Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-11

six months; but somehow 1t had kept on being
thirty days 1t was big tract of land to sell in
a lump, and it was not located where it could
be cut up into buildng-lots to advantage There
was little chance of dsposing OF it, except TO
some capitalist who would take it as invest
mert, or to some one seeking site for an in
dustrial plant But the sale meant large com.
mission, and Morrill, was nothing if not optims-
tic. He was always sure he could find pur-
chaser If he had Just little more time.
| Now he put more energy into the business in
hand than ever before. He visited the industrial
departments Of the railroads, where every effort
is made to keep track of all prospective industrial
enterprises. Here he got information as to sew
eral schemes and straightway put himself in
communication with various company officials
and promoters He went to see some; to others
he wrote-and he wrote personally, instead of
leaving the correspondence to Sanborn, whicn
was unusual. He previously had two men look
ing into the matter, but he was unwilling to rely
solely upon them. incidentally, he went to the
Dupage avenut fiat and put Horace Milbank
card on the mabox, which naturally aroused the
curiosity of all the neighbors. They occasionally
heard someone in the fiat at night, but they
never saw Mr.. Nbank. 1t occurred to them
that he was very peculiar person.
Then came a startling surprise. Mr., Benja-
min Cartley, of Philadelphia, representing the
heirs, wrote that he was just starting on West
ern trip. and that he would stop over long
enough to personally settle the final minor de-
| tails IL necessary, he might be able to make
some concessions that would clear away any re-
naming obstacles. Mr. Mbank doubtless would
appreciate the advantage of having man with
power of-attorney on the ground to expedite mat
ters, and if informed of the circumstances, would
have all necessary arrangements made with his
principals in the East. OF course, they could be
reached by wire, and as he (Cartley) had bust
ness that would necessitate stop of few days
| in Pittsburg, there would be ample time to get
things in shape. He could be addressed at the
Hotel Duquesne if there were any unexpected de-
velopments,
That settles us!' exclaimed Sanborn despair
ingly "Hell discover the whole trick. We can't
produce Milbank." ..
GLOW foolish you are!" returned Morrill,. "It
would be no trouble at all to produce Mibanlt
if it would do any good. I'd make a first-cass
Milbank, but the risk would be too great. This
disgustingly impatient fellow would insist upon
details that would wreck us. He would want to
open telegraphic communication with my prin-
cpals and would insist upon rushing matters
generally. We'd have to explain just where the
hitch was, and very likely he'd concede the point,
or else he'd make counter proposition and de-
mand telegraphc reply. Oh, it never would
do to produce Milbank. He'd have Milbank in a
corner in no time at ALL
"Then there's nothing to do but acknowledge
the deceit.
| SO falntncarteQ. we muSD nedQ MIN OH.
| "But how?"
'TWell I never have committed murder in my
life, but I think I'll have to kill Milbank. ii
Milbank dies suddenly no blame attaches to lis
for the failure of the deal, and he may give MS
another chance. At any rate, there will be no
reason why he should come to Chicago. Now,
| you stay right here and I'll go out and murder
Nfilbank."
| Sanborn was too surprised to either protest or
ask for further explanation, and fifteen minutes
later Morrill, was handing a death notice
the desk of a newspaper office. Then he went
up to the City Editor and gave him an item of
news. This to the effect that Horace Mil
bank, an inventor and promoter of Birmingham,
England, had died suddenly of heart disease at
316S Dupage avenue. Mr.. Milbank, represent
ing certain Massachusetts, capitalists interested
in of his inventions, was negotiating for a
site for large manufacturing plant al the time
of his death, and peculiar feature of the case
was that he had refused to give the names of
his hackers, they did not wish to appear in
the affair until all the details were arranged
Consequently they were still unknown. 1t was
hoped, however, that this item would come TO
their notice, and that they would communicate
with Messrs. Morrill, Sanborn in order that the
deal might not fall through.
"There," said Morrill,, as he showed this notice
to Sanborn the next morning, 81 call that artis.
tic. Every paper in the city has something to
the same effect, and all we've got to do is to
mail them to Cartley at Pittsburg. He certainly
can't afford to take the property out of our
hands until we've had time to hear from some
other member of that syndicate, which will give
me the time necessary to sell the measly old
tract to someone else"
Sanborn could only grasp his partners hand
and gaze at him in silent admiration He GER
tainly a wonderful
But, unfortunately, Cartley did not turn back
when he received the notices and the accompa-
nying letter of explanation. He going from
Pittsburg to Omaha, anyway, and Chicago was
on the way. So one morning he walked into the