The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-01-20

Ian should he present On the whole,
n would he hotter ~ leave the rest
Of the explaining 70 Gardiner.
"what dye think 81 II. DadT" said
Allan. when Rifles was gone.
MAY he all right" said Harris.
"wouldnt he surprised but II Is. Az
the same time amt goIn' TO put a
cent In u till Tn dead sure. And any.
way. there's no use lettin' Riles think
we're keen on H."
THAT'S what think. You think
GARDENERS all square In itT'
81 don't know. Likely he's getting
fat commission from somewhere,
but that's fair enough. n he makes
the deal. Bot he won't see any o.
cur money TIL I have the opinion Of
the best lawyer In town. That's all
we can say TIL we see H."
what dye say n we sell the old
farm anyway. an then II this mine
business don't look good. well PUNK
Il into farm lnndT
might do worse" his father agreed.
swell have a look round for a day or
two. anyway"
In the afternoon Gardiner and Rifles
drove into town and met the Harrises
In the waiting room OF the hotel.
GARDENERS greeting was friendly. but
not overfamiliar. as became a man
who had recently suffered some refer
ton on his character. He shook Har-
ris and Allan by the hand. inquired
after the cattle and the crops. but dis
creetiy avoided family matters hsv-
ing learned from Rifles that all had
not been going smoothly in their do
y,estic affairs. Gardiner knew q little
room at the back OF the bar. TO which
he escorted his guests. Having or
dered bottle and glasses on the
table. he turned the key In the door.
you can't be too careful" he ex-
planned. you know. the walls have
ears. and II II gets out that this coal
mine can he picked up at the price we
have on II. II will he taken before
night I understand your money is
not here yet, Mr.. Harisr
mo. Not started, ! guess. The
fact Ia, I haven't sold the farm"
"Well. I don't want to hurry you.
but you've got to act quickly. or not
at all. OF course. we don't figure on
taking any chances Our idea Ia to
turn the property over at once, at a
good profit. That's the way you feel
about II too. isn't itf''
I'm not a coal miner"
Exactly. Neither are the men who
own most of the mines Of this coun-
try. There comes q time. Mr.. Harris,
when we realize that We don't have to
get down with pick and shovel to
make ourselves some money--in fact,
the man with pick and shovel hasn't
time to make any real money. ] am
glad you feel like do about II, for ]
have already taken the liberty Of put.
ting the proposition up to a New
York syndicate"
"You mean II we don't come
through, they willr"
"No, I mean that well come through
| and they'll come after us. My idea
Ia not 20 take any chances. but to sell
the property. or as good as sell II. be-
fore we buy It, SO l sent a govern
ment report on II to this syndicate, as
I heard they were looking out for coal
lands In the West. and just took the
| liberty Of offering II to them for q
cool quarter Of a million. and gave
| them until tonight to accept or refuse.
| by wire. I'm little anxious for an
| answer. although II they don't take II
others will. You see, the old fellow
that owns II simply hasn't any idea
what it's worth. He has lived In the
hills until he looks like one OF EN-,
and a satchelful Of money In real bills
will simply dazzle him. A check
wouldn't serve the purpose; he'd be
suspicious of 1t. and he'd come down
to investigate, and some one would be
sure to crimp our deal"
| "And suppose I don't like the look
Of the mine when I see it?'
"Then you bring your money back
down with you and put It into farm
lands. or anything else that takes
your fancy. After you look 1t over, II
you don't want to 60 In on 1t, Mr.. Har-
ris. perhaps Rifles and can raise
enough ourselves to swing the deal,
but you see we thought of you from
the first. and We will stay with our
original plan until you have chance
| to decide one way or another"
swell, that sounds fair" said Allan,
and his father nodded. "But We
haven't sold the farm, and until we
do I guess there isn't much money In
sight"
"BradshawTl sell the farm quick
enough II I send him word" his ia
Their assured him. "He may not get II
all In money. but he'll get good part
of It. and he has ways o. raisin' the
balance so longs the security is good.
I've half a mind Z wire him I close
'er out"
Continued Next Week.