"Why don't you lend us the ten thousand and let us gamble?"
Pell was in no wise disconcerted by the query. He replied with another question—always the shrewd man's way out of a difficulty, "Would you, in my place?"
"Sure I would!" came from the wheel chair.
"Oh, you would—"
"Yes, sir!"
Pell had nothing further to say to him, but addressed himself to Gilbert again.
"However, if you don't think that offer fair, I'll give you twenty thousand cash and assume the mortgages."
"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 ..."