Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-01

nartnershfp. and do this kind of thing
brown. as 1t ought to be done" Mar
garet opened her handsome eyes VIDE.
Because" continued Mr.. Van Torp.
as cooIly as If he were explaining a
new plan to a board u directors,
we've got the capital and the ability
between us, and there's a demand In
New York for what I propose to do.
TN I'LL a want, know, and that
means success and money. Why don't
we build a theater together? When /
say a theater, mean a hrst-ciass
opera house and not a barn. Wen
employ the best architects to build 1t,
aud. of course, I'd leave everything
about it to you. I've got block in
Nev York Just about in the right
place, and it won't take long to build.
ri give the land and put up the
money for the building, II you'll I'M
dertake the management You'll put
in any money you like, of course, and
wen share the profits. Maybe they'll
be quite handsome, for we'll lease the
theater to other people outside Of the
season Well have the best talent IN
Europe, and pay for 1t, and the public
will pay us back. Well call 1t the
Cordova Opera. if you like, and you'll
run 1t according to your own ideas,
and sing or not, whenever you please.
Are you in earnest?"
Margaret had some difficulty In pro-
nouncing the words clearly. Was
there ever a great soprano who did
not dream of having the most perfect
theater Of her very own, and who
| could receive unmoved the offer to
build one from a man who could build
90 II he chose? Very rarely in her
! life had she been aware of her bodily
| heart, but she could feel 1t now, beat
| ing like q hammer on the anvil.
I'm in earnest" Van Torp an
swered with perfect calm. I've
| thought the whole thing over in all its
aspects, just as would a railroad. or
a canal. or a mine. and I've concluded
to try it. IL you'll help me. because it's
going to be safe investment You
see, Miss Donne," he went on slowly,
there's no artist on the grand opera
| stage now who's so well equipped for
the business as you are. I'm not fat
tering you, either. In your own kind
| of parts you've simply got no rival.
Everybody says so, and I suppose you
won't play kitty and deny it. Let's
start fair. now"
1T would be silly to deny that I'm
one of the first" Margaret admitted.
'Thatll do, thank you. One of the
| first, and the first is one of them, and
you're it. Besides, you've got before
you what's behind most of them.
You're young. I'm not talking about
your personal appearance. but that's
just one more item in the assets. An
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 I must allow anything, ("
| laughed the prima donna.
We'll, 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 1 suppose
| you'll let me say that I've got the
business ability, won't you?"
The iron mouth smiled a little
grimly.
"Ratheri 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 ell it in, and wen de-
post It wherever you say, in the
name Of the 'Cordova Opera Company.
or Mime. 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 Wagner festival, a year from
next Christmas. That's business. and
this is a purely business proposition.
| II you'd like to think It over, I'll 60
and take little walk before dinner"
TT sounds like a dream" Margaret
answered, in wondering tone
Moneys an awful reality" Van
Torp remarked. I'm talking bust
ness, and as I'm the one who's going
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.
It was not the first time In his life
that the financier had seen the stun
ming effect Of big sum, projected
with precision, like = shell, at exactly
the right moment He was playins
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. 'T do Per
haps I've startled you q 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 believe IN 1t, or I wouldn't pro
pose it. Maybe you've got some sen
sible lawyer you have confidence in
and would like to consult him first. II
you feel that way. I'd rather yor
should. A business partnerships not
a thing to go into with your eyes
shut, and If we had any reason fol-
dfstrusting one another, 1t would be
better to make inquiries. But so fal
as that goes. it appears to me that