The Pit | Page 6

"If we even see the first act," mourned Laura. She scanned the faces of
the late comers anxiously. Nobody seemed to mind being late. Even
some of the other people who were waiting, chatted calmly among
themselves. Directly behind them two men, their faces close together,
elaborated an interminable conversation, of which from time to time
they could overhear a phrase or two.
"--and I guess he'll do well if he settles for thirty cents on the dollar. I
tell you, dear boy, it was a _smash!"_
"Never should have tried to swing a corner. The short interest was too
small and the visible supply was too great."
Page nudged her sister and whispered: "That's the Helmick failure
they're talking about, those men. Landry Court told me all about it. Mr.
Helmick had a corner in corn, and he failed to-day, or will fail soon, or
something."
But Laura, preoccupied with looking for the Cresslers, hardly listened.
Aunt Wess', whose count was confused by all these figures murmured
just behind her, began over again, her lips silently forming the words,
"sixty-one, sixty-two, and two is sixty-four." Behind them the voice
continued:
"They say Porteous will peg the market at twenty-six."
"Well he ought to. Corn is worth that."
"Never saw such a call for margins in my life. Some of the houses
called eight cents."
Page turned to Mrs. Wessels: "By the way, Aunt Wess'; look at that
man there by the box office window, the one with his back towards us,
the one with his hands in his overcoat pockets. Isn't that Mr. Jadwin?
The gentleman we are going to meet to-night. See who I mean?"
"Who? Mr. Jadwin? I don't know. I don't know, child. I never saw him,
you know."
"Well I think it is he," continued Page. "He was to be with our party
to-night. I heard Mrs. Cressler say she would ask him. That's Mr.
Jadwin, I'm sure. He's waiting for them, too."

"Oh, then ask him about it, Page," exclaimed Laura. "We're missing
everything."
But Page shook her head:
"I only met him once, ages ago; he wouldn't know me. It was at the
Cresslers, and we just said 'How do you do.' And then maybe it isn't Mr.
Jadwin."
"Oh, I wouldn't bother, girls," said Mrs. Wessels. "It's all right. They'll
be here in a minute. I don't believe the curtain has gone up yet."
But the man of whom they spoke turned around at the moment and cast
a glance about the vestibule. They saw a gentleman of an indeterminate
age--judged by his face he might as well have been forty as thirty-five.
A heavy mustache touched with grey covered his lips. The eyes were
twinkling and good-tempered. Between his teeth he held an unlighted
cigar.
"It is Mr. Jadwin," murmured Page, looking quickly away. "But he
don't recognise me."
Laura also averted her eyes.
"Well, why not go right up to him and introduce ourself, or recall
yourself to him?" she hazarded.
"Oh, Laura, I couldn't," gasped Page. "I wouldn't for worlds."
"Couldn't she, Aunt Wess'?" appealed Laura. "Wouldn't it be all right?"
But Mrs. Wessels, ignoring forms and customs, was helpless. Again
she withdrew from any responsibility in the matter.
"I don't know anything about it," she answered. "But Page oughtn't to
be bold."
"Oh, bother; it isn't that," protested Page. "But it's just because--I don't
know, I don't want to--Laura, I should just die," she exclaimed with
abrupt irrelevance, "and besides, how would that help any?" she added.
"Well, we're just going to miss it all," declared Laura decisively. There
were actual tears in her eyes. "And I had looked forward to it so."
"Well," hazarded Aunt Wess', "you girls can do just as you please.
Only I wouldn't be bold."
"Well, would it be bold if Page, or if--if I were to speak to him? We're
going to meet him anyways in just a few minutes."
"Better wait, hadn't you, Laura," said Aunt Wess', "and see. Maybe he'll
come up and speak to us."
"Oh, as if!" contradicted Laura. "He don't know us,--just as Page says.

And if he did, he wouldn't. He wouldn't think it polite."
"Then I guess, girlie, it wouldn't be polite for you."
"I think it would," she answered. "I think it would be a woman's place.
If he's a gentleman, he would feel that he just couldn't speak first. I'm
going to do it," she announced suddenly.
"Just as you think best, Laura," said her aunt.
But nevertheless Laura did not move, and another five minutes went
by.
Page took advantage of the interval to tell Laura about Jadwin. He was
very rich, but a bachelor, and had made his money in Chicago real
estate. Some of his holdings in the business quarter of the