Mexico Missouri message., 1910-04-28


other big one is that you're a first
class musician, whereas half these
singers can only bang the box like
great, laundering overgrown school
girls. Allow that?"
81 suppose must allow anything"
laughed the prlma donna
well, now, I've told you. You've
got the name I need, and you've got
the voice, and the talent, and you've
got the science and culture. I suppose
you'll let me say that I've got the
business ability, won't your"
The iron mouth smiled q little
grimly.
Rather! I fancy some people have
wished you had less!"
"And the moneys here, for / always
have a blank cheque in my pocket. If
you like, I'll fill it in, and wen de-
post 1t wherever you say, in the
name of the 'Cordova Opera Company
or Nine. da Cordova. Rufus Van Torp
& Co. We can make out our little
agreement in duplicate right here, on
the corner of the table, and sign it;
and before we leave here you might
go around and speak to the best sing
ers about an engagement in New York
for a Wagner festival, a year from
next Christmas. That's business, and
this is a purely business proposition.
If you'd like to think it over, I'll go
and take a little walk before dinner"
1T sounds like a dream!" Margaret
answered. in a wondering tone.
Moneys an awful reality" Van
Torp remarked I'm talking bust,
ness, and as I'm the one who's going
to put up most of the capital, you'll
do me the credit to believe that I'm
quite wide awake"
do you really, really, really mean
| it?" She spoke almost like a child.
1t was not the first time in his life
that the financier had seen the stun
ming effect of a big sum, projected
with precision, like a shell, at exactly
| the right moment. He was playing
! the great game again, but for a prize
| he thought worth more than any he
had yet won, and the very magnitude
of the risk steadied his naturally
steady brain.
yes" he said quietly II do. Per-
| haps I've startled you a little, and
shouldn't like you to make a decision
till you feel quite ready to. I'll Just
say again that I've thought the whole
thing out as a genuine venture, and
that I believe in it, or l wouldn't pro-
pose it. Maybe you've got some SEN
sible lawyer you have confidence in
| nd to l. Tp
you feel that way, I'd rather you
should. A business partnerships not
a thing to go into with your eyes
shut, and if we had any reason for
distrusting one another, it would be
better to make inquiries. But so far
as that goes, it appears to me that
we've got the facts to go on, which
would make any partnership succeed.
You've certainly got the musical
brains, besides little money of your
own, and I've certainly got the rest Of
the funds. I'd like you to put some
money in it, though, if you can spare it,
because that's a guarantee that you're
going to be in earnest, too, and do
your share in the musical side. You
see I'm talking to you just as l would
to a man in the same position. Not
because l doubt that if you put your
name to a piece of paper you really
will do your share as a partner, but
because Pm used to working in that
sort of way in business. How does
that strike you? hope you're not
offended"
offended"
There was no mistaking the sup
pressed excitement and delight in her
voice. If he had possessed the intel
ligence of Mephistopheles and the
charm Of Faust he could not have said
anything more subtly pleasing to her
dignity and her vanity.
"Of course" he said, 1T needn't be
a very large sum. Still it ought to be
something that would make a differ,
ence to you"
She hesitated a moment, and then
spoke rather tlmidly
II think perhaps-if We did it-I
pounds" she said. Would that be
too little, do you think?"
The large mouth twitched and then
, smiled pleasantly.
That's too much" he said shaking
his head. you mustn't put all your
eggs in one basket A hundred thou
sand dollars would be quite enough
as your share of the capital, with op
ton to buy stock of me at par, up to
q million, or so. if it's a success"
Really? Would that be enough
And, please, what is stock in such q
case?"
Stock" said the financial, sis a lit
tie plant which, when we'll watered
win grow like the mustard seed, til
all the birds of Wall street make theh
nests in its branches, And if you dom
water it too much, itll be all right. II
our case, the stock is going to bt
that share of the business which mos