Free Hard Money by Luke; Short Page B

wouldn’t if I could.” He smiled faintly. “I’m for giving him a fighting chance, anyway.”
    â€œYou won’t be in a position to,” Janeece murmured.
    Hugh sighed. “All right. Let’s hear it.”
    â€œI want you to call in your loans to Bonal,” Janeece said idly. “There’s a chance in a million he’ll be in with more money soon. I’m going to start turning the screw.”
    â€œAfraid of Seay?”
    â€œHe’s a man with imagination. Why not be careful?”
    â€œI could put up a scrap about this,” Hugh said presently.
    â€œYou won’t though,” Janeece replied. He looked out the window again. “I’m in a position to trade with you.”
    â€œWhat could you give me that would be worth what I’m giving you?”
    â€œMoney.”
    Hugh flushed. “How much?”
    â€œAs much as you can turn it into,” Janeece answered. “Tomorrow my agents in San Francisco can start dumping Dry Sierras Consolidated stock—reason unnamed. My men are pretty shrewd guessers,” he added. “People follow them.”
    Hugh was attentive.
    â€œI have enough of your stock—or I can get enough—that it will look serious. It will start a considerable market flurry.” He shifted his gaze to Hugh now. “I’ll lend you the money to buy all of it that your men can pick up for you.”
    Hugh laughed uncomfortably. “Which is just another way of buying Consolidated stock for yourself, seeing as you’ll have my note for the money loaned.”
    â€œNo. That note will never be collected if you’re willing to go all the way with me. You can have your own lawyer write the ticket, so it’ll be air tight. If you come through for me when I really need you—and I think you know when that will be—then we’ll cancel my loan. You’ll have undisputed control of the Dry Sierras Consolidated, then.” He waited a moment and then added, “Isn’t that a fair trade?”
    Hugh was silent a long moment, and Janeece didn’t bother to observe him. Presently, Hugh said, “You know, Janeece, I wonder at you. Surely you know these mines can’t go much deeper without Bonal’s tunnel. If I got control of the Dry Sierras, it would be a pity that it turned borrasca because it was filled with the water Charles Bonal could have drained from it.”
    Janeece said, “There are pumps.”
    â€œBig enough to care for another five hundred feet of water. What then?”
    â€œOthers will be invented. When we first hit water there wasn’t a pump made that could lift it high enough. One was invented. The same thing will happen again.”
    â€œYou forget gravity,” Hugh murmured.
    â€œThe engineers have never let it stop them.”
    Hugh was silent. Slowly, Janeece turned his chair and put both elbows on the desk. “You’re sure of another five hundred feet of ore free of water, Hugh. I’ve got pretty accurate information that your veins are widening and that in another two months you’ll almost double your take. Is that right?”
    Hugh inclined his head.
    â€œAll right. You’ll be in control before you have gone another hundred feet deeper.” Janeece spread his hands. “That will leave you another four hundred feet of bonanza. With this stock you’ll acquire, that’s enough to make you a rich man. When pumps are developed that can pump water from another five hundred feet lower, you’ll be a very rich man.”
    â€œBut will they?” Hugh asked insistently.
    Janeece put both hands on his desk. “They will, Hugh. I tell you, that mine and all its wealth will be yours. I’m handing it to you in return for your cooperation.” He raised a thin finger then. “Mind, it’s not my belief that Bonal can put that tunnel through. It can’t be done—not with money even, and I’ve