“But the price was 93.” And she added, corroboratively: “Don’t you remember it was in all the papers?”
“Yes, but I gave you back exactly the same amount that I received from you, and I had the bonds transferred to my account. They stand on our books as having cost me 96.”
“But couldn’t you let me have them at 93?” she persisted.
“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Hunt, but I don’t see how I could. If you buy them in the open market now, you will be in exactly the same position as before you sold them, and you will make a great deal of money, because they are going up now. Let me buy them for you at 96½.”
“At 93, you mean,” with a tentative smile.
“At whatever price they may be selling for,” he corrected, patiently.
“Why did you let me sell them, Mr. Colwell?” she asked, plaintively.
“But, my dear madam, if you buy them now, you will be no worse off than if you had kept the original lot.”
“Well, I don’t see why it is that I have to pay 96½ now for the very same bonds I sold last Tuesday at 93. If it was some other bonds,” she added, “I wouldn’t mind so much.”
“My dear Mrs. Hunt, it makes no difference which bonds you hold. They have all risen in price, yours and mine and everybody’s; your lot was the same as any other lot. You see that, don’t you?”