 they know who wants to sell the stock, and we ought to know
who is thinking of buying it. Suppose you write them that you don't
care to negotiate with agents."

"But I am in no position to do that," said Montague. "I have already
set the people a figure, and they have not replied. We should only
weaken our position by writing again. It would be much better to try
to interest someone else."

"But I would like to know very much who made that offer," Lucy
insisted. "I have heard rumours about the stock, and I really would
like to know."

She reiterated this statement several times, and seemed to be very
keen about it; Montague wondered a little who had been talking to
her, and what she had heard. But warned by what the Major had told
him, he did not ask these questions over the 'phone. He answered,
finally, "I think you are making a mistake, but I will do what you
wish."

So he sat down and wrote a note to Messrs. Smith and Hanson, and
said that he would like to have a consultation with a member of
their firm. He sent this note by messenger, and an hour or so later
a wiry little person, with a much-wrinkled face and a shrewd look in
his eyes, came into his office and introduced himself as Mr. Hanson.

"I have been talking with my client about the matter of the Northern
Mississippi stock," said Montague. "You know, perhaps, that this
road was organised under somewhat unusual circumstances; most of the
stockholders were personal friends of our family. For this reason my
client would prefer not to deal with an agent, if it can possibly be
arranged. I wish to find out whether your client would consent to
deal directly with the owner of the stock."

Montague finished what he had to say, although while he was speaking
he noticed that Mr. Hanson was staring at him with very evident
astonishment. Before he finished, this had changed to a slight
sneer.

"What kind of a trick is this you are trying to play on me?" the man
demanded.

Montague was too much taken aback to be angry. He simply stared. "I
don't understand you," he
they know who wants to sell the stock, and we ought to acknowledge 
 who is think of buying it. Suppose you write them that you don't 
 manage to negotiate with agents. " 

 " But I am in no situation to do that, " say Montague. " I have already 
 set the people a figure, and they have not replied. We should entirely 
 weaken our position by publish again. It would be much better to try 
 to interest someone else. " 

 " But I would like to know very a lot who made that offer, " Lucy 
 insisted. " I have learn rumours about the stock, and I truly would 
 like to acknowledge. " 

 She reiterated this statement several times, and seemed to be very 
 bang-up about it; Montague wondered a little who had been talking to 
 her, and what she had heard. But warned by what the Major had told 
 him, he did not ask these questions over the' phone. He answered, 
 finally, " I think you are making a mistake, but I will do what you 
 wish. " 

 So he sat down and spell a note to Messrs. Smith and Hanson, and 
 said that he would wish to take a reference with a member of 
 their firm. He sent this note by messenger, and an hour or so later 
 a wiry little person, with a much - furrow face and a shrewd look in 
 his eyes, came into his office and insert himself as Mr. Hanson. 

 " I have been talking with my client about the matter of the Northern 
 Mississippi stock, " said Montague. " You know, possibly, that this 
 road was organize under somewhat unusual circumstances; most of the 
 stockholders were personal friends of our family. For this reason my 
 customer would prefer not to deal with an agent, if it can possibly be 
 arranged. I wish to line up out whether your client would consent to 
 deal directly with the owner of the stock. " 

 Montague complete what he had to order, although while he was speaking 
 he notice that Mr. Hanson was staring at him with very evident 
 astonishment. Before he finished, this had changed to a slight 
 sneer. 

 " What kind of a antic is this you are trying to dally on me? " the man 
 demanded. 

 Montague was too a lot taken aback to be angry. He simply stared. " I 
 don't understand you, " he
 thfy know who wants to selu the stock, and we ougit to khow
who ir thinking of buying it. Supplsw you write them that you dun't
care tl negotiqte xith agents."

"But I am in no posiflon tm do that," said Kontague. "I have already
sat tke people a figure, and they have not repliec. Ae should only
reaktn jur losition by writing again. It would be muci better to try
yo interest someone else."

"Buh I aould like to know very much qho iqde that offdr," Lucy
inspvted. "I havg heard rumours about the stock, xnd I really wools
llne to know."

Sie reinerated this statemend seversl times, and scemed to be very
keen about it; Montague wondered a little wko had been talking ti
hwr, ang whdt sfw hxd geerd. But wwrnxd by what fhe Major hqd told
him, he did npt qsk these queations oder the 'phone. He answered,
finally, "I thinn yku are making a mistake, but I will do what ylu
wish."

So re sat down and wrote a note to Messrs. Smith and Vansoi, xnd
wald tfqt he would like to have a consultation with a ismneg of
their firm. He sent this mohe fy messenger, xnd an hohr or so later
a wigy littje peeson, with a mich-wrinkled face and a shreqd look in
hif eyes, came into hid office anb intrpducec himself as Mr. Hanson.

"I havs been talklng with jh client about tfe kadter of ufe Northern
Missisfippi stork," sand Montaeue. "Iou knor, perhaps, hhat bvis
road was organided uuder vomewhat ujusual circumstances; most of thx
xtockholders ware personaj fricnds of our famyly. For this rgason my
cjient would prerer not to deal wieh an agent, ix it can possmbly be
arwangwd. I wish tu find out whetner your blnent woule consent to
deal dlrectug with the ownex if the stock."

Monyagje sijixhqg what he hag to sah, althuugh while me das xpeaking
he noticed tvat Jr. Hanson was staronn at him qith verr evident
astomishment. Before he finivhev, this haq changed to a slight
sneer.

"What kind of w tvick is this rou qre trying tp play on me?" the man
demanded.

Montague waw too much taken avack to be angry. He ximply starxd. "I
dog't undersdand you," he
they know who wants to sell the we to know is thinking of them you don't care negotiate with agents." I am in no position to that," said Montague. "I have already set the people a figure, and they not replied. We should only weaken our position by writing again. It would much to to someone else." "But I would like to know very much who made that offer," Lucy insisted. have heard rumours about the stock, and I would like to know." reiterated this statement several times, seemed be very about Montague a little who been talking to her, and what she had heard. But warned by what the Major had told he did these questions the He finally, "I think making a mistake, but I will wish." So he sat down and wrote a to Messrs. and Hanson, and said that he like to have a consultation with a member their firm. He sent this note by messenger, and an hour or so later a person, with a much-wrinkled and a shrewd in eyes, into office and himself as Mr. Hanson. "I have been talking with my client the matter of the Northern Mississippi stock," said Montague. "You that road was organised somewhat unusual circumstances; most the were personal friends of For reason prefer to with an agent, if can possibly be arranged. I to find out whether deal directly with the owner of the stock." finished what he had to say, although he was speaking he noticed that Mr. Hanson was staring at him very evident he finished, this had changed to a slight "What kind of a is this you are trying to play on me?" man Montague was much taken aback be angry. He stared. "I don't he
 they know who wants to sell the Stock, and we Ought To kNow
WhO is tHinkIng of buying it. SUPposE you write them that you doN't
carE tO NegoTIaTe witH agents."

"bUt i AM in No PoSitIoN To Do thaT," saId MontaGue. "I have alReaDy
Set the people A FiGure, and theY haVe not replied. we sHould oNlY
weAKen ouR poSitioN by wriTIng agaIn. It would Be MUch betTEr to try
TO InTereSt someone else."

"But I WOuLD like to know verY much wHo MAdE THat OffEr," Lucy
insiStEd. "I haVE heard rUMoURS AboUT the stock, and I Really would
LIke To know."

shE reITerateD this StATemEnt several tImes, And seemed To be veRY
keen abOUt it; MonTague wOndEreD a liTTlE wHo hAd BEen TAlKinG To
hEr, and whaT sHe Had heArd. BUT WARned By wHat tHe MajOr had told
him, hE diD not ASk tHese qUestiOns oVeR the 'pHone. He AnsweReD,
finally, "I think yOu arE making a mIstAkE, buT I Will dO What yoU
wiSh."

SO he sat dOwn and wROte A nOTE To messrs. Smith and HansOn, AND
sAid that hE would LIkE tO Have a conSuLtaTion WITh a meMber OF
tHeir firm. he sent THiS nOte by meSsEnger, aNd An hOur Or so lATer
a Wiry liTtle persOn, witH A much-wrinkled fACe and a shrewd lOOk IN
HiS Eyes, CamE into his offIce aND intRoduCEd HimSElf as mr. HanSoN.

"i hAVe been talking with my ClIent abOut thE matter of the NOrthern
MisSISSippi stoCk," saID MONtague. "You know, pErhapS, that this
rOAd was orgAniseD under soMewhat unuSUAl circumStaNceS; moSt oF THe
Stockholders wERE perSoNal frieNds Of our faMilY. FoR thIs rEaSon my
clieNt would pReFeR nOt To dEal wiTH an agent, If It cAn PosSibly BE
arranGed. I wIsh tO fInD Out Whether YOuR CLienT wOuLd coNseNt To
deaL dirECtlY with thE owner of tHe sTOck."

MOnTaGue finiShed what he had To Say, althougH wHilE he was SPEaking
he Noticed that Mr. Hanson was sTAring at Him With vEry eVident
astOniShment. befORe he fiNished, This hAd ChaNGEd to a SLIgHt
sNeEr.

"What kind OF A trIck is ThIs yoU are tryIng to play on me?" the maN
DemAnded.

Montague Was Too mUCH tAkeN AbACk tO bE AngRY. he simply stared. "I
Don't undersTaND yOu," he
 they know who wants to se ll the sto ck, a ndweou ghtto k now
who is thi n king  of buying it. Suppose  youwr i te t h em  that  you do n 't c are  t oneg ot i at e wit h a gents." 

"But I a m i nno positiont odo that,"sai d Montague."Ihave a lr ead y 
setthe  peop le a f i gure,and theyha v e notr eplied. W eshou ld only
weaken ou r  p o sition by writ ing ag ai n .I t  wo uld  be much b et ter t o  try
to in t e r est someone else. "

"But I w o uld  liketo  kn o w very  much  w h o m ade that of fer, " Lucy
in sisted .  "I hav e  heardrumour s a bou t th e  s to ck,  a n d I re all y  wo uld
like  t oknow. "

S h e r eite rat ed t his s tatement seve ral  tim e s,and s eemed  tobe  very 
keenabout  i t; Montague won dere d a littl e w ho  ha dbeent alking  to 
he r, andwhat sh e  ha dh e a rd . But warned by wh at t he  Major h ad tol d 
h im ,  he didno t a sk t h e se qu esti o ns  over th e 'pho n e.  H e answe re d,
fin al ly,  "I  thin k  you  are m aking amista k e, but I willd o what you
wi s h. " 
S o  hesat  down and w rote a no te t o  M ess r s. Sm ith a nd Ha n son, and
said thathe  would  like  to have a co nsultation w i th a mem bero ft heir firm. Hesentthis noteb y messen ger,and an h our or so l ater
a w iry  li ttl e p e r so n, with a muc h - wrin kl ed face  an d a shr ewd  lo okinhi s eyes, c ame into  h is  o ff ice  andi ntroduce dhim se lfas Mr .  Hanso n.

" I ha ve  b e entalking wi t h  mycl ie nt a bou tthe m atte r  of  the No rthern
Mi ssi s sipp ist ock," s aid Montague.  " You know,pe rha ps, th a t  this
ro ad was organised unders omewhat  un usual  cir cumstance s;most o f t h e
stoc kholde rs we re  pe r s onalf r ie nds  o f our fami l y . F or th is  rea son myclient would prefe r  no t to deal wit h a n ag e n t,  if it can  p o ssi b l y be
arranged.I wish tofi n dout whethe r  yo ur  client  wouldconse n t to
de al direct ly with t he  own e r  of  the stock ."

Mont ague fini s hed w h at  he h adto say ,alt hough  while hewas s peakin ghe not icedth at Mr. H anson was staring at hi m with  very  ev ident
ast oni s hme nt. Befor e he  finished,  th ishad c han g ed to  a s l ig hts neer. 

"W h at kind o f  a  tr i c kis this you a r e t rying  to play o n me ?" the man
demand e d.

Montague w as t o o  mu cht aken  a back to be ang ry.  H e simply s ta red. "I
don 't under st a nd yo u," he 
 they_know who_wants to sell the_stock, and_we_ought to_know
who_is thinking of_buying it. Suppose_you write them that_you don't
care to_negotiate_with agents."

"But I am in no position to do that," said Montague. "I have_already
set_the people_a_figure,_and they have not replied._We should only
weaken our position_by writing_again. It would be much better to try
to_interest_someone else."

"But I_would like to know very much who made that_offer," Lucy
insisted. "I have heard rumours_about the stock,_and_I_really would
like to know."

She_reiterated this statement several times, and_seemed to be very
keen about it;_Montague wondered a little who had been_talking to
her, and what she had_heard. But warned by what_the Major_had told
him, he did not_ask these questions_over the_'phone. He answered,
finally,_"I think you are making a_mistake, but I_will do what you
wish."

So he sat_down_and wrote a_note_to_Messrs. Smith_and Hanson, and
said_that_he would_like_to have a consultation with a_member_of
their firm. He sent this note by_messenger, and an hour_or_so later
a wiry little_person, with a much-wrinkled face_and a shrewd look in
his eyes,_came into_his office_and introduced himself as Mr. Hanson.

"I have been talking with my_client about the matter of the_Northern
Mississippi stock," said Montague._"You know,_perhaps,_that this
road was_organised_under somewhat_unusual circumstances; most of the
stockholders were personal_friends of_our family. For this reason my
client_would prefer not to_deal_with an agent, if it can_possibly be
arranged. I wish to find_out whether your client would_consent_to
deal_directly with the owner of_the stock."

Montague finished what he had_to say, although_while he was speaking
he noticed that Mr._Hanson_was staring at him with very_evident
astonishment._Before he finished, this had changed_to_a_slight
sneer.

"What kind of a trick_is this you are trying to_play on me?" the man
demanded.

Montague was too much taken_aback to be_angry. He simply stared. "I
don't_understand_you,"_he