"Yes, and you'll pay big for the lesson," replied Whitley quietly.
"What do yon mean?"
"I mean that if this gets out young Goodrich is ruined and you won't get a cent on the paper you hold."
Wharton's friend nodded, "That's straight, Tom," he said.
"Well," growled the other; "What of it, the old man won't pay it anywray."
"Yes he would," returned Jim quickly, "if you didn't make it public; but I don't happen to want him to know about this little deal."
"What's it to you?"
"Never mind what it is to me. I know what I'm doing, and I don't want this to get out."
"How'll you help it?"
"This way." He took a check-book from his pocket. "Make the notes over to me and I'll add two hundred to the amount. Go after Frank and you get nothing. Go to the old man and you get what the paper calls for. Keep your mouth shut and sell me the notes and you get an extra hundred apiece. What do you say?"