He had managed to force the price of beef up to thirty cents a pound, causing all the retailers and consumers to rebel, and this was what made him so conspicuous.

He used to come to the brokerage end of the elder Cowperwood's bank, with as much as one hundred thousand or two hundred thousand dollars, in twelve months--post-notes of the United States Bank in denominations of one thousand, five thousand, and ten thousand dollars.

These he would cash at from ten to twelve per cent.

under their face value, having previously given the United States Bank his own note at four months for the entire amount.

He would take his pay from the Third National brokerage counter in packages of Virginia, Ohio, and western Pennsylvania bank-notes at par, because he made his disbursements principally in those States.