Plot summary

"Wheeler-Dealer" Henry Tyroon comes to New York to raise more than a million dollars to finance a business scheme. He meets Molly Thatcher, a Wall Street stock analyst, whose boss, Bullard Bear, has assigned her to boost a stock (Universal Widget) that--though not to her knowledge--is apparently worthless. Molly's salary is an expense the firm can no longer afford, and they wish to be rid of her. Henry decides to help Molly with Universal Widget, maneuvering her boyfriend out of the way and dating her himself. Among the other side interests that Henry buys while in the city are a taxicab and driver, a chic restaurant, an art collection, and an abstract artist named Stanislas. In Massachusetts, Molly and Henry discover that Widgets went out of production in 1854, but they create an advertising campaign to promote the stock. They meet the Whipples, laconic New Englanders who own the hidden assets of Universal Widget, now a booming concern, and Henry strikes oil on Widget property. As Widget stock soars, a suspicious SEC investigates; and Henry, Molly, the Whipples, and assorted other characters are taken to court. Henry is revealed as a Yale man, not a Texan, and the Widget oil is discovered to stem from a pipeline. Molly, eased out of her job at this point, believes Henry responsible. A judge throws the confusing case out of court, ruling that the manipulation of Universal Widget is not against public interest. The Whipples own 48 percent, a group of Henry's Texas cronies own 48 percent, and Henry owns the controlling 4 percent of the stock. He sells his shares to the Whipples for the money he needs to support his business scheme, and he and Molly patch up their quarrel and decide to marry.