The Washington times., 1911-02-03

Then you think as you say here
he laid his hand upon the letter-"that
and close the deal?"
'I certainly do. We've got to have
tnat land, and to get II we've got to pay
his price. He knows that and he won't
come down dollar. Since we've got to
pay the price in the end, I'm for paying
1t right now and not losing any more
time in launching the company"
Your reasoning is sound. But your
| aware, of course, that the difference be-
! tween his price and the rate We've been
paying is considerably over $5O.OOO?''
yes but we're not going TO lose
| money on 1t even at that" Mr.. Jordon
nodded knowingly. Besides, when we
come to counting up the profits on the
whole deal, We'll never miss that $50, 900. 4"
Fifty thousand dollars, Mr. Jordon A."
| Mr.. Chambers said quietly, lis 1000"
Mr. Jordon blushed as though he had
been caught in an Ill deed. "Yes-yes--
OF course, he stammered. 1--WE don't
want to lose 1t, but how are we going
to help it?"
| Mr.. Chambers did not answer-gave
no sign of having. noticed the others
embarrassment Suppose we have a
meeting here tomorrow afternoon, and
try again to get him to lower his price"
| Very well-I'H write him to be here
But L warn you that he'll not come
| down q cent"
| Then I suppose we'ln have to settle
| on some other basis" There was a mo-
ment,s pause: by the way, who is this
Mr.. Rogers?''
Never heard of him till ran across
/ him in this deal. Nobody seems to
know much about him. He's just a lit
= tie two-for-a-cent agent that was cute
| enough to see this chance and grab II ="
| Mr.. Chambers said no more, and Mr.
| Jordon, seeing that the use for himself
was over, departed.
Mr.. Chambers had an instinct for
| losses that was like a composers ear
| for false notes. In one of his big finan-
cial productions he detected a possible
| loss instantly; 1t panied him as a dis
! cord, and he at once set about correct
| ing it. The New Jersey Home Company
| was but one of the many co-existing
| schemes that had sprung from his crea-
| tive brain, and the $4,000 was a beg
| gar's penny compared TO the sums that
| fioated through his mind. But the
| $4,000 was loss, flaw in the scheme,
and he could not pass 1t by.
Mr.. Chambers had the theory, proved
| by long practice, that many men have
something hidden away in their lives
| which, If discovered and properly used,
| will so disable them that they cannot
| stand up against an opponents plans.
| This theory, applied, had turned for
| him many hopeless struggle into a
| quiet, easy victory-so that II had be-
| come his custom, when dealing with a
man whose past life and whose present
business relations he did not know, to
| dCQudlUl HlLlSeI Will all lTdI COulQ De
| uncovered.
The moment Mr.. Jordan had gone
| Mr. Chambers wrote a line requesting
full information about Rogers. and in
| closed 1t in an envelope which he ad-
| dressed to the man who usually served
! touched a button and handed the note
| to his secretary.
"See that Mr.. Hawkins gets this at
| once he said.
l
| afterward remembered wore a diamond
| ring, a diamond shirt-stud and a heavy
| gold watch chain, walked into the Office
of John Rogers.
rs this Mr. Rogers?'' he asked of
| David, who was alone in the room.
mo. Aldrich is my name. But rep
your"
! I'D like to see him If I can. I'm
| thinking of investing in some real es-
been looking at a couple Of houses that
I was told he was agent for
| ''1'l call him-wait a minute"
David went into the living room. and
at once returned. Mr.. Rogers will be
right in," he said.
Thanks" The man turned his pink
ish face about the room. Cosy little
office you've got for this part Of the
town." he remarked, with an air of
one speaking pleasantries to kill TIME. -
How longs Mr.. Rogers been inter-
ested in real estate in this neighbor-
hood?"
I've been with him for less than a
year so I don't exactly know. But l
believe about eight or nine years"
I'm the same business before then?''
But the entrance Of Rogers at this
instant saved David reply. The caller,
who had sat down, arose and held out
his hand.
rs this Mr.. Rogers? Harris is my
name-William Harris
Rogers, as he came up, laid hold of
the back of a chair. He did not see Mr..
Harris hand.
I'm glad to meet you." he returned,
in his low voice, Won't you sit down %
hour was filled with talk about the
houses Mr. Harris had examined. Mr..
Harris was very eager for the buildings,
and David became excited at the pros
would come from the sale. But Rogers
was quiet and reserved as always-an-
swering all questions fully, save a few
casual personal queries which he evad-
ed. When Mr.. Harris went away he
was as good as settled. except for a
small difference in the price which
would bother them little.
The instant the ofrice door closed
upon Mr.. Harris. David turned eagerly
ITO FNOSStS WIN "e1o SiItih5
in his chair.
won't that be a windfall. though
lif he takes those houses" he cried
your commission will be at least
two thousand dollarsH'
There was no tinge of enthusiasm
in Rogers pale cheeks. He did not
speak at once, and when he did he
Ignored David's exclamations.
Did you notice. Aldrich," he said
lin a strained voice, that I avoided
taking his hand when he offered 1t al
first and again when we parted?"
mo. Why?"
"I was afraid"
"Afraid?" repeated David, puzzled.
What off"
| II shook hands with Bill Halpin-
and YOU know what he found out"
David stepped nearer to Rogers, and
saw in his eyes the look of haunted
s'I don't understand" he said slowly
"Mr. Harris may be a bona fidt
dealer in real estate-but fifteen years
ago he was one of the cleverest detec-
tives on the New York force. l recog-
nized him the instant / saw him. He
arrested me once"
David sank slowly to a chair. ''Yol
don't saw so!'' he calculated. He stared
: for several moments at Rogers THU
, face. do you think he can posstbl!
be on your trail? And If so, what for?
"What for, I don't know. But didn'
. vou notice how he was constantly study
ing me?-how he slipped in question
about what used to do?-how he tried
| = I-.-o +ba Danes of some of my