Scores of men had tried to “bust” Greener, but Greener had grown the richer by their efforts, the growth of his fortune being proportionate to the contraction of theirs. Sam Sharpe had come from Arizona with $12,000,000 avowedly to show the effete East how to crush “financial skunks of the Greener class.” And the financial skunk learned no new lesson, though the privilege of imagining he was giving one cost Sharpe a half-million a month for nearly one year. Then, after Sharpe had learned more of the game—and of Greener—he joined hands with Dittenhoeffer and together they attacked Greener. They were skilful stock operators, very rich and utterly without financial fear. And they loathed Greener. In a more gorgeous age they would have cut the Little Napoleon to pieces and passed his roasted heart on a platter around the festive board. In the colorless XIX century they were fain to content themselves with endeavoring to despoil him of his tear-stained millions; to do which they united their own smile-wreathed millions—some seven or eight of them—and opened fire. Their combined fortune was divided into ten projectiles and one after another hurled at the little man with the squeaky voice and the high forehead. The little man dodged the first and the second and the third, but the fourth broke his leg and the fifth knocked the wind out of him. The Street cheered and showed its confidence in the artillerists by going short of the Greener stocks. But just before the sixth shot Greener called to his assistance old Wilbur Wise, the man with the skin-flinty heart and thirty millions in cash. A protecting rampart, man-high, of government bonds was raised about the prostrate Napoleon and the financial cannoneers ceased firing precious projectiles. The new fortifications were impregnable and they knew it; so they contented themselves with gathering up their own shot and a small railroad or two dropped by Greener in his haste to seek shelter. Then Sharpe went to England to win the Derby and Dittenhoeffer went to Long Branch to amuse himself playing a no-limit faro game that cost him on an average $10,000 a night for a month. There was a period of peace in Wall Street following the last encounter between the diminutive Napoleon and Dutch Dan. But after a few months the fight resumed. Greener was desirous of “bulling” his stocks generally and his pet, Federal Telegraph Company, particularly. Just to show there was no need to hurry the “bull” or upward movement Dan sold the stock “short” every time Greener tried to advance the price. Four times did Greener try and four times Dittenhoeffer sold him a few thousand shares—just enough to check the advance. Up to a certain point a manipulator of stocks is successful. His manipulation may comprise many ingenious and complex actions and devices, but the elemental fact in bull manipulation is to buy more than the other fellow can or wishes to sell. Greener was willing to buy, but Dan was even more willing to sell.