He went at once to the office of Messrs. Gripp & Co., on his arrival in the city. He found the financial agents occupying handsome offices, well furnished and covered with a thick Turkey carpet. Everything betokened prosperity, and Mr. Tripp was dazzled. The result was that he made the investment and laid away in his old-fashioned wallet five new bonds, assuring a dividend of ten per cent.
“I calc’late it’s safe,” he said to Mr. Gripp, a stout man with a florid face, expensively dressed and sporting a large and showy diamond ring.
“Assuredly, my dear sir,” said Gripp, with suavity. “I congratulate you, Mr. Tripp, on making an unusually profitable investment. I venture to say that within the year, besides the regular dividend, there will be an extra dividend of five per cent., making fifteen per cent. in all. It is a pity you had not more invested.”
“Mebby I’ll bring you in some more bimeby,” said Mr. Tripp, cautiously.
“I trust you will, for your own sake. To us it is not important, as we have plenty of capital offered. Indeed, we have had to limit investments to five thousand dollars for each person. Why, a millionaire, whose name would be very familiar to you if I could venture to mention it, came here last week and wanted to invest fifty thousand dollars in our bonds, but I firmly refused to take more than five thousand.”
“I don’t see why you should,” said Silas, puzzled.
“I will tell you why. We wish to give a chance to smaller investors, like yourself, for instance. Rich men have plenty of ways in which to invest their money to advantage, while you probably don’t know where to get over six per cent.”
“No; I never got more’n that.”
“I dare say you have considerable invested at that small interest.”
“Well, mebbe.”