"
"Twenty thousand?" Uncle Henry's eyes opened wide.
"Well, what do you say?" Pell wanted to know, still addressing Gilbert. He
had no taste for Smith's constant interruptions.
But Hardy broke in, confounded by this talk. He saw himself slipping out of
the transactions. "If you think you're going to ..."
Pell paid no heed to what he said. "If I were in your place," he remarked
to young Jones, "it wouldn't take me long to decide. You see, from me you
get twenty thousand dollars clean. Otherwise, the place goes to him." He
nodded toward Hardy. "And you get nothing. It's mighty plain--as plain as
the nose on your face. I'm a plain man, and I don't quibble. I've made you
a direct offer. Nothing could be fairer. Well?"
Gilbert didn't pause or hesitate a second. "All right. Give him the ten
thousand," indicating Hardy.
Morgan Pell was visibly relieved. Things seemed to be going his way, just
as he had planned. Sturgis had been right, after all. He rubbed his hands
in satisfaction, "And now, to facilitate matters," he said, "if you will
give us a ten-day option on the place, at a purchase price of thirty
thousand ..." He went to the table, and arranged pen and paper, and
motioned Gilbert to be seated and write.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122