The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-28
fContanuesd.

Tt isn't my funeral, returned j.. Rufus. rI'm not engaging in any busi- ness this year. anyhow, but still have a bet left in me. If The Lama's Goat makes a hit it.H break the hoo doc, and this house will be worth more than 1t is today At what price will you sell the property, and how much win you take for a thirty day option on it9'
 Dan sank back in his chair like q collapsed punball. saItss too late, he huskily whispered; then he cleared his throat its too iates' he repeated in louder huskiness. T gave Dillon thirty day opAon day before yester- day.,
 The devil you sayiF exclaimed Wal Hngford, deeply disappointed. why. the mans as crooked as Tammany and a sure bankrupt if he goes through with this thing. thought you had de cided not to fuss up with him"
 esI couldn't help myself z half whined Sickels, in the pftiabIe weakness of g. once strong man Wallfng gford, I've been broke so long that when I see any of my old friends on the street I hunt an alley. I used to be one of the best dressers on Broad way, and now don't like to 80 ont there in the sunlight I feel as if everybody that's. walking behind me has his eyes focused on the fringe of my pants. own this property and it's $85, GOO worth of mort eages, but there's many a time I've felt like trading 1t for the price of q new suit of clothes, dinner with a pretty girl, q skin full of champagne and a bottle of prussic acid. We'll, 5R,. All quivering Dillon comes along and shows me twenty five greenbacks, each one of them good for $2O at any reg uIarly licensed bar, and fall. He of fers me $100,000 cash and the same amount in stock Of the Dillon Stores company for this place, if he chooses, on or before the day his option expires But 1t isn't the figure he offers me that gets me; it's that visible $500 in real money. Say, do you know what I've got on now for the first time in a century or so? Silk sockss''
 ssTm sorry you closed with him, Dan," commented Wallingfofd, too much interested in the business end of 1t to pay any attention to Dams joy in the sordid necessities of life. "AlI you'll get out of this place will be the $15, 900 difference between the cash you get and the amount of your mort gages.' And Wallingford stalked away, steadfastly refusing Sickels' hospitable invitation to go out and take a drink and forget it.
 Instead, WaIHngford. as was his habit when he had been baked in any of his plans, hunted a quiet corner where nobody could find him. An hour later he hurried down from the lonely balcony box just above the dangling rehearsal and hunted Sieke1s, whom he found huddled up in the old watch mans comfortable chair at the stage entrance with foot across his knee gently stroking silk sock.
 You might as well have some more haberdashery, Dan,'' Walhngford ob- served. laying a. hundred dollar bill across the gIistening anMe.
 Dan promptly clutched the gaudy trifle in his fingers. Whats 1t for?'' be asked quite naturally.
 s.A second option on this theater and the ground it occupies. Thirty days, dating from today
 Same price P inquired Dan, folding the bill lengthwise and then endwise.
 Better replied Wallingford Two hundred thousand cash"
 Dan stuffed the money into his pock- ct. Let me get this straight he said, rising vigorously from his chair. You're paying me this $10O for what 2 . t --xs T-NkTT-