The Argosy — page 253: what you’re looking at

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

‘ = S i * os Adam through his spectacles. ‘I suspect they are absorbing funds, instead of yielding them.” ; “Of course they are, sir, at present. Nothing can be done in any business, without an outlay at the first onset.” | “May I ask how much of it you have contributed as your share? ” ‘‘ All I had,” was the answer. “ About three thousand pounds.” “ Ah. Take my advice, Mr. Grainger, let your three thousand pounds- go, and say nothing about the loss,” said the chairman emphatically. ‘‘In after years you may count the loss a gain, if it shall have taught you prudence.” “‘ Ay, ay,” nodded Mr. Phelps. ‘“ Let it go; let it go.” “ Let my three thousand pounds go /” ejaculated Adam Grainger, be- lieving the two grey-haired gentlemen before him must be candidates for Bedlam. ‘ What for?” “You will never get a shilling returned upon them, and you'll only | plunge deeper into the mire.” “‘ Have you heard any ill of the Trebeddon mines?” he scarcely dared to inquire. “Nothing at all: but we know the nature of these things. We are unacquainted with the ‘Great Trebeddon’ except from this prospectus, and from the advertisements.” ‘“‘T thought it could not be,” he said, in a relieved tone. “It is the finest prospect, sir, that has appeared for years.” ‘“‘Tf it is like other mining prospects, it will be ‘ fine,’” observed the chairman. ‘ They generally end in the ruin of all connected with them.” “Two ignorant old savages!” was the mental compliment of the listener. | “ However—to bring the matter in question to an issue, Mr. Grainger. It resolves itself into this : either you mame give up the Great Trebeaten or you must give up your post with us.’ ‘‘T have been contemplating the probability of giving up my post pare: later,” he replied. “Tt must be one or the other ow,” cried the chairman. Mr. Phelps rose and laid his hand-on the younger man’s shoulder. ‘“‘T regarded your father with no common esteem,” he said, “and for his- sake—and, it may be, a little for your own—lI take an interest in you. Be persuaded. Look upon this new scheme with our eyes of experience, and remain with us. . You will do so if you know when you are well off. 7 dt expect in a short time to be clearing my five thousand a year few these mines,” said the younger man, in a lowtone. ‘‘ There are not many of us in it, and the returns to be divided will be enormous.” The chairman coughed, not a pleasant cough to Adam, for it sounded ~ full of mocking unbelief. ‘ We shall be sorry to lose your services, Mr. Grainger,” he said, suppressing its sound. ‘“‘ Rather than do so, we will 234 Five Thousand a Year. Eomicbooks.co oo =