EXHIBIT 4.31


July 26, 2000




Avenel Financial Group Incorporated
11502 Stonebriar Dr.
Charlotte, NC  28277
Attention:  Mr. Michael Pruitt

Dear Mike:

As per our previous discussions, the Board of Directors of Adatom.com, Inc. (the
"Company") has authorized the issuance to Avenel  Financial  Group  Incorporated
("Avenel") of 166,667 shares of the Company's  common stock, par value $0.01 per
share (the  "Stock").  The issuance of the Stock is a) in settlement of your and
Avenel's claim of entitlement to a finder's fee for services in connection  with
the Company's  March 2000 private  placement of two million shares of its common
stock (the "Claim"), without admitting in any way the validity of the Claim, and
b) in return  for your and  Avenel`s  efforts  to assist  the  Company  with its
corporate finance and marketing activities.

The Company  represents  and warrants that (i) it has the power and authority to
enter  into and  perform  under this  letter  which has been duly  executed  and
delivered  and  constitutes  the legal and  binding  obligation  of the  Company
enforceable in accordance with its terms and (ii) when issued, the Stock will be
duly  authorized,  validly issued,  fully paid and  nonassessable,  and free and
clear of any lein or encumbrance,  (iii) it has not declared,  set aside or paid
any  dividend,  or  declared  any  distribution,  stock  split,  combination  or
reclassification  with respect to the the Company's  common stock since March 1,
2000.

The certificate  representing  the Stock will be processed by the transfer agent
and sent to you shortly  after we receive from you a copy of this letter  signed
by Avenel and yourself in the spaces provided below.

The Company is issuing the Stock to Avenel upon the assumptions that:

                  (a)  Avenel is aware of the  Company's  business  affairs  and
         financial condition,  and has acquired sufficient information about the
         Company to reach an informed and knowledgeable decision about acquiring
         the  Stock.  Avenel is  acquiring  the Stock  for its own  account  for
         investment  purposes  only and not with a view to, or for the resale in
         connection  with,  any  "distribution"  thereof  for  purposes  of  the
         Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act").


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                  (b) Avenel  understands that the Stock has not been registered
         under  the  Securities  Act  in  reliance  upon  a  specific  exemption
         therefrom,  which exemption depends upon, among other things,  the bona
         fide nature of Avenel's investment intent as expressed herein.

                  (c)  Avenel  further  understands  that the Stock must be held
         indefinitely unless subsequently registered under the Securities Act or
         unless an exemption from registration is otherwise available. Moreover,
         Avenel  understands that the Company is under no obligation to register
         the  Stock.  In  addition,  Avenel  understands  that the  certificates
         evidencing  the Stock will be imprinted  with a legend which  prohibits
         the transfer of the Stock unless it is registered or such  registration
         is not required in the opinion of counsel for the Company.

                  (d) Avenel is aware of the provisions of Rule 144, promulgated
         under the Securities Act,  which, in substance,  permits limited public
         resale of  "restricted  securities"  acquired,  directly or indirectly,
         from the issuer  thereof (or from an  affiliate of such  issuer),  in a
         transaction  or series  of  transactions  not  involving  a  non-public
         offering, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions.

                  (e) Avenel further  understands  that at the time it wishes to
         sell the Stock there may be no public  market upon which to make such a
         sale.

                  (f) Avenel  further  understands  that in the event all of the
         requirements  of Rule 144 are not  satisfied,  registration  under  the
         Securities   Act,   compliance   with   Regulation  A,  or  some  other
         registration exemption will be required; and that,  notwithstanding the
         fact that Rule 144 is not exclusive, the Staff of the SEC has expressed
         its opinion that persons proposing to sell private placement securities
         other than in a registered offering and otherwise than pursuant to Rule
         144 will have a  substantial  burden of proof in  establishing  that an
         exemption from  registration is available for such offers or sales, and
         that such persons and their respective  brokers who participate in such
         transactions do so at their own risk.


Please sign the  enclosed  photocopy of this letter and return it to me in order
to acknowledge:

         a)       that, upon receipt of the certificate representing  the stock,
         you and Avenel forever waive any and all claims of whatever nature,  in
         law or in equity,  whether now existing or hereafter  arising,  against
         the  Company and any of its  directors,  officers,  employees,  agents,
         attorneys, affiliates,  accountants and advisors in connection with the
         Claim;

         b)       Avenel's understanding of the terms and conditions under which
         the Stock will be issued to Avenel and of the restrictions  which apply
         to the Stock; and

         c)       that  this  letter embodies the entire  agreement  between the
         Company and  yourself  and Avenel with  respect to the matters  recited
         herein.



                                 Sincerely,

                                                              ADATOM.COM, INC.


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                                 By:        ___________________________________
                                            Richard S. Barton
                                            Chairman of the Board, President and
                                            Chief Executive Officer




ACKNOWLEDGED:

AVENEL FINANCIAL GROUP INCORPORATED


By:      __________________
         Michael Pruitt

Date:    ________________, 2000




ACKNOWLEDGED:


_______________________
Michael Pruitt


Date: ________________, 2000



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