Marge placed the receiver to his ear, and shouted, “All right; go ahead.” In two or three seconds he dropped the receiver, turned pale, and looked as if about to fall.
“What is it?” asked several voices in chorus.
“He said, ‘E. & W. is dead as a smelt; knocked to pieces two days ago.’ ”
“What is it quoted at now?” asked one, quickly.
True enough: who could want to know more than Marge? It was in a feeble voice, though, and after two or three attempts to clear his throat, that he asked,—
“How did it close to-day?”
Again, as the answer came back, Marge dropped the receiver and acted as if about to fall.
“What is it? Speak, can’t you?”
“Thirty-seven!” whispered Marge.
There was an outburst of angry exclamations, not unmixed with profanity. Then nearly all present looked at the president inquiringly, but without receiving any attempt at an explanation, for the president was far the heaviest owner of E. & W. stock, and he looked as stony of face as if he had suddenly died but neglected to close his eyes.