“It looks that way,” admitted his brother, Albert Kalin.
The father, Jonas Kalin, sat at his desk with his head half-buried in his hands.
“There is no chance for an extension, of course,” he said wearily.
“I should say not,” returned Sidney. “Telmer bought up the mortgage for just one purpose, and his only hope of success lies in foreclosing. He wants to get his hands on the invention.”
“Will he take an interest in the business?” asked Jonas.
“Why should he, when he can get the only thing he wants without?” returned Sidney.
“What does Dempsey say?” persisted the senior Kalin.
“It’s out of his line,” answered Albert, to whom the question was addressed. “If five thousand would straighten the thing out, he might risk it, but he wouldn’t put up a cent more than that, and he’d want a twenty-five per cent. interest in the business for that sum.”
“And, if we can save it, the thing is worth a fortune,” groaned Jonas. “We’ve got a start already, and there’s almost no limit to the possibilities. It ought to be worth fifty thousand a year inside of three years. He doesn’t want much.”
“Well, he’s out of the question, anyway,” said Sidney. “We’ve got to have twenty-five thousand, and we’ve got to have it mighty soon.”