The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-05-06
A FOOL
AND HIS MONEY
By
GEORGE BARR
M'CUTCHEON,
Author of "Graustark."
'Truxton King" Etc.
Copyright. 1915. by George Barr
McCutcheon.

\ tpi|%ilf4 NJ Ni1art. On. no An
time within the next few DAYS will n
satisfactory, lake your time. cir
| appreciate that it requires time ~ III
rance for the
held up my hand with rattle
lofty air. " us it one hundred aHl
fifty thousand thar you mentoue,
| Or
''That was the amount" said he.
sudden glitter in his eyes.
| studied the ceiling With cac,1lat
in- squint. as if trying to approSimat,
my balance in bank. He watched IN,
closely. almost breathlessly. At last
unable to control his eagerness, IL,
said:
AT the usual rate of interest. yu,
understand"
What security can you give. SIR
Plpss: = l. demanded in Il very business
like way.
"Oh. you Americans"' be cried, his
face beanling with premature relief
You will pin us down, | see | d.
not wonder that you are so rich
shall give you my personal note Ms
Smart, for the amount secured by a
nort%age-a supplementary mortgage
on the Chateau IarnUwsy."
TarnDWsy! Now remembered ev
erNthing, Tarnowsy. The name strurk
my memory like Il blow. What a stu
pid (lolt had been. The whole world
had rlng wedding bells for the mar
ria@e OF the Count AIaris TalNuWsy,
scion of one OF the greatest Hungarian
houses, and Alte. the ninetepl- year
Old daughter of Gwendolen and Jasper
Titus of New York Newport, Tuxedo,
Hot Springs, Palm Beach. and 50 forth
-.)asper Titus. the banker and railway
magnate, whose name as well as his
hand was to be seen il every great
financial movement OF the last two
decades.
My pleasant little mystery had come
to Il sharp and rather depressing end
\ Joyous enthusiasm had attended NE
while | worked in the dark; now d
dreary reality stared lie i'll the face.
THE sparkle was gone.
i
count after waiting for IL minute. Oh
two to let me grasp the full Importance
OF the sacrifice be was ready to make
IN order to secure the against PERSONAL
loss blandly announced that there were
but two mortgages on the chateau
"lou wish me to accept a third mort
gage on the place." | inquired, pursuing
my lips.
THE chateau is worth at least mil
lion" he said earnestly But why
worry about that, Mr.. Smart: My per
sonal note is all that is necessary"
Just moment, count. | said, lean
ing forward in my chair. May in
quire where and from whom you re-
ceyed the impression that | am a rich
man?"
Lie laughed easily. Zone who in.
dulges Il within. Mr.. Smart, is always
rich. Schloss Rothhoefen condemns
you to the purgatory Of Croesus.''
''Croesus would be a poor man in
these days." said |. IF he lived in
New York he would be wondering
where his next meal was to come
from. am not rich man."
He eyed me coldly. Have you sud
denly discovered the fact, sir?"
What do you mean?'
Il suggest Il way in which you can
be OF assistance to me, and YOU hest
tate. How am to take it, STRIP
His Internal air of superiority aggra.
waited me. You may take it just as
you please, Mt. pless.'
II beg you to remember that am
Count IarnoWsy. Mr..
| arose. The glst of the matter is
this: You want to borrow $lJO.UUU OF
me. That is
lie FASTENED to correct me. II do
not call it borrowing when one gives
ample security for the amount in
volved'
What is your idea of borrowing,
may | ask
''BorroWing is the same thing rs ask
ing Il favor, according to our concep
ton Of the transaction. am not ask
ing Il favor OF you, sir. Far from it.
! an oiiSi Ing y oh 'tu Dp)OFluully W
put Il certain amount OF money out at
a high rate of interest,"
well, then, Wen look at it in that
light. | am not in'a position to invest
so much money at this time
"SnDpose that were to say that any
day inside the next three or four weeks
would be satisfactory to me-" said he,
as il he were granting me Il favor.
"Please be seated Mr. Smart'
'fhank you. ! fear it rs impossible
for me to remain
II shall be disappointed However.
time if not tonight, trust.
And now to come to the point. May
depend upon you to nelp me at this
trying period9 A few Thousand will
be sufficient for present needs, and the
balance may go over Il few weeks
without seriously mountaineering me-"
actually was staggered. MY choler
WH> rising.
Il may as we'll tell you first as last,
Count Tarnowsy, that | cannot let you