Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-03
THE EVENING STORY

to he 81 500 will look large to him. .
The younger man started incredu.
lousy
Eighteen hundred. Harrison, you
are a wonder. Well. make your of.
| fer and see what you can do. Then
we'll rustic round and close the deal.
| We ought to make $4,000 out of it
! anyway"
They left off the discussion of bust
ness for the discussion of their food.
! Rhoda sat staring at her plate.
| Sixteen thousand dollars and $1.S00-
| SIT, 800 Was it possible that the old
flat could bring it? AS for Harri-
SON. she knew him: he was a lawyer
| OF little principle. The other man
| was a stranger.
The figures seemed TO turn her
stare from her plate. Why, it was a
| fortune, If she had it she could
! have home right here in Middle
| field; she would not have to go back
, to Lancaster and work in the mill
| till she was tired and old or perhaps
| sick After all, she was only 80.
! Oh could she be smart enough and
/ quick enough to make that bargain
for herself?
She pulled her old black veil a
| little farther over her eyes and mo-
toned the waiter. She desired no
| more food. When he brought her
check she paid quickly and went out.
The people mentioned, who were
! theyo Where could she find them ?
| She got into her car and drove the
/ length of the street hunting for some
/ office sign which should lead her TO
| them There was none. She stop
ped. got out and went into the post
| office.
Within five minutes she had all the
information she needed The people
mentioned were thinking Of putting
| up a big plant if they could ma
an appropriate site 4 representative
| of the company was staying at the
| Central Hotel. She could find him
| there.
| Presently a small woman with
| flushed cheeks and brilliant eyes was
introducing herself to a pleasant
| faced, middle aged man who had Just
| been put In receptive state OF
| mind by an excellent dinner. Mr..
! Perkins was at all times man
| kindly disposed, for he had been a
noor boy who had fought his way
! IN to wealth and influence. This
little widow. with her restraint, her
earnestness. her firm intention OF
being businesslike. interested him.
| Her proposition interested him still
more. for he had Just about decided
| TO give up trying to find suitable
| location in Middlefield. After brief
/ conversation he got into the car and
| they rumhled out to the old fiat. II
| happened to be Just what Mr.. Per
| kins wanted and he didn't seem ap-
palled when Rhoda named her price
! $4,000 From those figures she
never swe,rved. and Mr. Perkins gave
| in TO her and asked her TO meet him
the following morning at the Office
of Harrison & O'tlare.
! When next morning H;hoda and
! Mr.. Perkins appeared Harrison and
his law partner nearly suffered col
| LAPSE. In the end they congratulated
| her warmly. Within an hour the
papers were signed and Rhoda was
| presenting the big check at the bank.
A swift Journey back 10 I.ancas-
ter, a quick sale of the little mort
! gagged house and its contents. "A few
! business matters attended to and
! Rhoda returned to Middlefeld, this
! time by train and becomingly clad.
| She rented small. pretty house,
furnished ii and settled down to a
! long and much needed rest.
OF course. all her old friends
| sought her out. They knew her now