The dinner was a masterpiece, but it took second place to the conversation.
“Good night, bairn!” exclaimed Jim at last, “there is McWilliams––two years ago he was city garbage man. Look at him now––luxuriates in his five-thousand-dollar car; has his town residence and his ranch; winters in California every year. Think of Fraser & Somerville:––three years ago Fraser borrowed twenty-five cents from me to buy a meal in the Chinese restaurant the day he blew in here, and he hasn’t paid it back, either, although both he and Somerville are a considerable way up Easy Street. Peter Brixton was the conductor on the C.P.R. train running into the Valley from Sicamous––now he 327 would think nothing of hiring a special to take him up to Sicamous if he took the fool notion. The only men at the game in town who had money when they started are McIntyre & Anderson,––and they’ve made the least of any because they lack the necessary pep. Even that lizard Dalton, is worth fifty thousand dollars, and all in selling real-estate. Man!––it makes me wearied to think of it. And besides, the early Spring Season is just opening up. We can be in right at the start of it.”
Jim rose.
“Phil,––I don’t want to, but I’m going to try this thing out alone if you won’t come in. I’ll show them in this town. If you don’t come, you’ll rue it once and that’ll be all your life.”
He stood looking down on Phil, who was resting his elbows on the table with his head on his upturned palms.
“Who said I wasn’t coming in?” he murmured slowly.
Jim was round the end of the table and on him with a bound. He tilted up Phil’s head.
“You’re in on it! Whee-he!” he yelled, and to the astonishment of the remainder of the diners he dragged his partner to his feet and danced him round till both were dizzy and staggering.
That afternoon they took a year’s lease of the front offices that had been the Commercial Bank before the bank had moved to their new premises further down Main Street. It was a bigger place than that of any other two real-estate brokers in town combined. They took it as it was; counters, desks, chairs and fixtures, and contracted to pay two hundred and fifty dollars a month for it. They paid three months’ rent in advance; not because they had to but as a token of good faith and to establish some foundation of financial stability.
Jim scoured the main thoroughfares, spending half an hour at every window of every real-estate office in town, 328 examining their cards and taking copious notes therefrom; and in the process brought McIntyre, Fraser, McWilliams and others out to their respective doors to inquire if there was any property they could show him; but all they could get out of Jim was:––“Maybe later on. I’m just looking around.”