Part 11 (1/2)
”Well, suppose he is,” she petulantly laughed.
”He has a right to be,” granted Loring, looking at her with renewed admiration. With a slight flush of confusion upon her she was even more charming than he had ever thought her before. ”If I had so tantalizingly pretty a girl so interested in my fortunes I wouldn't care whether they perfected aeroplanes or not,” he ventured with the freedom of an old friend.
”You may come down now, thank you,” she sweetly informed him. ”Can't you get Mr. Gamble to make you his receiver or trustee, or something, for the irrigation company?”
”I might now,” mused Loring. ”He's so interested in the impulsive attempt to make his million dollars that I think I could persuade him.
He seems to be really serious about that million.”
”Of course he's serious about it,” a.s.serted Constance almost indignantly. ”Don't you suppose he can do it?”
”Well, this is the age of financial miracles,” acknowledged Loring, but with a shake of his head. ”He can't do it, though, if Collaton gobbles up all he makes and injures his credit besides.”
Constance drew a deep breath.
”I wish you to act as my agent, Ashley,” she said crisply. ”Mr. Gamble is certain to make some money, is he not?”
”Johnny will always make money,” he a.s.sured her.
”If you bring in a bill against him for money you have expended, after you have wound up the Gamble-Collaton affairs, he will, of course, pay it.”
”As quickly as he can find a fountain-pen and a check-book.”
”I wish to loan him some money without his knowledge. I want you to take fifteen thousand dollars early to-morrow morning and pay that attachment, or whatever it is, at his bank. Naturally I do not want Mr.
Gamble to know that I am interested; and I look to you to manage it so that, when the money is returned to me, he shall imagine that you have advanced the funds.”
”I can arrange that easily enough,” Loring promised her. ”Constance, I suppose I ought to advise you that this is silly; but I'm glad you're doing it. Moreover, I feel certain that, if this entanglement is straightened out, Johnny may take a new interest in the irrigation company and, by handling it himself, may recover all his losses.”
”I sincerely hope so,” returned Constance earnestly. ”You know I've taken a queer interest in this quixotic attempt of Mr. Gamble's to make his million. It's like a fascinating game, and I almost feel as if I were playing it myself--I'm so eager about it.”
”And your spirit of fair play is aroused,” Loring said.
CHAPTER VII
IN WHICH JOHNNY DREAMS OF A MAGNIFICENT TWENTY-STORY HOTEL
The other terminal hotel projects had been kept very quiet, indeed, lest the jealous promoters of similar enterprises might be whetted into greediness; but no such modesty seemed to attend the plans of the Terminal Hotel Company; in fact, it seemed to court publicity--and, since Johnny Gamble was known and liked by a host of newspaper men, it received plenty of attention. After the ball game Johnny rode down to Mr. Courtney's club with him to dinner; and when he was through talking to Courtney he immediately called on his newspaper friends.
When Loring arrived at the office in the morning he found Johnny immersed in a pile of papers--and gloating.
”Say, Johnny, I want you to give me power of attorney to wind up the Gamble-Collaton Irrigation Company,” was Loring's morning greeting.
”Go as far as you like,” Johnny told him without looking up from a glowing account of the magnificent new hostelry.
”Good for you!” approved Loring. ”I'd expected to have half an hour's wrestle with you--and I couldn't afford it, for this is my busy day. I want you to understand this, Johnny: If I take that old partners.h.i.+p off your hands you're to ask no questions.”
”Go twice as far as you like,” offered Johnny indifferently. ”I've forgotten there ever was a Gamble-Collaton Irrigation Company. Listen to this, Loring: 'Surmounting the twentieth story of the magnificent new structure there will be a combined roof garden, cafe and theater, running continuous vaudeville--'”
”This agreement, entered into this twenty-fifth day of April,” began the discordantly hurried voice of Loring. He was dictating to his stenographer a much more comprehensive agreement than a mere power of attorney; and as soon, as it was ready Johnny signed it without a question.