The Washington herald., 1914-06-14

thing IN Doof0. would nave nzpecte0
It, but . car IL quite cut of my line"
i Il understood you'd sold the shoe fac.
tory?"
Practically, yes; though I stiIl retain
some of the stock. But come inside
Sure you won't look ut the carr
| quite sure"
j In that case IN return In quarter se
an hour. I dislike leaving 80 valuable .,
| piece Of machinery unprotected in tksl
street. 30 I'll just run 1t down to the
! garage"
"very good. shall be in the library
| when you return"
! When Billy reached his uncle's residence,
again. h. was promptly shown into tie
library where he had FIRST met the old
gentleman, whom he now found seated
in an armchair. The elder Duplaae Looked
auizzically at his nephew.
Il think. young man." he began. ''thas
you owe me an explanation"
Il don't owe you anything. sir. excspr
that respect which Is due to you AZ ole
who keeps his word. and that debt psy
with pleasure"
''Thsnk you; but fall to see WHARF the
keeping Of my word comes in"
1T Is most important point In our
| colloquy, I assure you. You may think
II rash on my part to assume. on such
short acquaintance. that you keep your
word. but I've done SO in your case. I
rather pride myself on an ability to szs
| up . man at first sight"
Naturally l am gratiied to be placed
by You in SO desirable q category. But
| all this seems TO me beside the question
i am still mystihed. I gathered. doubt
| less enormously, from what you said at
the door that l had purchased your car:
| q most preposterous idea II is on this
subject that I desire enlightenment''
You shall have it. sir. with the srest-
est Of pleasure. When I was last hers.
in this room. asked you for the loan CT
5000
You did. certainly. refused. and IN
the request is reiterated l shall refuzs
again"
quite SO, sir. You refused, but that
refusal was accompanied by conditions,
| and it is on these conditions I now rely,
having fulfilled them"
The gentle face maintained its express
sion of perpleXity.
could lead you to suppose 7 have pur-
chased the car
Il was sure they had slipped ysurl
memory. but I believe did not mention
the word purchased when We conversed
At the doorway earlier this evening,
Purchased is your own word. Still, L
do not object to It. and II yeu care to
purchase I am quite willing to SELL
THANK YOU very much for the sRer,
which fear I must respectfully decline.
have as little use for an automobile az
have for an aeroplape."
An admirable simile. uncle, which putty
the buying of q motor car quite out Of
court"
1T never was in court. nephew"
1T was on the threshold of the court
house. at least; but We will let that pass
The car can pass anything on the read.
anyhow. 1 shall now call to your mind
exactly what you did say. You told mo
that il I offered adequate assurance for
repayment-Iand, houses. bonds, or what
not, so long as they were marketable
you would give me the money at once"
This automobile cost me- spot cash,
Sc 800. and even then I had to wait sew
eral months for delivery. 1t Is In better
order now than when it left the factory.
and is probably the mcst salable thing in
Cleveland today. I now tender this car
TO YOU as security for that 5000
Andrew Duplsne made no reply. but
sat there thoughtfully. appearing to for
get the presence OF his visitor. At last
Billy spoke again:
II make the terms easier than you
might have expected. You may use this
car often as you Ike until the debt
has been repaid. IL in the using Of it
YOU become fascinated that YOU wish,
to own the automobile. it is yours il yoIt
merely say the word"
The old gentleman reused himself. and
his nephew saw once more that captivst-l
My dear nephew, I should like to make
a suggestion-
NO. no. interrupted Billy. One thing
at a time. II you please. Did you or did
you not say what 1 have claimed that
you said?"
IT did
Good. That gets us a step forward.
The next step. Mr.. Duplane, Is a cheek.
The uncle made no reply. Nevertheless.
he rose in leisureiy fashion. wa.ksi
across tn. room to a desk. opened il.
wrote out the check. tore 1t from his
book. and blotted il on q pad. and then,
returning. handed 1t to his nephew.
Thank you very much" said William
Andrew. You were going TO suggest. I
think. that IL the automobile is ma -H.,-
able at 5000. and Is the most sslabls
sell it. especially you have no use for
it NV reason for not doing arises
from your own statement that You would
pay instantly. A check in the hand IS
worth two in some one else's possession
Nevertheless, I am quite willing to sell
your car at the usual commission
THAT Is very good Of you. but I will
keep the car for a few weeks and
how l like il. You are. however. quite
wrong in your surmise about what 7 he'd
10 say. I had no suggestion to make re-
gar6ing the sale, for the car was roii
the moment you repeated my words.
The suggestion in my mind was :hst
YOU. knowing the car better than any
one else. should become my chauffeur.
don't know what a chauffeur's wages are.
but I offer you S25 a week to take such .
position. Is that acceptable"
To an unemployed man it certainly ID,
and ao cept with cagerness."
Very well. Perkins will show you to
your ROOM
Pardon me. uncle, but a chauffeur
never lives with his employer. II Is not
etiquette you know. II you possessed
garage. I'd live in the upper story"
It have no garage"
II thought so. Well. here's my tele-.
phone number. I'll see that the car Is
taken care of. and a telephone message
will bring me to your door quite as speed
lily as IL you had a garage in your back
yard. Good day to you. sir, and once
more / thank you"
The young man disappeared leaving his