The Press., 1910-12-07
BUYING A PLACE The Price Went Very High.
 Then Dropped
By LUCY K. WYNKOOP Copyright, 1910, by American Press
 Association.

a New England lake rested on his oars before plank landing, on which stood young woman evidently waiting for something.
 Beg pardon" he said to her, ''is there road behind those houses pp there leading down to the railroad sta ton at Parkville?'
 "Yes, there is," was the reply.
 The young man gaped about him as though interested in the lay of the land. He was really interested in the girl, who was quite comedy. He was trying to think of some other question to ask her in order to keep up a con- versation.
 "Can you tell me who occupies that white house up on that crest?' he ask ed.
 "Dr. Egerton."
 There was another pause The Ha- plies were so exactly to the point thlt hey did not invite any furher Ques- tioning. However, the young man was not to be dropped.
 "Pm looking for place like that on this lake," he said, 'I wonder if it could be bought"
 "I suppose there's hardly a piece of property in the world that cannot be bought if the purchaser is willing to give a large enough price,"
 "I've looked over all these New Eng land lakes with a view to buying a summer residence, and I like this bit of water better than any of them. My mother and sister won't go to hotels, and don't like them myself We wish place where we can go as soon as spring opens and stay till late in the autumn"
 The young lady evinced no interest In the young mans family plans and made no reply.
 '"That place up there would suit us exactly" he continued. 'I would like to spend all the rest of my summers there. The view must be f1ne."
 '"There would be no harm in your trying to buy it." said the girl. You might write a note to the owner ask ing if any sum you would be prepared to pay would be accepted"
 ''Thank you very much for the sug- gestion."
 At that moment there were sounds of motorboat engine explosions, and a launch was seen making for the land- Ing. It soon pulled up there under care of a single boatman. The young lady got aboard and, without so much as a look at the oarsman, was carried away.
 Mighty fine looking girl" he said to himself-"well but plainly dressed and with an air of being somebody I wonder who she is.''
 Jack Aborn was an enormously wealthy young man, having inherited the bulk of his fathers property, and was accustomed to having anything money could buy that he desired. There was something unique in the Egerton place that struck his fancy. He couldn't very we'll build suchS a place. To begin with, he couldn't get the site; then 1t would require half a century to grow the trees. Besides, there was an old fashioned look about the whole place that could not be im- ltated. As the young lady had said, there would be no harm in trying to buy it, and he resolved to drop the owner a note asking if he would con- sider an offer.
 He did so and received reply writ ten in a woman's hand as follows:
 Dr. Egerton desires me to acknowledge the receipt of your note asking if an offer for this place will be considered and to say that 1t has been in the Egerton fam lily SO many years that there is at pres ent no intention on the part of the own er to sell 1t. However, the doctor would like to know what it would bring. Yours truly, SARAH H. MCCARTHY,
 Secretary.
 Aborn was sufficiently versed in business methods to waste no further time in correspondence; he called upon Dr. EgertOn for conference. He was received by Miss Mccarthy, a middle aged lady, who told him that the doctor had gone to the city, but that she (the secretary had charge of such business matters as required at- tention in the doctors absence and had power to act. Aborn asked what the property would bring if offered openly for sale, and Miss Mccarthy said she thought 1t would easily sell for $3O,OOO. Whereupon Aborn made an offer of $4O,OOO for it. The secretary said that she would transmit the offer to her principal and would write him.
 In due time a note came to Aborn stating briefly that his offer would not be accepted. He was quite ready to raise it. but did not like dealing through third party. He called again on the doctor, but was again disappointed at not seeing him. The doctor was at home, but very busy. Aborn left word with the secretary that he would raise his bid to $5O,0OO.
 A reply to this came to him that asUOnlshed him. It was tnls'
 Dr. Egerton desires me to inform MT. Aborn that. inquiries having been made as to his financial standing and his abil- lty to pay for any purchase he might make, the responses are perfectly satis- factory. But the doctor has also been informed that MT. Aborn Is one of those young men who, having inherited large 0AcdAS, tHAAh they Cdu hCQulE0 they fancy. Surely there Is no property without a price. but the price on the Egerton place Is in proportion to Mir Aborn's enormous fortune. It is enoR- mously high. Yours truly,
 SARAH H. MCCARTHY.
 Aborn was not only astonished at this reply; he was mad At first he determined to drop the matter in con- temptuous silence, but he was too irri- tated to do this. Besides, he was curi- ous to discover what sort of man this doctor was who would go so far out of his way to insult man whose only fault was desire to possess the Eger- ton homestead. He determined to make one more effort to see him. He called, but again was obliged to be content with seeing the secretary, the doctor having again gone to the city on important business.
 ''Is this doctor" he asked in an irri- tated tone, "a regularly educated phy- sician or QuackY'