"Thank you," was Fenton's answer; "but the obligation, such as it is, I prefer to have stand, and I haven't any money to put into stock of any kind now."
"Well, think it over. Don't let your sentiments interfere too much with business. I'll hold the stock for you for three days. If you're fool enough to miss your opportunity after that I'm not responsible."
Naturally, this portion of the conversation Fenton did not impart to his wife.
Edith's look became more perplexed as her talk with her husband continued; and the matter-of-fact way in which he spoke of approaching disaster was to her unintelligible.
"What is going to collapse?" she asked at length. "The stock?"
"Certainly, my dear. There isn't anything behind it. I doubt if there ever was any Princeton Platinum mine, but I did think the men who were managing it were clever enough to get it to four or four and a half before they let go."
"But how could they get it to four or four and a half, if there isn't any mine?"
"By gulling fools like me, my dear; that's the way these things are always done."
A troubled look came over Mrs. Fenton's face, and her lips closed a little more tightly.
"Well," demanded her husband impatiently, "what is it? Moral scruples?"