“Eh, heh, heh,” laughed Charley, and drawing forth a package he began to untie the strings. “Eh, heh; yes, that’s right; I’ve been watching you young folks for some time. But I’ll sell you this stock of mine cheap.”
He unrolled a cloth and flashed the certificates hopefully, but Wiley did not even look at them.
“Nope,” he said, “no Paymaster for me. I wouldn’t accent that stock as a gift.”
“But it’s rich!” protested Charley, his eyes beginning to get wild. “It’s full of silver and gold. I can feel the electricity when I walk over the property–there’s millions and millions, right there!”
“Oh, there is, eh?” observed Wiley, and, snatching away the certificates, he ran them rapidly over. “Where’d you get these?” he asked, and Death Valley blinked, though he looked him straight in the eyes.
“Why, I–bought ’em,” he faltered, “and–the Colonel gave me some. And─”
105“How much do you want for them?” snapped Wiley, and Charley blinked again.
“Ten cents a share,” he answered, and Wiley’s stern face hardened.
“You take these back,” he said, “and tell her I don’t want ’em.”
“Who–Virginny?” inquired Death Valley, and then he kicked his leg and looked around for Heine.