And when they were all seated: “Now, Mr. Skidder,” said Jim, with his engaging frankness, “the simplest way is the quickest. My client, Mr. Puma, wants to 121 purchase your property; and he is, I understand, prepared to pay considerably more than it is worth. We all have a very fair idea of its actual value. Our appraiser, yours, and other appraisers from other companies and corporations seem, for a wonder, to agree in their appraisal of this particular property.
“Now, how much more than it is worth do you expect us to offer you?”
Skidder had never before been dealt with in just this way. He squinted at Jim, trying to appraise him. But within his business experience in a country town no similar young man had he encountered.
“Well,” he said, “I ain’t asking you to buy, am I?”
“We understand that,” rejoined Jim, good humouredly; “we are asking you to sell.”
“You seem to want it pretty bad.”
“We do,” said the young fellow, laughing.
“All right. Make your offer.”
Jim named the sum.
“No, sir!” snapped Skidder, picking up his newspaper.