“I have just purchased Mr. Newton’s place. I had a mortgage on it, and we agreed to make a bargain.”
“I wonder whether he bought it with my father’s money,” thought Walter, rather bitterly, for he felt that the man opposite was responsible not alone for his loss of fortune, but for his father’s sudden death.
“It’s a nice place,” said the other.
“Yes, a pretty good place. I didn’t need it, but Mr. Newton wanted to sell, and I accommodated him.”
“How’s that mining company coming out?” was the next question. Walter listened eagerly for the answer.
“Why,” said Mr. Wall, cautiously, “that isn’t easy to say just yet. We may realize five per cent. I can’t tell yet.”
Five per cent.! In the letter containing the offer General Wall had only hinted at two per cent., and based his offer upon this. Supposing only five per cent. were saved out of the wreck, that on Walter’s thousand shares would amount to five thousand dollars, instead of two--a very material increase.
“I am already paid for my journey by this intelligence,” thought Walter. “I shouldn’t wonder if I got considerably more out of it in the end.”
“What was the cause of the break-up?” asked the other passenger, who seemed to be propounding questions in Walter’s interest.
“Why,” said General Wall, slowly, “it cost a good deal more to work the mine than we expected, and the first indications promised much better than the mine afterward realized.”