bryant gave a start as if stung and dashed across the room to where Fred was standing, grabbed him by the collar and hissed in his face:
"Did you say I gave the Rock Island deal away?"
"Yes, but you didn't mean to do it."
"What do you mean?"
Brokers crowded around them.
"On the very day you began buying I was standing near you, and heard you say, 'I'll take all I can get of that stock.' I knew then you were going to boom it, so I went off and loaded up for you. Mr. Barron bought the stock for you in less than thirty minutes after I heard you say that. Did I get any of your fleece?"
Bryant hurled him from him and turned away.