Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/324

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of this by selling short, and they expected to have at least from 10 to 2 o'clock in which to work this peculiarly daring manipulation of the market.

By the time the truth would be known the bold plotters would turn and go long of the market, on the recovery from the temporary shock, and at least two or three good-sized fortunes were expected to be realized by the double deal. Sam reluctantly declined the tempting offer. Although he wanted the $20,000 awfully bad, he feared that he might be mobbed after the fright was over, and so the scheme fell through.

Leopold knew Gould very well, and they delighted to meet and look at each other. It is related that whenever Sam discovered a new gray hair in his whiskers he would hurry to Mr. Gould, only to find that the millionaire was also keeping tab on his white hairs, and the two accounts tallied exactly.

Some years ago Mr. Gould went to the Rocky mountains, where he wanted some surveying done in the neighborhood of Black Hawk in Colorado. He employed a surveyor and described the work he wanted done. The Indians were rather troublesome at that time and the surveyor said:

"I will have a good chance of getting scalped."

"Well," replied Mr. Gould, "I want this work done, and I want to know if you will do it."

"It will be a bad thing for my family if I am killed," said the man, "but I'll undertake the work."

"How much money would it take to make you independent out here?" asked Mr. Gould.