The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-09-25

Prime a chance who wouldn't give half
his fortune to be like him if he could"
You a.e a philosopher as well as a
philanthropist, young lady, see. You
may not be far wrong But if Mr.
Prime knew what champion he has
he would cease to despair. You asked,
| think, if believed his story. It is
quite evident what your opinion is"
said ZIP. Chelm, with laugh.
WY well, then, do believe it; and
want to help him."
Romance against the lawyers. Ha!
ha!'
Il am very determined young per-
son when make up my mind You
cannot laugh Inc out of it. AIr. Chelm. .
Heaven forbid! But what do yoa
propose to do?'
"Give him chance"
The lawyer rubbed his chin reflect
lively. Il am perfectly willing TO resign
in his favor, but otherwise / know of no
vacancy eitherin your or my gift to fiji"
he said, with sIaile.
Il cannot spare you yet. have an
other plan"
''And that"
"a very romantic one, as you have
predicted. l propose to set him up in
business"
"As a gentleman"
.'He is that already. No, as banker"
''Indeedl"
What do you think of my idea?'
Il have heard only the beginning of
it. 1t is natural enough to feel the in.
clination to set a handsome young man
UP as a banker: but fail to comprehend
yet the details of the scheme"
Il shall leave them to you"
ITO me? But | regret to say, Miss
Harlan, that | know of no banking
house at present that would employ the
services of this embryo merchant prince"
''Oh, but you don't or you won't I'M
derstands me. What l propose is to
found banking house and to furnish
the capital myself"
What" Mr.. Chelm leaned back in
his chair and laughed heartily. "This
is romance with a vengeance. Would I
were twenty-five, and in search of occu-
patton, And what, pray, is to be the
name Of the new concern? Harlan and
Prime? or Virginia Harlan and Com
pany? am confident it will be part
nership for life"
'sFrancis Prime and Company, of
course. will not submit to be laughed
at, Mr. Chelm. This is a serious bust
ness matter"
''Oh. most certainly! Thoroughly
businesslike in every sense! My dear
young lady, if you expect me to preserve
my legal gravity you must not be so
humorous; it is beyond the self control
of even a fusty conveyancer. And what
part in this financial idyl am expected
to play:"
you are to arrange it all. | am to
furnish the money and remain strictly
incognito That is the first and essential
condition l impose"
"What! Mr.. Prime is not to know the
name of his benefactress?
"On no account whatever!'
HE will be sure to search the earth
until he finds her.
'.Not if he be made to believe she is
ancient and homely. Besides, how is he
to know it is a woman"
Forgive me, Miss Harlan, but no one
except woman could invent such a
project 1t fairly takes my breath away.
How much of your capital do you pro-
\pose to embark in the enterprise-the
whole four Millions
'sNo, Mr. Chelm, 1 am not utterly ir-
rational yet. That is one of the points
mean to leave to your discretion.
merely insist that he shall not be
scrimped. | do not think, however, that
/ care to advance over two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars.
1.-TWO hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars? And still you talk of discretionl"
rs not that enough?"
Enough! Why, certainly not. If
you are bent upon the plan, at least put
it through handsomely, Miss Harlan.
Let them have cool million at once,
and be done with it,
Il know, of course, that this must
seem very quixotic to you as business
man, Mr.. Chelm," l continued after a
moments reflection. Every likely you
think l am merely jesting. But l am
not. am perfectly serious. | want to
help Mr.. Prime. Twas very much inter
ested by what he said, and / believe he
is in earnest. The plan that l have just
suggested seems to me entirely feasible.
Even suppoSing that lose couple of
hundred thousand dollars, what then?
It's a y5,r's income at the worst; where
as, on the other hand, if the scheme pros
pers ana he tarns out to be-
"a merchant prince" interrupted Mr..
Chelm
Yes, a merchant prince, as l believe
he will"-
'.You viii be married and be happy
ever after, as in other fairy stories
Nothing of the sort, Mr.. Chelm. Ny
conclusion of the affair is much less SEN
timentaL In case events result as hope
and predict. shall be thankful that I
have given him chance to put his
theories into practice. You may remem-
Der that he said he had theories regard
ing the use a rich man should make of
his money
1T strikes me you are willing to pay
pretty dear for the probable value OF the
information, even if matters turn out as
you expect. But the money is yours,
Miss Harlan, not mine, and if you are
resolved upon being generous in this
wholesale way, it is not for me to COM