“However, there’s nothing like making assurance doubly sure, Mr. Taggart,” said Dudley, taking out his cigarette case. “Have a smoke?” “Thanks,” and his companion helped himself to one. “The whole trouble seems to have developed from the fact that our ally, Vyce--that’s old Whitemore’s bookkeeper--has come under the suspicion of his employer, though it isn’t likely anything can be brought against him. When the combination was forming Carrington found out Vyce could be bought. He had his price--most everybody has--and an arrangement was effected by which he was to keep the opposition pool informed of Whitemore’s operations in this new deal of his as far as he was able to find them out.” “That was a great advantage,” said Mr. Taggart, wagging his head sagaciously. “Well, say, you’ve no idea what it counts for. Whitemore has been dominating the bull clique for years. All sorts of jobs have been put up to him, but he has managed to wriggle out somehow. This time we believe it is his object to corner the market, and the combination which is after his scalp is backed by one of the strongest banks in Chicago. I fancy it is strong enough to squeeze him. If we should catch him we’ll wring him bone-dry. We’ll bankrupt him as sure as my name is Guy Dudley.” The dapper young man lit another cigarette and continued: “As I was saying, Vyce, our source of information on the inside, has suddenly dried up. Whitemore hasn’t accused him of any underhanded dealings, but the very fact that he has shut up tighter than a clam toward his confidential assistant, and has sent young Thornton--a mere boy, you might say--west to close up his corn options, is a sure sign that the old man is suspicious of Vyce. Ever since that boy left Chicago we have reason to suspect that Whitemore has been quietly buying every bushel of corn that is offered, though his regular brokers do not appear in these transactions. If this is a fact, he must own more than half of the visible supply on the market.” “He must have a barrel of money.” “I’d be satisfied with half of what I could raise on his real estate. It was a slick and farseeing move on the part of the pool to sneak five million bushels down here without the fact getting out. That was accomplished early in the game by working our pull with the Mississippi Transportation Co. Nothing like having an influential director or two at your back.” The man in the fedora hat nodded. “These elevators have been duly reported out of business for one reason or another.” “I can’t see how you managed to keep the papers in the dark. What they can’t ferret out isn’t worth knowing.” Guy Dudley laughed sardonically. “The combination simply bought up half a dozen of the leading papers, and own them body and soul. They print only what we want on the corn question. They mold public opinion, as it were. The other papers copy our news, and there you are--see?” Mr. Taggart thought he saw, for he rubbed his hands and laughed.