“I don’t believe I need any information on the subject,” said Dameron, indifferently. “If you can’t handle the lots—”
“I haven’t said that, Mr. Dameron. What I said was that I couldn’t do it in the way you indicated. It would take a long time to sell those fifty lots on payments to working people. But I have a better plan. I propose selling them in a bunch.”
“Oh!” exclaimed the old man, non-committally, though his face flushed with returning hope.
“Yes. Large bunches are more in my line. But my friends that I may possibly interest can’t carry them for their health or yours or mine. You’ll have to make a good easy price on them if we do any business. There are only two or three factories in that neighborhood and there may never be any more. And they’re getting ready to stick a whole lot of fancy street improvements down there. It may cost a thousand dollars to stop that,”—and Balcomb grinned cheerfully.
“I can’t countenance any irregular dealing,” said the old man, severely.
“Of course, you can’t! You’re going to turn that over to me. It isn’t regular, but, as the saying is, it’s done! You’ve got to see a man that knows a man that knows another man that has the ear of the Board of Public Works. There’s nothing in it to make a Christian gentleman shy. I see only the first man!” And Balcomb laughed his cheerful, easy laugh and stroked his beard.
“Now, Mr. Dameron, I’ll give you twenty thousand dollars for those lots as they lie. That’s cash.”
There was no mistaking the gleam that lighted the old man’s eyes.
“Who’s your purchaser?” he asked.
“I think I’ve mentioned to you the Patoka Land and Improvement Company. We’ve decided not to confine ourselves to our flat scheme alone. We’re going to handle big real estate schemes wherever we see anything good enough and big enough to make it worth while. That wasn’t our intention at first, but I’ve persuaded our people to see it that way. All the big fortunes in this country have been made in real estate, and the possibilities haven’t been exhausted yet. If we can hit a fair price, we’ll take your lots and work them off in our own way; but I shouldn’t bother with the thing at all if it weren’t that I hope to get that creek strip from you.”