The Yale expositor., 1911-05-04

y
ing on the foundations for their build
ing now. No matter what you pay for
il to-day. the value will double within Il
week; it's bound TO. Why-the present
price, did YOU ask? Fifteen thousand
dollars; and if you stay here till the
day after tomorrow you'll say it's the
best bargain you ever had"
But my dear sir-$15,000! Why,
that is n Chicago price-and for dey-
iish good locality at that!"
Mr.. Fench suddenly changed his tao
ties. al know, Mr.. Brentwood. to a
man who hasn't had time to take in
the details of the situation it must
seem as if we'd all gone stark crazy
down here. If | could afford to do it,
I'd hold that piece of property till you
could look around and see for yourself
] know how the thing looks" there
was an impatient ring at the telephone
-"ENcuse me just minute. Hello!
we'll, hello! Who is that? What?
Stanley? All right; what is it? About
what lot? Oh, you mean the one next
to the Morton company? Why-there's
n gentleman here now figuring on that.
What's that? Stand little closer to
the 'phone-now then, what was it you
said? The price? Fifteen thousand.
You say you will give fifteen fve-I
can't take it till the gentleman refuses.
I'll call you up little later. Good-by."
Fench rung off and resumed his seat
at the desk. You see how it goes,
Mr.. brentwood; that fellow will be
down here inside of 90 minutes to raise
his own bid. How would you like TO
look at some Of this residence prop
erty on Arlington terrace"
Mr.. Brentwood thought he should
prefer something in the business dis
trict; in fact, that Lot 90, Block 1G, was
precisely what he wanted. He had no
means of knowing that the telephone
was dummy. rung at the critical point
in the interview by the pressure of Mr..
Fcnch's foot upon convenient button
in the floor beneath the desk. Nor did
It occur to him at the time that the one
sided conversation at the instrument
was peculiarly opportune. For the
moment the Chicago broker like good
~ number of those who were permitted
TO breathe the speculative atmosphere
Of Mr.. Fench's private office. took leave
of the calm good sense which made him
respected among his business associates
in Chicago. He swallowed the bait in
nocently, believed all he saw and heard.
and refused to be diverted until he had
prevailed upon the reluctant Mr.. Fench
to accept a round sum to bind the bar
gain on the coveted piece of property.
AS brentwood left the office by one
door, Sharpless entered by another and
sat down in the chair lately occupied
by the last visitor.
'Shut off that hungry crowd for a
few minutes, Fench, and I'll 90 over
these papers with you" he said.
Fench touched the electric button on
his desk, and when the clerk answered
the bell he gave the order to admit no
one till further notice. "Now, then, I'm
ready for you.'
We'll, about this Woodenwarc COM
pany; they're all right. They'll bring
their own operatives, and they agree to
build tenements on the block next TO
their factory, selling them TO their men
on the installment plan. The sawmill
people you know about. They'll take
Town company's stock and pay for it
half cash and half lumber. This fire.
brick fellow wants to know if we own
the furnace and rolling mill plants; and
if we'll agree to give him monopoly
on the brick needed by us. ! told him
we would, if he would take Block 3 at
our figures, paying half cash; brick TO
be taken on same basis and to be
furnished when ordered"
That's II good, careful provision"
Fench broke in, especially as the NOR
tar isn't dry on the first set of Innings
yet. Go on"
Then here's Edgeley, the cutlery
man. I've been having the devils own
time with him. He sent man down
here to look over the situation, and I've
had a dozen interviews with him. First
he made me go to the courthouse and
overhaul the records. Then he wanted
tosee the deeds. tried to switch him off
# the Gates tract to location farther
down the river, but he wouldn't have
that. / wouldn't fool with him minute
if L wasn't sure that Edgeley has plenty
of money"
Wanted to see the deeds, did he?"
said Fench, thoughtfully. "D' you
know, Sharpless, I've been sorry dozen
times you burned that deed. 1t would
have been as good as any to show; and
I've wanted il 20 times if / have once"
But you've got Gates deed to u.s."
Il thought had, but haven't"
What have you done with il ~
81 don't think I've ever had it. The
last | remember of it was that night
when you put it in your pocket and said
you'd have it recorded with the other"
Look in your SAFE" said Sharpless,
land I'll go through my papers"
He was back in ten minutes without
the missing document. Did you find
it?" he asked.
NO"
"Then it's gone"
'Wcll, it don't matter much, except,
as | say, they'd be handy TO show.
They're both recorded"
Eyes. they're recorded all right. but"
-Sharpless paused and knitted his