Carmen Ariza Part 109

"Well," pursued Harris, "it'll help some when they learn that you're in one."

"Boys," said Ketchim suddenly, quite disregarding the insinuation, "to-morrow is Sunday, and I want you both out to dinner with me, and we will talk this all over. Then in the afternoon I want you to come over and see my little Sunday school. Fellows," he continued gravely, "I've prayed for you and for your success every day since you left.

And my faith in my Saviour is too great to be shattered now by your adverse report. He certainly will show us a way out; and I can trust him and wait."

Reed and Harris looked at him and then at each other with puzzled expressions on their faces. The man continued earnestly:

"Colombia is a rich and undeveloped country, you have said. There must be other mineral properties available there. Did you see none on your travels? Or could we not organize an exploration party to search for mines?"

"Who'd furnish the wherewithal?" asked Harris bluntly.

"Oh, that could be arranged."

"Will your sheep stand for further shearing?" queried the grinning Harris.

"Fellows," said Ketchim, brightening and drawing his chair closer, "you've got something--I know it! You've got something to suggest that will save the Molino stockholders!"

"But not yourself, eh?" taunted Harris.

"I shall sacrifice myself," answered Ketchim deprecatingly. His manner had now become animated, and he leaned expectantly toward them.

Reed and Harris again looked questioningly at each other. "I guess we might as well," said Reed in a low voice. "It is bound to come out, anyway."

"Sure," returned Harris; "drive ahead."

"Mr. Ketchim," began Reed, turning to the eager, fidgeting man, "when I came to New York a year ago, looking for a business opening, my friend and former cla.s.smate in the University, Mr. Ca.s.s, put me in touch with you. At that time you were booming the Molino company hard, and, I have no doubt, thought you really had something down in Colombia. But when you offered to lease me a portion of your properties there, I laughed at you. And, in the course of time, I succeeded in convincing you that you knew nothing whatsoever about the properties on which you were selling so much stock. Then, after months of parley, from an offer to permit me to go down to Colombia at my own expense to examine Molino's mines, to ascertain whether or not I wished to operate a part of them on a royalty basis, you adopted my own view, namely, that the time had come for you to know whether the company possessed anything of value or not. And so you sent my a.s.sociate, Mr. Harris, and myself down there to examine and report on Molino's so-called mines. And you gave us each a block of stock as part compensation. We found the mines barren. And now you have got to face a body of stockholders from whom you have lured thousands of dollars by your misrepresentations. From talks with your salesmen, I am convinced that this body of stockholders is made up chiefly of widows and indigent clergymen."

"Which of my salesmen told you that?" interrupted Ketchim heatedly.

"Let us waive that," replied Reed calmly. "The fact is, you are in a hard way just at present, is it not so?"

"Fellows," said Ketchim, with an air of penitent humility, "the officers and stockholders of the Molino Company have been grossly deceived and unfortunately--"

"All right," interrupted Reed, "we'll pa.s.s that. But Harris and I have played square with you. And we are going to continue to do so, and to offer you a possible opportunity to do something for your poor stockholders, and incidentally for yourself and us. The fact is, we do know of another property down there, but we haven't the t.i.tle--"

"That makes no difference!" interrupted Ketchim. "I mean, it can be acquired--" striving to restrain his eagerness.

"That's just the question," replied Reed. "The t.i.tle is at present vested in a young Colombian girl, who, unfortunately, is lost. This girl came up to the States with us--"

"Ha!" exclaimed Ketchim, unable longer to hold himself. "Then you broke your contract, for that stipulated that whatever you might acquire there should belong to me! I engaged your services, remember!"

"I believe," put in Harris dryly, "we were employed by the Molino company."

"But my mother advanced the funds to send you down there!" cried Ketchim.

"How about the poor stockholders?" queried Harris, with an insinuating grin.

"I'm speaking for the stockholders, of course," said Ketchim, subsiding. "But, proceed, please."

"There is no likelihood that this poor girl will ever be heard of again," continued Reed. "Nor is it likely that the t.i.tle papers, which she has with her, will be of any use to those into whose hands she has fallen. Her old foster-father held the t.i.tle to this mine, but transferred it to the girl, stipulating that she and I should divide a large interest in the stock of a company formed to develop and operate it. For my share, I agreed to bring the young girl to the States and place her in a school, at my own expense." He went on to relate the manner in which Carmen had been lost, and then continued: "Of course, the t.i.tle to this mine is registered in Cartagena, and in the girl's name, as the old man gave me power to have that change made. But, now that she is gone, the property naturally reverts to him."

"We will relocate it!" declared Ketchim impatiently.

"No, that wouldn't be right to the old man," returned Reed. "But, it might be that the property could now be secured from him. He is old and penniless, and without any further interest in life. It is a bare chance, but we might prevail upon him to join us in the formation of a company to take over his mine, La Libertad."

"Is that the name of it?" asked Ketchim, reaching for a writing pad.

"Spell it for me, please. And the name of the old man."

Reed complied, and then continued: "Now, Mr. Ketchim, we are living strictly up to the letter of our contract by giving you this information. It would require not less than one hundred thousand dollars, cash in hand, to acquire that mine, develop it, make trails, and erect a stamp-mill. Mr. Harris and I are in no condition financially to advance or secure such an amount."

"It is barely possible," mused Harris, "that my father and Uncle John could do something."

"We don't have to call upon them!" cried Ketchim. "Your interest, Mr.

Reed, in this mine already belongs to Molino, as you were acting under contract with us--"

"I have covered that point, Mr. Ketchim," replied Reed evenly. "But the time has come for us all to put our shoulders to the wheel, act fairly with one another, help the Molino stockholders, and at the same time make good ourselves. Mr. Harris and I have barely entered upon our business careers, and we have come to New York to establish ourselves. This may afford the opportunity. We know where this mine is--we know the old man, and may be able to influence him. To forestall possible complications, we should begin negotiations with him at once. But--remember--everything must be done in the name of the company, not in your own name. And Mr. Harris and I must personally negotiate with the old man, and receive a very liberal compensation for our work."

"Certainly!" cried the excited Ketchim. "Goodness, fellows! why didn't you tell me this yesterday over the 'phone, and save me a night of torment? But I forgive you. Gracious! Rawlins," he said, addressing that individual, who had entered in response to the buzzer, "'phone Ca.s.s to come right over. And tell Miss Honeywell to give you ten dollars for our lunch, and charge it to Molino. It's company business.

By Jove, fellows! this is a happy day for me. Since the old man gave you a share in the mine, Molino has property, after all!"

"Has it to get," amended Harris dubiously.

"Oh, we'll get it!" cried Ketchim, rubbing his hands gleefully. "But now while waiting for Ca.s.s, tell me more about your trip. It is wonderful! And so romantic!"

In the midst of the ensuing recital, Ca.s.s was announced; and Ketchim, after detailing to him the previous conversation, launched into the project which had been developing in his own mind while Reed had been describing his experiences in the South.

"What we want is another organization, fellows," he said in conclusion, "to take over the tottering Molino; purchase its a.s.sets with stock; give Molino stockholders an opportunity to get in on the ground floor, and so on. We'll let Molino die in the arms of a new company, eh?"

"But one with a somewhat wider scope," suggested Ca.s.s, with an air of importance. "A sort of general development company, to secure La Libertad, if possible; prospect for other mineral properties; and develop the resources of the country."

"Just so," a.s.sented Ketchim, with increasing enthusiasm. "A company to go in for coffee, cotton--you say you saw wild cotton, didn't you, fellows? Great! And cocoanuts, timber, cattle--in fact, we'll get concessions from the Colombian Government, and we'll--"

"Just rip things wide open, eh?" finished Harris.

"That's it!" cried Ketchim radiantly. "Uncle Ted has influence at Was.h.i.+ngton, with the Pan American Union, and so on--why, we can get anything we want! Ames and the bank will both cool down--by Jove, this is great!"

"But where's the cold and vulgar cash coming from to oil the wheels?"

put in the practical Harris.

"Oh, I can sell the stock," replied Ketchim. "Then, too, there's the Molino stockholders; why, I'll bet there's hardly one that wouldn't be able to sc.r.a.pe up a few dollars more for the new company! By the way, what'll we call it? Give us a name, somebody."

"I'd call it the Salvation Company," drawled Harris, "as it is likely to delay your trip to Sing Sing."

A general laugh, in which Ketchim joined heartily, followed the remark.

"I suggest we call it the Simiti Development Company," said Ca.s.s, after a moment's dignified reflection.

"Great!" cried Ketchim. "It has a prosperous ring! And now its capitalization? We must make it big!"

"Hem!" returned Ca.s.s. "If these gentlemen can acquire that mine, I think I would capitalize for, say, about three millions." He went to the desk and made some calculations. "I a.s.sume," he continued somewhat pompously after a few moments' figuring, "that you wish to retain me, and that I am to take my compensation in stock?"