Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 79: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

QULEN OF CLUBS. ‘Oh, you’d hire a manager for that. [ll Vl undertake to find you a manager.”’ “Do you think M. Chablon would con- sider selling it?” she asked, breathlessly. “Well, he’s always talkin’ about goin’ back to La Belle, France,” said Breedon. “ Call him over! Call him over!” ‘““ Now, wait a minute, Carrie,” said Bree- don in his most fatherly tone. ‘I was only funning sort of, when I made that sug- gestion. Can you afford it?” This only increased Carola’s eagerness. ‘ Afford it!” she cried. “‘ Why, I can’t even spend my income! Call him over!”’ ‘Well, if you must,” said Breedon with a shrug. \ M. Chablon was a summoned to their table. “ Paul,” said Breedon, ‘“‘ I’ve heard you say you would sell this place if you got an offer. What would you take for it as it stands?” ‘“ Well,” said M. Chablon, “ considering the lease, the good will, and the money I put into it, seven hundred and fifty thou- sand would be a fair price.”’ “ Come off, come off,” said Breedon with an appearance of scorn. ‘‘ Get down to realities!”” (This scene had been carefully rehearsed. ) “Tt’s making over a hundred thousand a year clear,” said Chablon passionately, “that’s fifteen per cent on the investment.” “Vou’re figuring on your present tak- ings,” said Breedon. ‘ Miss Goadby brought that business to you, and she can take it away again. You can’t figure on that as an asset. Come now, how much did you clear last year?” “ Sixty thousand,” said Chablon sullenly. ‘Then five hundred thousand would be a good price. This ain’t like an ordinary business. You’re on the top of the wave of popular favor just now, but it might roll back and leave you stranded.” “How wise Breedon was,” thotght Carola; “ how well he managed for her.” ‘““T won’t take it,” said Chablon. However, the discussion did not end here, and after awhile Chablon reluctantly agreed to accept five hundred thousand dollars eash. “ Very well, then, I buy it,” said Carola. DD8 ‘Oh, is it you, Miss Goadby?” said Chablon with a surprised look. “ Well, I congratulate you. I confess I hate to let it go. When would you like to take pos- session ?”’ “ To-morrow night,” said Carola prompt- ly. Chablon looked dubious. “Of course it can be done,” said Bree- don. “ Fix it up with your lawyers to- morrow morning, and the money shall be placed in your hands in the afternoon.” Carola gave him a grateful smile. Chablon presently left them. ‘How can I get all that money so quick- ly?”’ Carola asked anxiously. “Give him securities,’ said Breedon carelessly. ‘ That ’ll do just as well. You can get ’em out of your vault in the after- noon.” | ‘“There’s an awful mess of stuff there,” said Carola, frowning, ‘and I don’t know -what’s what, though it’s all been explained to me.” ‘“Do you know what bonds are?” asked Breedon. ‘“ Those are the engraved cer- tificates with coupons attached.” “Oh, yes,” said Carola, “ the little pic- tures that you cut off and send to the bank. I remember a big pile of those all of the same kind. They are marked Utah Pacific Railway, and each one has a cunning pic- ture of an old-fashioned locomotive at the top.” “Utah Pacific,” said Breedon, “ let me seer”? He consulted a little notebook. “Yes, they sell above par. Five hundred of those will do. Take a suitcase with you to the bank. I'll go with you for safety’s sake, and wait in the car outside.” And so it was done. From the bank they drove directly to Elysia— To get the stuff off our hands,” said Breedon—where Breedon carried them in to Chablon, re- turning presently with a receipt, and a sheaf of legal papers which, he said, constituted Carola the sole proprietor of the night club. They were all Greek to her. She thrust them negligently into her handbag without reading them. It is hardly necessary to state that Chab- lon never saw the locomotive on the Utah Pacific bonds. Instead, Breedon peddled EOI MOO KS (E)