“It’s possible, if you will leave the sale in my hands; but I may have to wait for a suitable opportunity. There’s a good demand for land in the district now that they’re getting on with the irrigation scheme, but to insist on the top price will mean delay.”
“Could you sell it for me promptly at the figure you mentioned?”
“Why, yes,” said the agent. “I’ve a number of inquiries for farming land on my books. I shouldn’t wonder if I fixed the thing up in a week.”
“I can’t wait a week. There’s a pretty good haulage contract I could get, but it will take some financing, which is what brought me along; because I ought to see about it in the next few days. Now I’ll tell you what I’ll do—I’ll sell you that land to-night at the lower figure.”
The agent pondered.
“No, sir,” he said, irresolutely. “I’d only make a few dollars an acre on the deal, and I can get ten per cent. on my money right in this hotel.”
“You’d have to wait a year for it, wouldn’t you? What price will give you ten per cent. profit on this quarter-section? You want to remember that you may get it in a few weeks, and you’d have first-class security.”
After making a rough calculation in his notebook, the agent looked up.
“As a rule, I prefer to buy for other people, but I can’t go back on what I said about land being in strong demand, and I’ll make you a bid. This is the most I can do.”
Wandle, after trying to raise the price, made a sign of acquiescence.