The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-22
So Philip first drafted and then
copied the following letter:

Dear Sirs-M Foret. OF this hotel. has
given me your names as a firm likely TO
transact certain negotiations for me.
want TO purchase small property in the
Mile End road. known as Johnson's
News also a shop near the entrance to
the news. tenanted by a marine store
dealer named O'BTien- The news is owned
by the Cardiff and Havre Coal com
pany. limited. I do not know who owns
the shop. I wish 10 acquire these prop
critics for a philanthropic purpose bur
am most DESTROYS that my name should
not figure In the transaction I propose.
therefore, when you have ascertained the
price. which should be at the earliest
possible moment, to pay to your credit the
requisite amount. You can have the
properties transferred to any nominee
you choose and again transferred to me
Kindly add your costs. etc. to the pur-
chase price. My movements are some
what uncertain. so please send all COM
munications by letter. 1t viii be an obli-
cation and lead to future business If YOU
attend TO this matter tomorrow morning.
Yours faithfully, PHILIP ANSON.
He did not compose this letter with
out considerable trouble The "philan.
thropic purpose" he had already decid-
ed upon, but he thought it was rather
clever to refer TO the possibilities OF
future business"
AS for the double transfer. he dis.
tinctly remembered copying letters
dealing with several such transactions
ut the time of the coal company's CON
version into a limited liability CON
Germ.
He was early to bed, and his rest
was not disturbed by dreams. He rose
long before the ordinary residents.
Deferring his breakfast. he walked to
Fleet street and purchased copies of
morning and evening papers for the
whole of the week.
He could thus enjoy the rare luxury
of seeing himself as others saw him.
He read the perfervid descriptions of
the scene in court and found himself
variously described as pert" mas
terful," 'imperious." highly intelli-
gent" endowed with a thin veneer of
education" and affected"
Philip could afford to laugh at the
unfavorable epithets. Up to the age of
thirteen he had been trained in a first
rate lycee, and his work was supervis-
ed by his mother, woman of very great
culture. He spoke French as we'll as
English and spoke both admirably. He
knew some Greek and Latin, was well
advanced in arithmetic and had spe-
cial penchant for history and geog-
raphy.
1t was in the glowing articles which
appeared during his Imprisonment that
he took the keenest interest Oddly
<1,,,4
Numbered on to 4 clew. Gifted with an
analytical mind, he had reasoned that
the diamond laden meteor fell during
the extraordinary storm of the 10Th,
and the meteorological department in
! Victoria street helped him by describ-
ing the center of the disturbance as
situated somewhat to the east of the
London hospital.
The writer had actually interviewed
q member of the staff Of that institu-
ton who amused himself by noting
barometrical vagaries His instrument
recorded an extraordinary increase of
pressure soon after 10 o'clock on the
night of the storm.
ALAS" said the scribe, sit did not in
dictate where the meteor fell, and not q
policeman, bus driver or railway Off
cial can be found who observed any
| thing beyond a phenomenal electrical
display and a violent downpour of
| rain"
That was too close to be pleasant
| and Philip was glad to hear from NJ
! Foret that the solicitors after telephon.
ing to ask for some particulars concern
| ing Mr.. Arson were giving prompt at
/ tention to his instructions.
What did you tell them?" asked
Philip.
Il said that you impressed me as the
kind of young gentleman who would
pay we'll for services given unsparing
~"
Did that satisfy them?"
Perfectly Such clients do not
abound in these hard times"
Three hours later a letter came fol
Philip Arson, Esq, by hand. 1t wa:
from the solicitors and read:
We are in receipt OF your esteemed in
structions. Although Saturday is a da!
| on which II is difficult 10 do business, W.
lost no time in inspecting the premises II
the Nile End road. accompanied by
surveyor. We found that the news stan,
| approximately on an area of 1900 super
fetal feet. while the shop tenanted b.
o Brien has a frontage on the main roa,
of eighteen feet. with a probable deptl
OF thirty or thirty-fve feet. The owne
Of this shop is a resident in the neigh
borhood. and he viii accept e450 for tn
freehold.
We were fortunate IN finding the man
aging director OF the Cardiff and Havr
Coal company. limited. at his Office Al
though the company require the new
for the purpose of a depot, they are no
unwilling 70 sell. with stipulation tina
the premises shall not be used by an
competing company during q period Q
twenty years from the date Of transfer
We stated that the site was required 70
q philanthropic purpose. but the latte
stipulation IS insisted on. The price aske
IS e, 200. which consider excessive
there being a very inadequate approach
Moreover, we wish TO point out tina
O'Brien's shop does not adjoin the new:
and it would be necessary to purchas
two other houses TO make the entir