Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-10-02
FLOWING GOLD
BY REX BEACH
Chapter VIII--COntinued
: you know them Nelsons?'

sure hate to see him git that Evans lease for
next to nothin', after the way he done. ia
call it cheatin but-weIl, [ can't han'le it."
The man at the window wheeled suddenly
and his face was white, his brows were drawn
down. "By God" he cried tensely. He
won't get it. Where's that opt1on?"
Il got it right here" Briskow handed
over a paper. IAN I got the hull title alb
strack, too. Had it all ready for Nelson"
When he had swiftly scanned the docu-
ment Gray said: This deal means little to
you Briskow but it means much to me, and
I'll make it worth something to both of us.
At first I thought the time was too short,
butt work best when 1 work fast. You've
| had your chance and failed. Now, then, step
aside and let a man run who knows how"
Mr. Roswell, president of the bank where
Gray had first made himself known, was a
shrewd forceful man who had attained a
position in business and arrived at a time OF
life when he could well afford to indulge his
likes and dslikes.
Roswell had liked Gray upon their first
meeting. and that liking had deepened. Ow
ing to that fact, he had neglected to secure
a report upon him, assuring himself that
there was always time for such formalfties.
He was cordial today when Gray STROBE into
his office bringing Gus Briskow with him.
The banker listened with interest to what
he was told, then he studied the map that
Brskow spread upon his desk showing the
location of his own and other nearby wells.
THAT looks like sure thing" Roswell
said finally. GAS sure as anything in oil
can be- What is on your mind?"
I'D like to get the opinion Of the banks
oil expert" Gray told him.
7 This was>a matter easily disposed of; the
expert was summoned and he rendered
prompt opinion. He knew the property; he
considered it a cheap lease at thousand dol
lars an acre 1t was proven stuff and within
| thirty days it would probably treble in value.
When he had gone, the banker smiled.
"Well, Gray" said he, Il knew you'd land
something good. You're a hustler. You'll
make a fortune out of that land
Gray handed him Gus Briskows option,
and the assignment thereof, the ink upon
which was scarcely dry. There's the joker.
1t expires tomorrow night and-it will go to
the Nelson's. They've double-crosSed Mr..
Briskow."
"Then, don't let them get away with it.
Take it yourself"
ct is now o'clock and this is t. golfng
season in New York. Gray told III. Il
couldn't reach my-associates and get any
action before Monday"
"No funds of your own avaiable?"
"Not enough at such short notice"
"Well?"
"That lease is worth one hundred and
sixty thousand dollars, isn't it?" The banker
nodded. I'm going to sell it before O'Clock
for-eighty thousand. 1 know people here
who will take it, but I've come first to you.
Get together a little syndicate right here in
the bank, and buy it. I'll agree to take it
off your hands within thirty days at one
hundred and sixty thousand dollars"
'tIs your guaranty any good?"
"That is for you to determine. Assume
that it is not, and I'll better my first offer.
I'll undertake to sell off the land in twenties
right here in Dallas, double your money, and
divide the profits thereafter with you. 1t is
a safe speculation and a quick one. You
know I can put it through"
Mr.. Roswell considered briefly before re-
plying There's no use denying that we've
made money on deals like this-everybody
has. So it's nothing new There's a big play
on Ranger stuff and we couldn't lose. But
L know nothing about you except the little
you've told me- When 1 go into deal 1
put my trust more in the man than the prop
osition."
and 1 trustmy own judgment Of human
character more than that of strangers Gray
said, quickly. $50 do you. Thirty days is
long time with me, and the oil business is
just ny speed. Permit me to remind you that
time is flying and that 1 have given myself
only three hours in which to turn this prop
erty."
II like your energy" the banker confessed,
land I'm inclined to bet some of my
| money on you. Now''-he pushed a button
on his desk-"let's see if there are any
| others here who feel as I do"
1t was early evening when Gus Briskow
returned to his wife's and his daughters
| rooms at the Ajax. He slipped in quietly and
| sank into chair.
mercy me! | thought you was run over"
| Ma Briskow exclaimed.
! Il feel like I was" the hester declared,
with grin. Say! Mister Gray sold the
Evans lease an-we got more money than
| ever
Then mebbe you afford new suit"
Allie told him. You look like sim
Her father nodded, but his mind was full
of the incidents of that afternoon and he
began at once to recount them. He told the
story badly, but in language that the wom-
en- understood. He had not gone far, how
ever, when the girl interrupted him to eX-
| claim:
wait! Why, Pa! You mean to say Mister
| Gray amt got no money!"
"He had less N a hundred dollars An
him Twin here like a king with everybody
| bowin' an scrapn'!"
Ignoring the effect upon Allie of this intel
ligence, he continued his recital. 'All done
was set around while him an them bank
people talked it over he said finally. "Then
| they got their lawyer in an he examined the
title papers Seemed like he'd never git
l through but he did, an they signed some
things and we come out, an Mister Gray told
me I'd made forty-eight thousand dollars"
| Goodness mel Ma BriskOw's eyes widen
| ed. why, that Evans place amt wuth the
! taxes
tits more'n likely with a million. But
Think Him teIin' me I'd made fOrty-eight
thousand dollars 1t give me jolt, an I
says I didn't make it, [ told him I'd fell
| down an, turned the hull thing over to him.