The Belding banner-news., 1920-03-03

with Mrs. Hardy than before. Dave
accepted her displeasure with light
hearredness that was extremely trying
to the good woman's temper. Had II
not been for his desire to spare Irene
any unhappiness he would have treat
ed ii with open fiippancy. He was
engaged In the serious business of
capturing the heart of Irene Hardy
task made none the easier by the
self-imposed condition that he must
conduct no offensive but must await
with such patience as he could COM
mand the voluntary capitulation Of the
besieged. On the whole he told him
self he had no reason to be dissatisfied
with the progress Of events. He and
Irene often motored together. frequent
ly accompanied by Mrs. Hardy, some
times by Coward as well, but occa-
sionally alone. And Irene made no Sc
cret of the fact that she preferred the
trips In which only she and Dave par
ticipated.
The gradual shrinkage of values
to the vanishing point imposed upon
Dave many business duties which
he would very gladly have evaded. The
office of Coward & Elden, which had
once been besieged by customers eager
to buy was now center of groups no
less eager to sell; and when they
could not sell they contrived to lay
the blame upon the firm which had
originally sold to them. Although, for
the most part, these were men and
women who had bought purely from
the gamblers motive, they behaved
toward the real-estate dealer as
though he had done them an injustice
when the finger of fortune turned up
loss instead of a profit. For such
people Dave had little sympathy, and
IL they persisted In their murmurings
he told them so with becoming frank
ness.
Then there was Merton, the wild
over with sick lungs and the mother
less boy, who had brought his little
savings to the West in the hope of
outstanding out his life in the dry,
clear atmosphere and saving his son
invaded their little family. With a
cruelty almost unbelievable Coward
had talked this man into the purchase
of property so far removed from the
city as to possess no value except
as farm land; and the little savings
which were to ward off sickness and
death, or If that could not be, minis
ter modest comfort In the declining
hours OF life, had been exchanged for
property which, even at the time of
the transaction. was valueless and un-
salable.
Merton had called on Dave with re-
spect to his investment. Dave had at
first been disposed to tell him frankly
that the property. for which Re had
paid twenty dollars a foot, was barely
worth that much an acre. But Sec
ond look at the man changed his pur-
pose.
81 know you were stung, Merton
he said. 'shamelessly stung. You are
one of those unsuspecting fellows who
think everybody is going to play fair
with them. You belong to the class
who keep all kinds of rogues and
scoundrels in easy circumstances. You
might almost be charged with being
accessories. Now, just to show how
feel about it-how much did you pay
for those lots?"
'sThree thousand dollars. 1t was all
I had"
"Of course Il was. If you had had
more you would have paid more. /
suppose Coward justified himself
with the argument that IL he didn't
take your easy money someone else
would. which is doubtless true. But
Just to show you how feel about it
I'll buy those lots from you. for three
thousand dollars"
II can't do II, Mr.. Eden; i can't
do It," said Merton, and there was
moisture on his cheeks. THAT would
be charity-and can't take It. But
I'm much obliged. 1t shows you're
square. Mr.. Elden, and l hold no Ill