Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-09-24
Obllgln9 Jordan.
"Well, sir ,"

81 thought told you not to both
er me again about Verna until you
had money enough to supporta wife "
"You did" assented Sidney, "but
you SEE
81 don't see you, broke in Jordan.
"And have had an eye on you, too,
sir. You have some $1,000 in the
bank drawing 8 per cent. I offered
you an opportunity to invest it at III
per cent and you refused"
"But, you see, l thought
"Thst's the trouble. You don't
think right" thundered Jordan. "You
are afraid to risk it in a speculation
which, l believe, will do better even
than the 10 per cent prophesied.
Then you hang on to that absurd farm,
which is bound to be valuable come
day because 1t is on the water 'front.'
"Itis valuable already, interrupt
ed Sidney. "In year from now
at will be worth just as much as it
is worth today and will be the same
FIVE years hence. A paltry bank ac-
count and 100 acres Of your farm, and
yet you insist that you are entitled to
come here and bother me about Verna
every six months. It's absurd. 1t
wastes my time
"But this tims"-broke in Sidney,
pleadingly.
"Last time it was the rumoI that a
trolley line was to be built, and you
wanted to cut your farm up into build.
ing lots. You're dippY about the val
ne of that land. I've got 200 acres
more than that I'll sell you for your
$1,000 cash. That's about $40 an
acre"
"I'n take you" agreed Sidney, as
he drew out his check book. "Will
you have the transfer made out at
once
Jordan stared incrsdulously. 1t
seemed too good to be true. Though
he was a rich man, Jordan was terri.
bly, pressed for ready cash with which
to swing certain deals, and this $S, 600
would solve several financial problems.
Rising, he led the way across the
hall to the Offices of his lawyers, in
structing them to make out deed to
Harlan, and the latter sat down to
wait for it, being assured that it would
require but few minutes.
The clerk did not explain that q
similar deed had been drawn up only
a few weeks before, when Jordan had
sought to sell the ground for half of
what he was getting from Harlan.
The deal had fallen through, and
it only remained to recopy the docu.
ment with the new name and terms.
In twenty minutes Harlan owned the
property, and an Office boy was on his
way to the bank with the check for
Jordan.
Harlan followed Jordan to his own
Offices, but at the door the elder turned.
eff you think you have won my ad-
mirstion with any such grandstand
play as this" he said, brutally, you
have made mistake. You're paying
twice what that land is worth, just to
call my bluff. That's not the sort of
a man I want for a son-in-lsw. /
want a man who can drive bargain,
not one who can be fooled the way you
have been."
"If you will let me e1plsin"-be-
gan Harlan, but with a laugh Jordan
shut the door between them. He was
still chuckling over the incident when
a card was brought in, to be followed
by sharp. eager-looking man. local
real estate agent.
"Uncommonly cheerful you look, "
commented the newcomer, a. he took
chair unlimited.
"Just been turning down ny daugh-
ter's suitor and getting rid of lot Of
useless real estate by loading it on
him." responded Jordan with chuck
le. "That's the seventh time I've
told Harlan that he couldn't marry
Verna.
"And you sold him that parcel Of
land out by the laksa" asked the Other
man.
Jordan nodded. "And at forty ar
acre. he said, with grin. "Got nd
of the whole 200 acres. Hes an idss
that some of these days the land is go.
ing to be worth something. l knew
he had $4,000 in bank, and ! lei hin