Had we at Lattimore been provided with such a chart, and been reminded of the wisdom of referring to it occasionally, we might have saved ourselves some surprises. We should have known of certain areas of speculative high pressure in Australasia, Argentina, and South Africa, which existed even prior to my meeting with Jim that day in the Pullman smoking-room coming out of Chicago. These we should have seen changing month by month, until at the time when we were most gloriously carrying things before us in Lattimore, each of these spots on the other side of the little old world showed financial disturbances--pronounced "lows." We should have seen symptoms of storm on the European bourses; and we should have thought of the natural progress of the moving areas, and derived much benefit from such consideration. We should certainly have paid some attention to it, if we could have seen the black isobars drawn about London, when the great banking house of Fleischmann Brothers went down in the wreck of their South African and Argentine investments. But having no such chart, and being much engrossed in the game against the World and Destiny, we glanced for a moment at the dispatches, seeing nothing in them of interest to us, congratulated ourselves that we were not as other investors and speculators, and played on. Once in a while we found some over-cautious banker or broker who had inexplicable fears for the future. "Here is an idiot," said Cornish, while we were placing the paper to float the Trescott deal, "who is calling his loans; and why, do you think?" "Can't guess," said Jim, "unless he needs the money. How does _he_ account for it?" "Read his letter," said Cornish. "Says the Fleischmann failure in London is making his directors cautious. I'm calling his attention to the now prevailing sun-spots, as bearing on Lattimore property." Mr. Elkins read the letter carefully, turned it over, and read it again. "Don't," said he; "he may be one of those asses who fail to see the business value of the _reductio ad absurdum_.... Fellows, we must push this L. & G. W. business with Pendleton. Some of us ought to be down there now." "That is wise counsel," I agreed, "and you're the man." "No," said he positively, "I'm not the man. Cornish, can't you go, starting, say, to-morrow?" "No indeed," said Cornish with equal positiveness; "since my turn-down by Wade on that bond deal, I'm out of touch with the lower Broadway and Wall Street element. It seems clear to me that you are the only one to carry this negotiation forward." "I can't go, absolutely," insisted Jim. "Al, it seems to be up to you."