Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-06
TheDailyNouelette
Eliminating Susan
By Jane Osborn
ssT SHOULD judge tha, you are about


Of Jewctt & Howe. lie was address
ing Mr.. Howe, who sat ut a roll -tor
desk inside the little gate and fence
that divided the inner from the outer
Office.
rs there something I can do for
you?" asked John Howe. rising and
stepping toward the stranger.
ANSWER my question Grst. Are you
the smartest real estate man in town
Don't lie to me. If you think you are,
say so.''
Frankly, believe am" said John
Howe.
Then Mr.. Thad Upton stretched out
his hand and shook that of Mr.. John
Howe, who ushered the older man TO
the chair beside his desk. That was
the beginning Of the business relations
of Messrs. Thad Upton and John Howe.
II want you to sell the old Truax
property, Mr.. Upton explained. My
mother was Truax. a bachelor
brother of hers came by the homestead
and willed It to me. But there is one
specification In the will. It's mine to
do what l want with It providing II |
do sell | must let Susan Truax, his
grandniecc, have first chance to buy
it, and I must let her have It Mt n
maximum Of $50, 600.
"Now here's what want you TO do {:
( That property is worth considerable
more than that--forty at least. I
want YOU to eliminate this Susan Truay
as a possible purchaser ! never
clapped eyes on her. All | know Is
that she is daughter OF a cousin,
lives in Fairfield, and is. or ought TO
hn -firn old tIig coming
June"
But how shall | 60 about IT, asked
Mr.. Howe. "lf she gets any idea that
the property is worth more than the
$500 sh: will buy it whether she
wants to Keep It or not. OF course.
l cant approach her directly. She II
see at once there IS some motive
81 don't care how you 20 about it,
said old Thad Upton. "lf you are as
smart as the folks in this town think
you are then you'll eliminate Susan
as n possible purchaser. | may as
we'll tell you the truth--I'm not count
ing on making any profit on the trans
action. You can keep the profit ms
your commission. You see I'm entitled
TO that property through my mother
and this uncle of mine knew | was.
II was promised to her rs her portion.
But he put this clause in his will out
of sheer cusscdncss, and then turned
around and left this Grandniecc $50
600 to buy the property with. All |
cnre about doing is getting even with
old Uncle Truax. That's why ! want
you TO eliminate Susan. Somehow or
other you must make her feel that prop
erty isn't worth anything. If she s
spook shy start n rumor that it is
"a !, ,,,,, pl,,,,, md
the profit you make is yours
At the outset John Howe made sure
after an examination of the old Truax
property that it really was worth
$40. 900. Then he set about finding
Susan. All this took time and trouble.
lie found n pretcxt of doing business
in Fairfield and secured lodgings in a
boarding house not far from Susan
TruaX's home. 1t was not easy, how
ever. even for the engaging John
Howe to gain entire into Susan Truaxs S
exclusive social set. However, at the
expiration of three weeks he found him
self permitted caller at the IruaX
home in Fairfield.
He talked of many things and man.
aged to discover that Susan TruaX liked
old houses and old things If they had
belonged TO members of her family she
was not in the least afraid of ghosts,
did not object to mosquitoes and had no
fear of snakes. Mr.. Howe had thought
II spooks failed he might fall back on a
rumor that there were mosquitoes or
snakes on the TruaX property.
IL shouldn't bore you with family
affairs said Susan. but ] am 50 in
tcrcstcd in some property that ! have
the first chance to buy. ! have an idea
/, oifylNt
that YOU know something about real
estate. OF course | am anxious to nc-
Ouire this old homestead of ours. I'd
like to keep it rs summer place: but
| don't want to buy It if the 100000 I
shall have to pay for 1t is more than 1t
is worth
John Howe succeeded in hiding the
fact that he was more thnn politely in
terested in what Susan was saying.
Now, ] wonder If you could find out
for me in some way whether this prop
crty Is really n good investment?'
Without knowing what he ought to
do, John Howe promised Susan that he
personally would make the investigation
for her. Then he went back to his
lodging to ponder on the problem that
presented itself.
He might tell her nothng-simply
make excuses for leaving Fairfield and
return home to tell Mr.. Upton that he
had failed The hardest part of that
was that he didn't want to leave Susan.
In spite of himself he had become very
much fascinated by this dignified young
woman. And she had not seemed to
spurn his advances. From the first she
had soc ned to prefer his society 10 that
of any of the other men in her set.
|. John How" pondored these things for
an hour or more and then before retir-
ing he wrote the letter to Mr.. Thad
! Ipton that decided the fate Of the
Truux homestead and incidentally his
own. lie had eliminated Susan TruNx
! he said. He was sure he could per-
suade her not to buy. Likewise he had
found purchaser. All that remained
now was for events to shape them
selves He would be back in his office
he hoped. within ten days.
After that John Howe set out to woo
Susan Truax. Two or three afternoon,
they spent riding together, for Susan
was a keen hOrsCwOman, and then there
was country walk where John pro-
posed and was accepted, Susan did not
question his Judgment then when he
, advised her not TO buy the Trunx prop
crty. though she seemed kccnly disap-
! pointcd at having to let it slip from her
fingers.
Immediately following that, Susan
! signed the proper papers rclinquiShing
her kinsman, Mr. Upton, from her
claim as purchaser, whcreupon Mr.
Thad Upton promptly sent word to
John Howe that he might proceed with
the sale, retaining all profit he made
beyond the 100000. Two days later
rhe $50, 900 was in the hands Of Mr.
] I'nAt1n 81. nnlIn rnntl,- Ar II,n., Lnn i