Evening star., 1926-04-25

Edward Spalding's office waiting for
developments Montgomery Lubbock
! was breeZing through some telephone
calls. After perhaps Is minutes an
elderly man entered the outer office.
Lubbock hastily terminated his tele.
phone conversation, winked meaningly
at Steve, who was watching him, and
hurried out to greet the customer
Yes, sir. A restaurant, you say.
HIM" Monty pulled a long face.
We'll. step into my office. Mr.-Mr.
/ Beckwith." and he glanced at the card
the other had given him. my name s
Lubbock"
The customer followed Monty. and
although he was twice the latter's age
gave the impression of trotting obedi-
emily in response to a summons.
'SiddoWn, Mr.-Beckwith, HIM.
Restaurant. What was your idea
cafeteria maybe or quick lunch. or a
regular restaurant? You know il
makes a difference
| "A high-grade cafeteria. Mr.. Lub.
book, was what l had in mind" Mr..
Beckwith chewed his upper lip as
though a bit nervous. Il want a first
class location
The faintest shadow of a smile fit
ted over Monty's expansive face
Did you have any particular figure
in mind-what you'd be willing to
pay2"
NO. can't say that have. 1t all
depends on the location"
Are you familiar with rents in this
city? They're high. you know. Busi-
ness district is so concentrated"
Il only have vague ideas about that.
l know they're high. I've always
understood that"
well, if you want a first class loca.
tion there's the store at the corner
of Garfield and Thornton. That would
set you back twenty-four thousand
per-"
Mr. Beckwith pursed his lips as if
to whistle and again Monty allowed
himself the shadow of smile
Then there's the old Ames store in
the block between West and Stanwood
on Garfield. That can be had for
twenty thou. for a short lease. And
there's the new store on Warrington.
They're asking twenty-siX for that.
It's got good frontage, though. about
thirty-two feet. And If you want the
best there is, regardless of price
there's the store in the Johnson block
number 642 Garfield, for S35 900 per. "
You haven't anything cheaper" 4"
ventured Mr.. Beckwith. "in what you'd
call a first-elass location?"
"No, sir; absolutely not. You can't
get anything cheap these days. Bet
ter take run around and look at the
Ames store, $40 Garfield. Twenty
thou. is the price. They might shade
it trif1e.''
Thanks" said Mr.. Beckwith, and
it seemed to the closely watching
Steve that his face showed a trace of
annoyance. Let me see. That first
one at the corner of Garfield and
Thornton was"
Twenty four. Frontage, maybe IS
feet on Garfield. 1t ellis in after IS or
80 feet
And the new store in Warrington
waS-er-twenty-s thousand, you
said, and the frontage 32 feet?"
Yes, sir. If you're interested in
any Of them at all, just give me a ring
and I'll give you further dope on EN-.
Glad you stepped in, Mr.. Beckwith.' ~
Two prosperous looking men were
in the outer office, and it became very
evident that Monty's bright eye had
spotted them. He rose and Mr.. Beck
with followed his example. AS Monty
ushered him out he grasped his hand,
bit too boisterously, Steve thought.
Mighty glad to be of service to
you., Mr.. Beckwith," he said by way of
parting. and the customer drifted out
as the new ones walked into Monty's
office.
MONTHS manner at once changed.
A'A Steve had not supposed he could
be SO courteous and quiet. The two
new customers gave their names as
Mr. Pilchard and Mr.. Abrams, repre-
senting the Eagle Millinery Co. of
New York. They wanted two or three
upper floors in the retail district for a
popular millinery line.
1.-The idea is this. Mr.-"
Lubbock, sir"
"Mr. Lubbock The idea is just
this" Mr.. Pilchard was talking in q
loud and slightly nasal tone. I'VE
won't pay your street floor rents. The
prices you ask in this town are ridiCu-
lous. But if we can find the right
location upstairs. say a couple of floors
of five thousand feet each--a second
and third floor it would have to be
we could make an attractive display
and advertise and get the women COM
ing. It's got to be in the very heart of
things-and the price has got to be
right. Do you See?"
Yes. sir. l understand perfectly.
That sort of thing ought to go here" p"
II should hope So said Mr.. Pilch-
ard with needless turbulence. IF it
goes in New York 1t certainly ought
to go here. What locations have you
got?"
Monty proceeded with a defniteness
and fhorol,phnpSS that evoked Steve s.