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Show FLOWER. reasonable. May I use your telephone?" Somewhat puzzled, she showed him where it was. He called up the telegraph office at tlic nearest town and dictated this dispatch to his father. "CIsc deal for other country place iite. This one entirely nut of the question." "I that a bluff?" she asked, as he turned away from the telephone. 'Well," he answered, "I herewith formally withdraw with-draw all previous otters and propositions made to you." "Ami n. lease us rut the option?" "No," he replied, uncertainly. "I have hardly authority to do that, but I'll speak to father about it as soon as I gel hack." He thought of her a good deal as he drove hack to town, as wa, perhaps, natural in view of the fact that she was so intimately connected with the business in hand. He al-o regretted, sincerely, her foolish ohsti-nacy, ohsti-nacy, "Id like to help her," he' mused; "111 fix it somehow so that she'll get a fair price for her farm in the end I'll dig up the money myself, if necessary hut she thinks she is so everlasting clever that I've got to pull her down a little. I wonder how many people were liftening when J telephoned." He chuckled over this, for it was the coup he had planned. The Jinc was new, and there were many on each circuit. Every one of them knew when any other one of them telephoned, anil tit nearly every family back, he suggested. So the offered to drive hint 4 out. Strangely enough, he did not know the name of this man that he wanted so much to see, but he was sure he would know the house when they came to it. He had not recognized it, however, when they reached her home, which was six miles front town, but he thought be would have no difficulty in picking pick-ing it out as he walked back. She thought the walV altogether too long for a city man, so she drove him i more than half way back. They both found tbc ride wonderfully enjoyable. Two days later he called at the farm again vcrj much disturbed. "Miss another train?" she asked. "I'd miss all there arc, just to linger about here," be answered. "To get the country place?' she queried. He laughed uncomfortably. "Mother want the country place," he said, bu that isn't -what I want. It's, her dreamt but I don't give a hang about it." "What do you want?" she asked, nnd then she was sorry for the question. The manner in whicl) he looked at her made her blush. "Perhaps we'd' better talk about the country place," she added i hastily. "Well, what have you been doing?" he inquired.. "I think that will be all to-day," she said. It was Mrs. Tomlin's turn to le speechless. Sucli a rebuff she never had known before. And slang, too! The girl was not fit to be a lady's mi id. 1'cter Toniliiis, however, had a sense of humor not a strong enough sense of humor to have any material effect upon Ins business operations, but still enough to make the story of his wife's discomfiture diverting. He decided that a girl who could so cleverly and signally sig-nally defeat his wife must be interesting. Besides, he had an idea that she would not be so difficult in the hands of a resourceful man, and it would be gratifying to win where his wife had failed. "I'll be in that vicinity on other business next week," he said, "and I'll have a talk with her. I- she pretty?" "Ob, 1 suppose so for a country girl," answered his wife. "They're the prettiest kind," he remarked. "Xo air, no refinement, nothing but commonplace health." she criticized, "so different from society!" ' Well. I'll try her," he announced. "Better give me a chance," suggc-fed Paul Tomlins. "Xo," said his mother decidedly, which served to convince Paul that the girl was wortii seeing, even it she had no "air" of aristocracy. So Peter Tomlins followed Mrs.. Tomlins, and he had no better success, although be went about bis task in an entirely different way. "Business is business," he s.'.id breezily. "My agent did quiic right in making the best bargain he could, but 1 can understand how you feel about it Xow, I've conic down here to fix it up " "What position have you to offer rue?" she interrupted. inter-rupted. "What position do you want?" he asked, smiling broadly. His smile intimated so plainly that he considered con-sidered this an absurdity that she lost some of her re-sentfulness. re-sentfulness. "I haven't seen any that I want yet," she returned "Well, when you do, just file a claim on it and let me know," he said. "I don't want to be turned out with a chill, a Mrs. Tomlins was, so I won't make any c ffcr of that kind. She meant well, but she made a mistake, and the idea of Mrs. Tomlins being jarred that way is funny Xow I'll make you a present " ' I don't want any presents," she interrupted quickly. "I mean," he explained, "that I'll add enough to the oplion price to give you a belter value for the property " "Charily?" she queried "Oh, I would hardly call it that Of course, I have the option, and I don't have to do it " 'Then don't!" she exclaimed hotly 'I don't want any favors from you at all I I'd rather fight you, and I will ! You tried to swindle my father, and now you'd like to make a charity of justice. I won't have it!" "Fight! fight!" repeated Tomlins. as if he could hardly believe his ears. "But you can't fight. Why, you haven't any weapons." "I've pot the telephone!" she exclaimed excitedly, blocked your agent by using the telephone, didn't I? And after your wjfc was here, I telephoned to all the neighbors w ho it was that wanted the land, and why. That will keep prices pretty stiff, won't it? Ami when you're gone, I'll telephone them that you offered me a bonus to help you out. I guess that will show llicm how much you want the land " Peter Tomlins let bis admiration outweigh bjs disappointment. dis-appointment. The girl was pretty, especially tir her momentary anger, and she certainly was smart Besides, as before remarked, this was not hi; "dream," and he could afford to wait until prices came down. to feel the need of a rest. Do you intend to convince mc that your agent was fair and huiicsi?" "Don't know the agent myself," he returned promptly, "but 1 could j:ct real enjoyment out of pounding his bead. Ik's a rascal " "I think so," she said "It's unanimous!" he declared. lie had not intended to get to the point so soon, intending to study the situation and the girl a little first, but" she seemed to be intent upon forcing matters, and of course there was no denying the real purpose of his visit. Still, he found time to pass a favorable verdict on the girl and get a pleasurable sensation from the contemplation of the task that lay before him. There would Le real sport in overcoming this girl, and he thought he knew how to do it. At the same time, he decided impulsively that he, personally, would sec that the received a fair, ctcn generous, price for the farm ultimately. He realized that he would be glad to be goM to her. For her part, she was taking a mental inventory of him, and her conclusion was that this call was preferable prefer-able to the others. He displayed a little too much self-confidence self-confidence to be wholly acceptable He went about his plan cautiously; it was necessary that be should work out the preliminaries carefully. "I suppose," he said, "we might as well get right down to business." "Why not?" she returned. "You didn't expect nic to think you came merely to see me, did you?" "Well, you wouldn't be getting so far from the truth if you did," be asserted. "Oh! I'm a curiosity!" she commented. "Your father and mother have talked about that strange, girl until you wanted to act; her yourself. Well, luok mc over," "That's what I've been doing," he told her, with aggravating seriousness. "Do I come up to expectations as a freak?" "Xot as a freak" "Well," she said, coloring a little, "I'm not used to being on exhibition, so I'll ask you to excuse inc." "Nc, no," he protested. "I haven't said a word about the business yet." 'Why don't you?" she asked disconcertingly. "You won't let me." "Won't let joul I'm waiting for you to begin." His plan was not working out just right, so he endeavored to make a fresh start. "I want to square father with you first," he explained. ex-plained. "He really means to be fair." "'Since when?" 'Why why " "Oh, you needn't answer. It's since I blocked his plans to get the rest of the land at a bargain." "Xo. no," he insisted. "You really do him an injustice injus-tice It was that fool aent who made all the trouble. Father is ready to be even generous in this matter." "Generous!" she exclaimed. "Oh, ves! I know all about that I He got the option in a shameful way. but he'll show that he's a great and good man by paying almost what, the farm is worth." "It isn't generosity at all." he argued, "it's business and no one is going to think it's anything else. You don't understand business." "Don't I?" there was bitter sarcasm in her voice. "Oh, 1 didn't exactly mean that," he hastily corrected, a he thought of all that had happened. "You've made some mighty clever moves in this matter, but you're just a little impractical now." "Anil?" "Yes. And emotional not in acttonSt but in mo-. -in ' " ' '-' - ii n - r'i' i- ii 1 ' i..... a.-w.-h THI:, agent came first, and the agent was I shortsighted. His instructions were to get options on the greater part of the township, town-ship, that Mrs. Peter Tomlins might realize "the dream of her life," and the very" first bargain was his undoing. It was altogether too much of a bargain. Any one who knew how ccly Tcter Tomlins figured in all business matters would not have considered this a drawback, but it proved to be unfortunate, to say the least. The agent saw Alva Crosby first. He knew that Alva Crosby was an old man, failing mentally, so that tecmcd ait easy place to begin. It was no trick at all to bamboozle Alva into giving an option at a ridiculously low figure; the agent afterward said that it was a shame to do it, but that be was working for Peter Tomlins, and he Vnew bow much Peter Tomlins thought of a bargain. This, therefore, seemed like an auspicious beginning. He had to work with options, for Peter fomlins did not wish to begin buying until be was reasonably sure that he could get all that he wished without being In-Id tu. Tcicr coubi afford to pay any old price to gratify any old whim, but there was much les.s gratification when the cost went over the market price. Besides, this was bis wife's whim. So the Crosby bargain looked particularly good to the agent, ami he took advantage of the old man in a really shameful way. He even went so far as to secure from him a pledge of secrecy, which made the situation wholly to his liking. But Alva Crosby did not understand that this pledge of secrecy put his daughter without the pale of knowledge and he told her. She studied the purposely complicated terms of the option with great care, in the end reaching the conclusion that her father had agreed to sell the farm for a good deal less than its value a good deal less, indeed, than he supposed, for the price was concealed in a method of valuation that was deceptive. Thereupon she questioned him, and was able to sec the significance of some things the agent had said. She was distressed and anjry; the agent had perpetrated per-petrated a despicable swindle; therefore, it it lay in her power, the agent should suffer. The easiest and quickest way to make the agent suffer was to block his other deals. She was not absolutely certain that there were to be any other deals, but some things he had said led to the inference that he was after more than one farm. The rural telephone line was a great convenience in this emergency. Charlotte Crosby generally known as Lottie promptly got in communication with the Goodwins Some one bad been makjng inquiries about the Goodwin farm, so the Goodwins were not surprised to learn that a mysterious party was trying to buy up everything in sight. "I don't know just what the scheme i," said Lottie Crosby, "but it is a big one and very important. There is no doubt that you can get your own price for your land, if you have the nerve to hold out for it'' The price of the Goodwin farm went up one hundred hun-dred per cent, immediately. So did the prices of the Raster and the Ganz properties as soon as Lottie had telephoned to them. Then the news spread to others, and everything in the neighborhood soared. The agent discovered that his first bargain was his only bargain; after that he ran up against a stone vail of prices that would have given Peter Tomlins an apoplectic fit. So the agnt went home. "Let the thing rest a while," he advised. "Wc can pick up the land quietly after they've got tired waiting for the big price." "But I don't want to let it rest a while," growled Tetcr Tomlins. "and, what's more to the point. Mrs. Tomlins doesn't want to let it rest a while. It's her pet scheme." Mr. Tomlins liked to feel that his wealth enabled hitn to do what he pleased when he pleased, but it was Mrs. Tomlins who was most impatient. Mr. Tomlins would not let impatience, especially his wife's impatience, lure him to foolish extravagance, but Mrs. Tomlins wanted her dream of a magnificent country place realized at the earliest possible moment. She was already planning a splendid pal.ice and magnificent drives and private golf links and vineyards and orchards. She was sure that the realization of her dream was worth all that it could possibly cost, but she could not convince her husband hus-band that it was worth a deviation from strict business busi-ness principles in the matter of purchase. So Mrs. Tomlins, in her anxiety, followed the agent into the district, and, like the agent, she went to the Crosby place first. She saw Lottie Crosby, which was unfortunate for bcr. Lottie was a girl of spirit, and Mrs. Tomlins was not the kind of woman to make the most favorable impression upon bcr, for Mrs. Tomlins was disposed to be haughtily patronizing. "I have heard," said Mrs, Tomlins, "that you betrayed the secret of our negotiations to the neighbors." neigh-bors." "I didn't know- whose negotiations they were." returned Lottie, "but I told the neighbors somebody was alter all the land here, and that be probably needed it badly enough to pay big prices." "It was very wrong." commented Mrs. Tomlins. "Oh, it was!" retorted Lottie belligerently. "Of course," said Mrs. Tomlins conciliatorily, "you can hardlv he expected to understand the liner points of honor, and I am quite ready to concede that you acted ignorantly rather than maliciously; but it was very wrong." "Oh. it was!" said Lottie again. "Well, how about swindling dad? Was that all riobt?" "Why, child," argued Mrs. Tomlins indulgently, "no one has swindled your father. In th ordinary course of business, as Mr. Tomlins would iay, our agent secured an option front hini on his farm, but it was entirely proper." "Oh. yes!" exclaimed the girl indignantly, "it's all right to" confuse and delude an old man to lake advantage ad-vantage of bis infirmities but it's very wrong to interfere inter-fere with a rich man's bargains I" "You surprise me." taid Mrs. Tomlins. "I supposed you would sec that you had put your father in the position posi-tion of being guilty of bad faith, when I explained the matter to you. and would be willing to undo the harm you have done. If you would notify these people that you were mistaken " "I w on't !" "I was about to explain," Mrs. Tomlins went on serenely, "that wc intend to have a l.irge and magnificent magnifi-cent place here, and I have no doubt that you would make a splendid lady's maid. I jball look out for you personally, and the opportunity ii one that you can hardly afford to throw away." The girl was speechless with indignation, but Mrs. Tomlins thought she was overwhelmed by the glorious possibilities of the proposition, which she calmly con-tinned con-tinned to explain at some length. A lady' maid would sec much of the world, and might even hope to be taken Fr.'f.pc. -And." she concluded, "as a sort of retainer, as my husband says. I ll Pav you a hundred dollar The girl's voice and wits came back to her. She rose and opened the door to the hall. - . - : v ' -r" .,f'.- ''''.' '-. . ' ' - ' ' VA':'-' V;A V :' V ' .. : ' - . ' ' ' '':r '' .v'-v . , '; .'.'..' . , . ''-'' : - ;.v,- ?-...-.. . ' ; ;'''-,;.- .,V.:f'.;'7,-.y'i;' r .': fy::Xivf ,i ' i-.v-.rf y;,'.!f..J-:.vAT' .-,'-,1 - v-r. ; : -- '; -..-y; V-. v-,?, ;-,v-' -V'V;' x-; , mi mi ii rn i Ir-Winii il i it tt " i n'i - nii Mi ii'- 6 am Hillfli hi ill' I Mini il i -j 'i ilrr i' I mti i V .iliri' there was at least one person who listened to what was passing over the wire. He knew how that operated on party lines in the country, especially when the telephone was still something of a novelty. "They heard the telegram dictated," he went on. "She'll have a hard time overcoming that, even if it doesn't fool her. It's rather good sport, but I wish she'd be sensible. Still, I can show her I'm not such a bad sort when it's all over." When he reached town he sent word to his father to rush a crafty and unknown man down there to take quick advantage of the situation thus created. The girl, meanwhile, was much troubled If the young man had authority to abandon that site, as his telegram indicated, he ought to have had authority to release the option. That he did not release it seemed to bcr proof of a determination to locate the Tomlins' country place there, in spile of the telegram. Possibly the telegram never was sent. If not. why did he dictate it over the telephone? I'or the effect upon her? lie had not tried to follow it up in any way. Still, it might be a "bluff,"' as she had suggested sug-gested at the time; he might think that she would reconsider re-consider and telegraph an acceptance of his terms. But she would not. On that point she was decided. "The neighbors will blame me," she thought; "they're probably blaming me now. Old Mrs. Raster gets her car to the telephone every time the bell tinkles, anil that Goodwin girl is just as bad They must have heard the message." Suddenly her eyes grew large. "I wonder if he thought of that," she said in awed tone. 'It was awfully clever, if he did. A direct message from me won't overcome that, cither, but there arc other ways. I I believe I'd rather beat him, just for the fun of it, than sell the farm for ten times its value." Her thoughts were busy with him as she drove to town quite as busy with him as his thoughts had been with her. She had left word with her bewildered father that she might call him up on the telephone, and, if so, he was not to be at all disturbed by the message. For she had a telephone plan of her own. A little preliminary pre-liminary information was necessary, but she got it A telegraph operator may not divulge the contents of the message he sends, but the rule does not cover messages that he does not send, and the operator and the operator's family were on friendly terms with the Crosby's. "Oh, that telegram!' said the operator. "Why, I never sent it at all. He fixed that up in advance gave me a dollar and said he miy;ht telephone me a message that was not to be sent, fjuccr deal, but it was none of my business. I didn't even know where he was telephoning from." That was enough to satisfy her, and a little later her father received this extraordinary communication communica-tion from her over the telephone: "Don't come down a penny on the price of the farm. That Tomlins telegram wa a bluff and was never sent. But don't fay anything about it; we'll look out for ourselves this time." That, she told herself, was a pretty good message for old Mrs. Kastcr and the Goodwin girl and various vari-ous ethers to overhear. The apparent effort at secrecy would make it more convincing and would insure it a wider and quicker circulation than any direct message could possibly have done. She was quite satisfied with the situation when she met Paul Tomlins on the street a little later. So was Paul. Kach was rather sorry for the other. "I hope," said Taul, "that you're not going to blame mc." "Why should I?" she asked. "Well." he explained, "when you think it all over you're likely to find that you've made a mistake, and it's bard to be good natured over a lost opportunity." op-portunity." "I'll promise to be pleasant about it if you will," she said. "It's a bargain." he declared. She let the horse wait while she strolled through the village with him. It was rather pleasant, this verbal sparring. He found it so. too. He said he bad missed the first train and was waiting for the next. As a matter of act, be intended to stay there until the new buyer came down. When she finallv decided that she must start for home be discovered that he wan'ed to sc a nun who lived about a mile out on her road. He could walk "Telephoning," she answered. "You Jidn't suppose you were the only person who knew the value of party lines, did you?" "Thunder!" he exclaimed. "There never was so much cleverness rolled up in one package before 1 wish you'd go into partnership with mc." "What kind?" "Life." - She laughed, treating it as a joke. ' Arc you willing to admit your defeat?" the declared de-clared ruefully. "I've got things in a worse tanglu than ever." "Are you willing to admit your defeat?" she demanded de-manded tant.ahzingly "Yes," he answered glumly, "and such an everlasting ever-lasting fizzle as I made of it will queer mc with father for the next ten years." "Throw yourself on my mercy?" she suggested. "Yes anil not merely in a business way, cither, he answered meaningly. She ignored the significance of this but, in tlu moment of her victory she was impelled to be generous gen-erous unaccountably impelled. "Go back to town, ' she said, "and telephone out to mc that you release the option. Trices will tumble, immediately." So simple and so surely effective! No one coubl miss the significance of such a message. The re- lease of an option would scent to be absolute proo of the abandonment of the scheme, and the buyer could get to work quietly. It was a suggestion, worth trying. "And then come back." she added, as he showed a disposition to linger and say something that hal nothing to do with business. That made him sufficiently hippy for the moment, and he came back under cover of darkness, that thct suspicions of the neighbors might not be aroused. She was waiting for hint with another surprise. "If your agent is any good." she said, "he'll be' able to get everything in the neighborhood, cxccpc this farm, at a reasonable price.. Of course your, release and our knowledge of the situation enables us " "It's only a telephone release," he argued anx. iously. "That's all." she admitted, "but old Mrs. Raster and the Goodwin girl certainly heard it, for they always hear everything, and, anyway, I know you wouldn't deny it.' "Why, hang it all! this is "You promised to be pleasant, you know. ' "Oh, I'll be pleasant," he said, with budden grift, determination. "You're only bringing me to tl3 important point of my present mission a little mora speedily tnd certainly. We've got to have a lifg partnership, general, all-embracing especially all embracing. That's settled." "Xo it isn't," she protested weakly. ; "It is!" he asserted positively. She backed into a corner, which was a very fooN ish thing to do if she really wished to escape.. Mr. and Mrs. Teter Tomlins, anxiously waiting for news, received this telegram: "Realization of glorious dream assured.' 'TAUL." "Funny way of putting it," commented Tctcr. And then came this: "Found entirely satisfactory position and file, claim, as instructed. "CHARLOTTE TOMLINS." "Charlotte Tomlins," repeated Peter. "Who'; she?" Then l.e remembered what he had said tc i the country girl, and he laughed. "That's what you pay fo your dream," he tele his wife, "but you get a mighty bright daughter-indaw daughter-indaw with the Citatc. It looks like a bargain t mc." "By thunder!" he e.xclalmrd, "you're a fire-eater!" "Xo, I'm not," she returned, more quietly, "I don't want to be anything like- that; 1 vvjnt to be as, nice and gentle and ladylike as any other girl, only people won't let me. There's only dad and I, and dad's so simple in business matters that I luve to sec to everything." every-thing." Peter Tomlins went back, defeated. Mrs. Tomlins, be said, would have to wait another year or so. or el-e have another dream; he certainly would not consent to be hebl up, even for her gratification. "Let mc try it," urged Paul Tomlins. "Xo," said Mrs. Tomlins. ' Paul would like to sec the girl," remarked Peter, "I should," admitted Paul. "I believe 1 could do something with bcr." "I think she would be more likrly to do something with you," returned Peter. "I toll you. she's a smart girl shortsighted in some way, but, for what .she want to do, she's got a better busincs head in a minute than Paul has in a year." Paul Tomlins went His mother thought it unwise, but his father thought the result would be a salutary salu-tary lesson for his vouthful egotism. He even jocular about it, advising him to remember the fate of his mother when she went again t the country girl. Paul had occasion to ri-member it. If he bar! been disposed to forget it, Charlotte's first word; would have brought it to miii'L "Are there any more at home?" she asked. He thought of the family procession to the girl's home, and his face got very red, but be pascd it off jocularly. "Xo more available," be answered "We'll have to prow some after you've finished mr." "That is reassuring," she said. "I am beginning 1 rppon r?(P(n rn lives." "I'm not cold-blooded, if that's what you mean." "I'm glad of that," he said fervently, and the color came to her face suddenly. "Dont you sec how helpless you are?" he persisted. "How helpless am I?" she inquired. "Why, 1 can take tour farm under the option now.-' "You can." she admitted in a tone that implied he wouldn't. "And I'll do it," he said, exasperated. "Very well." "That will end all possibility of getting what you consider its value. Don't you sec that?" "Of course I sec it." "Then what will you do?' "Do!" she repeated. "Why, III telephone the news that this farm is sold to vou that you've actually committed com-mitted yourself to the plan for a big country estate. I'll prove it to the neighbors, if necessary. T guess you know how that will stiffen them on prices." He did, but he passed it off with a laugh. "You certainly don't overlook any points," he commented com-mented admiringly. "Would you inind telling me exactly ex-actly what you want?" "I want a release on the option," she said. "Then, if you want the farm, wc can make a fresh start, and I'll try Jo be fair." "Oil, impossible!'' he exclaimed, as he thought of his fathrr. "And I won't help you out with any lies." she added. "1 won't retract anything I've told the neighbors. You'll have to accept the conditions rs they arc, s far as I am concerned." He threw up his hands with a gesture of despair. . "I give it up," he said. "Father had already given ' up, but I didn't believe you could be ro wholly un- COry RIGHT, 1909. ' '?xzzs jjyy v-O- XtL) OiJ ; SbxI firt; I IliiiiriliMsioI BY HELEN CHoatE pr1nCE , i |