What I like--what I understand, is to use good judgment, go in and
boldly buy a piece of property, wait until it becomes more valuable,
either through improvements or the natural enhancement of good value,
then take a legitimate profit, and repeat the process. That, in outline,
is what I understand. But, Austin, this furtive pouncing on a thing and
clubbing other people's money out of them with it--this slyly acquiring
land that is necessary to an unsuspecting neighbour and then holding him
up--I don't like. There's always something of this sort that prevents my
cordial co-operation with Neergard--always something in the schemes
which hints of--of squeezing--of something underground--"

"Like the water which he's going to squeeze out of the wells?"

Selwyn laughed.

"Phil," said his brother-in-law, "if you think anybody can do a
profitable business except at other people's expense, you are an ass."

"Am I?" asked Selwyn, still laughing frankly.

"Certainly. The land is there, plain enough for anybody to see. It's
always been there; it's likely to remain for a few æons, I fancy.

"Now, along comes Meynheer Julius Neergard--the only man who seems to
have brains enough to see the present value of that parcel to the
Siowitha people. Everybody else had the same chance; nobody except
Neergard knew enough to take it. Why shouldn't he profit by it?"

"Yes--but if he'd be satisfied to cut it up into lots and do what is
fair--"