maps and papers and let him know if I wanted to tackle it or not.

"In going over the contract, I found that the options expire on July
first, instead of August first, as he said. It was then I called you
up, for the whole scheme hit me like a flash. Don't you see it? If I
worked for him, I'd draw a salary, and a good one--and nothing more.
But if I should interest sufficient capital to step in on the first day
of July when those options expire, and buy up the whole tract, where
would McNabb be?"

Orcutt tapped thoughtfully upon his desk pad with the tip of his
pencil. "I wonder," he muttered aloud, more to himself than to
Wentworth, "I wonder if John has made a slip at last?"

"That is just what he has done! And he is so cocksure of his ground
that he didn't even glance at the papers to refresh his memory--I doubt
if he has looked at them since he made the deal."

The banker eyed the younger man shrewdly. "And in case I should
interest myself in the proposition to the extent of organizing the
capital to swing the deal, what would you expect out of it?"

"A share in the business, and a salary of ten thousand a year."

"You don't want much!" exclaimed Orcutt.

"Not any more than you could well afford to give me. You don't realize
what a big thing this is--it's going to take a lot of capital to swing
it."