The Washington herald., 1913-11-02

| ''It has thirty days yet to rum" Ames
| told him. Its last term was for twenty
five years. and it is renewable for a
like period, on the payment Of 5000 to
the city, il the line is in operation and
carrying passengers on the day Of ex-
piration."
/ Dennison sternly resisted an impulse
to whoop. but he did not even shake
hands with John Ames.
How did you ever dig it up?' he
wonderingly asked.
| Mere logic" answered Ames with a
smile. II think could find a perpetual
privilege to commit murder, il 1 looked
back through the old archives Of any
city. Above all things, however, there
are forgotten franchises OF every sort
Dennison moved uneasily. Jerry Slum-
mer was taking a long time at the bar.
II like your way of doing business,
he complimented Ames. IF you'd let
this chap go It'll tomorrow, after having
broached the subject to him at all, he
would have done nothing but talk. and
Bill Cracken would have had him be-
fore daylight. I wonder what that bar
tenders up to-"
Ames looked over a minute and then
he laughed.
He's trying to figure a way to get
worried about how we're going to give
Jerry money enough for this stock to
| show adequate compensation in the
courts, if it should come to that"
IAN offer of 1900 would make him
suspicious" mused Dennison.
Ames suddenly chuckled.
Leave it to me- he advised, and
Iounged over to where Jerry stood
against the bar.
There's four years interest on this IS
announced the bartender, looking up.
with knots like walnuts in his forhead.
How do you figure compound INTEREST," ?''
THE simplest way 1 know Is to give
everybody a drink ana keep the sl0''
laughed Ames.
A general surge of the entire line OF
while they might have duh wits, they
had sharp ears.
what's what 7 call a good sport,
grinned Tub Warren. displaying q
| fringed cavity which made his friend.
illness more horrible TO contemplate
than his unfriendliness, and he snapped
the bill in his money drawer, 'What'l
you have. gents?''
First of all, Mr.. Summer will take
his stock" suggested Ames, and tht
bartender made a clumsy salute which
was sufficiently in the nature of ar
apology.
He went to the rusty little safe at the
end Of the bar, and stopping over, with
much grunting and hard breathing, be
gan to twist at the knob. Jerry Sium.
mer also moved up to that end of the
bar, and Ames followed him.
You're poor man now, I believe
said Ames-
S<
be lachrymose about 1t.
Then tn do you a favor" Offered
Ames confidentially. This man is very
rich, and men pay big prices for rare
old papers like this to put in their col
lections- II he takes a fancy to these,
charge him a good price for them"
Old Jerry's eyes contracted with
avarice.
How much do you say2" he hoarse-
ly whispered. Fifty dollars?'
Nothing so cheap as that. or he
won't want them" warned Ames.
Charge him $500. Charge him N,OoOi"
Good GodP' gasped old Jerry, and
he held to the bar rail while he strove
Here's your stock, Jerry" painted the
bartender. rising from the safe, and he
threw an age-blackened bundle of oily
looking papers on the bar.
Why, they're on sheepskin parch-
ment." wondered Ames, but Jerry did
not hear him.
Jerry was pondering deeply lost in a
trance-like stupor. as he walked back
to the table and laid the documents in
front OF Tom Dennison; nor did old
Jerry sit down. He stood, half leaning
on the edge OF the battered little round
table. and half holding TO 1t for support.
open-mouthed. glazed-eyed. and breath
ing heavily.
You'll notice, Tom. that they're on
parchment" recommended Ames softly.