After his talk with Walter, Robert felt better because he was his closest friend and it was always a pleasure to talk with him. He hoped that Walter was right and that Marie would show up soon. At the same time, he feared that something might have gone wrong, but every time this thought occurred he would read Marie's letter again and this would give him hope and courage because it plainly said she would come to him when he needed her most. Of course, he realized that she could not know just how badly he needed her now and felt that he would never need her more than he did at that very moment.
When Robert was troubled and blue it had always been his practice to read either the Bible or some other good book. He had a scrap book where he had collected poems and he took this book out and began to look thru it. He noticed a clipping that he had pasted in only a short time before headed: "Tomorrow's Chance," by his favorite modern poet, S.E. Kiser:
I may not reach my goal today
Nor move one step ahead;
No effort that I make may pay,
I may lose ground, instead;
But I can try no matter what
Obstructions I shall find,
And let no thought
Of turning from the path I've sought
Take root within my mind.
There may be many reasons why
No effort I can make
Shall send my fancies soaring high
Or clear the course I take;
Mischances I could not foresee
May check me everywhere,
But I can be
Determined bravely, faithfully,
To keep my purpose fair.
It may be that at every turn
Discouragement shall lurk;
My lessons may be hard to learn.
Men may condemn my work;
My trust may be betrayed by those
Whom I have thought my friends,
But I can close
My mind against imagined woes,
And strive for worthy ends.
No matter how my hopes shall fail,
Or how I fall behind,
I'll not sit down tonight to wail
That God has been unkind.
But, with a duty to fulfil,
And with a proud, defiant glance,
I'll prove that still
I have the courage and the will,
And gird me for tomorrow's chance.
This poem seemed to fit his case and he read it over carefully. He resolved that regardless of discouragement or disappointment, blasted hopes, lost ideals or shattered dreams, he would still have the courage to exert himself for "Tomorrow's Chance."
After reading this poem he began to think about the future and his plans. He knew that he had intended to go into the market again on Monday or Tuesday, but the thought came to him—What good would money do now, without Marie? However, he remembered her letter saying, "According to your faith, be I unto you." Therefore, he braced himself and again determined to have faith to go on, watching and waiting for Marie.
Robert bought the evening paper and looked over the financial page and noted that cotton had gone down as he had figured it would. The following day was the time that his forecast indicated that it would strike bottom so he must pull himself together and buy some cotton, both for his own account and for Marie's. Wheat had also declined and he felt that it was time to buy wheat for another advance as his cycle indicated an up-trend to run for the next ten days. Robert looked over the stock page and noticed the heading: "Major Motors advances above 200, a new high level." Robert had figured out that Major Motors would not advance much above 200 before it would be a short sale for big profits. He figured out from the cycle of Major Motors that it would hold until along in June and July and that it would decline to a very low level in 1928, so he decided he was going to go short to hold for a long campaign and make a fortune.
Robert was still holding his Right Aeroplane stock, which he had bought at 31 on May 21st, the day that Captain Lindbergh completed his successful flight to Paris. He figured that he could make a great fortune by buying Right Aeroplane stock and holding it for years and at the same time selling Major Motors short. The markets in Wheat, Cotton, Major Motors and Right Aeroplane were all doing just exactly as he had calculated they would. The fact that he was making money on Right Aeroplane stock encouraged him to continue his work on his own plane.
Robert did not forget sweet Marie or what she meant to him. At the same time he realized what the study of the Bible had brought him and felt that thru the aid of that book and the knowledge and wisdom he had gained through its teaching, there would be a way to find Marie if she were alive. He believed she was and he would hope and wait. But in the meantime he would try to make some money in order to provide all the luxuries and comforts for her when he found her. Since Marie's father and mother had agreed to withdraw all their opposition to their marriage, he thought that as soon as Marie heard this she would certainly come to him or communicate with him.
On June 7th, Robert sent a telegram to his broker to buy 500 bales of October Cotton and 500 bales of December Cotton at the Opening on Tuesday morning. He also ordered him to buy 100,000 bushels of July Wheat and gave an order to sell 500 shares of Major Motors when it reached 203. After sending these telegrams he returned to the hotel feeling some better and hoping that when he heard from Mr. Kennelworth on the long-distance 'phone he would have some good news. So he ate his dinner and returned to his room to wait for a message. Later he inquired for telegrams and 'phone calls and was informed that none had been received. He settled himself down in the room and concluded to wait for the long-distance call, hoping that it would bring good news.
At about 8:15 the telephone rang and Mr. Kennelworth was on the wire. Robert knew from Mr. Kennelworth's voice that he had no good news. Mr. Kennelworth informed him that no word had been received from Marie by her parents, and that they had called up the school in Sherman, Texas, and not a word had been heard from her there. The school informed them that she had left school on Saturday afternoon and had not been seen since. Of course, Robert knew she had left Sherman to meet him and was now more anxious and worried than ever and freely expressed his great anxiety to Mr. Kennelworth. Mr. Kennelworth was still hopeful and tried to cheer and encourage Robert. Advised him to go on to New York and wait him there. He had followed Robert's advice and bought Wheat and Cotton on Monday afternoon and Robert told him that he was going to buy the next morning at the Opening. Mr. Kennelworth said that he planned to leave for New York at the end of the week. Robert then decided to stay in St. Louis until he got some definite word, or anyway remain there until Mr. Kennelworth arrived and then go on to New York with him. He was anxious to see Walter as soon as possible but wanted to know something about what happened to Marie before leaving for New York. Mr. Kennelworth was confident that the next day would bring some news from Marie, one way or the other, and advised Robert to keep cheerful; that he would inform him just as soon as news came.