Carmen Ariza Part 110

Ketchim quickly a.s.sented. He knew that Ca.s.s had correctly concluded that in no other way was he likely to be reimbursed. And, at best, it was only a hazard, a wild gamble. In fact, it was a last desperate chance. Moreover, stock was always available; while cash was a rare commodity.

"Suppose, then," continued the sapient young lawyer, "that we capitalize for three millions; set aside one million, five hundred and one thousand as treasury stock, to be sold to raise money for development purposes; transfer to the Ketchim Realty Company one million, as compensation for acting as fiscal agents of the new company; transfer to these two gentlemen, as part compensation for past and future services, the sum of four hundred thousand in stock; give to the stockholders of the Molino Company the sum of fifty-nine thousand in stock for all the a.s.sets, machinery, good will, _et cetera_, of that company; and to me, for services to be rendered, forty thousand dollars' worth of the stock. All of us shall agree not to sell any of our personal holdings of stock until the company shall be placed upon a dividend-paying basis. And Mr. Reed, or Mr. Harris, or both, will return to Colombia immediately to relocate the mine, and prepare for its development, while the Ketchim Realty Company at once endeavor to sell the treasury stock."

Having delivered himself of this comprehensive plan, Ca.s.s settled back in his chair and awaited remarks.

"Well," observed Ketchim at length, "that's all right--only, I think we should be allowed to sell our personal stock if we wish. Of course," with a deprecating wave of his hand, "there isn't the slightest likelihood of our ever wanting to do that--with a mine such as you have described, fellows. But--why hedge us about?"

"Not one dollar's worth of your stock shall you be permitted to sell!"

cried Harris, bringing his fist down upon the desk.

"I suggest that we leave that for the Directors to decide later,"

offered Ca.s.s, anxious to avoid discord. He was young, scarcely out of the twenties, just married, just admitted to the bar, and eager to get a toe-hold in the world of business. "And now," he concluded, "if agreeable to you, I will put this through at once, organize the company, and get the charter. You gentlemen will return to Colombia as soon as Mr. Ketchim can provide the necessary funds."

"Mr. Harris and I have formed an engineering partners.h.i.+p," said Reed.

"As such, we will handle the affairs of the new company in Colombia.

Mr. Harris will proceed to that country, while I go to California to open a copper mine which we have taken over there. In time I will relieve Mr. Harris in the South. Now, Mr. Ketchim, what can you do?"

"I'll send Houghton and Nezlett out on the road to-morrow. Rawlins has just told me of one prospect, a bully one! We don't need to wait for the papers from Albany before going ahead. But we find it costs about forty-eight cents to sell a dollar's worth of stock, and so some time will be needed to raise enough to send Mr. Harris back to Colombia--unless," he added, eying Harris furtively, "he will advance us the amount of his own expenses--"

"Which he will not!" retorted Harris warmly. "I haven't it, anyway.

Nor has Reed. We're both broke."

"There's a revolution on down there now," said Reed, "and we'd better go easy for a while. Besides, Harris needs time to study the language.

But, are we all agreed on the terms? Salary for Harris while in Colombia to be settled later, of course."

"It's all satisfactory, I think," said Ketchim, smiling happily. "The details can be worked out anon--Molino stockholders' meeting, and so on."

"Then," said Reed, rising, "we will consider the new company launched, to take over the defunct Molino and to operate on a comprehensive scale in Colombia, beginning with the development of La Libertad, if we can secure it."

At that moment Rawlins opened the door and peered in. "A gentleman to see Mr. Reed," he announced softly; "a priest, I believe."

Harris sprang to his feet. The door swung open, and Father Waite entered with Carmen.

With a glad cry the girl dropped her bundle and bounded into the arms of the astonished Harris. Reed grasped the priest's hand, and begged him to speak. Ketchim and the young lawyer looked on in perplexity.

"I was unable to find your name in the city directory, Mr. Reed,"

explained the priest, his face beaming with happiness. "But at police headquarters I found that you had made inquiries, and that detectives were searching for the girl. I learned that you were living with your wife's sister, and that you had no business address, having just come up from South America. So I telephoned to your sister-in-law, and your wife informed me that you had an appointment this morning at this office. I therefore came directly here with the girl, who, as you see, is safe and sound, but with an additional interesting experience or two to add to the large fund she already possessed." He looked down at Carmen and smiled. "And now," he concluded, laughing, as he prepared to depart, "I will not ask for a receipt for the child, as I see I have several witnesses to the fact that I have delivered her to the proper custodian." He bowed and went to the door.

"Wait!" cried Reed, seizing him by the hand. "We want to thank you! We want to know you--"

"I will give you my card," replied the priest. "And I would be very happy, indeed, if some time again I might be permitted to see and talk with the little girl." He handed his card to Reed; then nodded and smiled at Carmen and went out.

"By Jove!" sputtered Harris, pus.h.i.+ng the girl aside and making after him. But he was too late. The priest had already caught a descending elevator, and disappeared. Harris returned to the bewildered group. "I guess that knocks the Simiti Company sky-high," he exclaimed, "for here is the sole owner of La Libertad!"

Ketchim collapsed into a chair, while Reed, saying that he would keep his dinner engagement with Ketchim on the following day, picked up Carmen's precious bundle and, taking her hand, left the room. "I am going home," he called back to Harris; "and you be sure to come up to the house to-night. We'll have to readjust our plans now."

CHAPTER 5

"Reed," said Harris the following day, as they sat in the dusty, creaking car that was conveying them to their dinner appointment with Ketchim, "who is this Ames that Ketchim referred to yesterday?"

The men were not alone, for Carmen accompanied them. Reed was reluctantly bringing her at the urgent request received from Ketchim over the telephone the previous evening. But the girl, subdued by the rush of events since her precipitation into the seething American world of materialism, sat apart from them, gazing with rapt attention through the begrimed window at the flying scenery, and trying to interpret it in the light of her own tenacious views of life and the universe. If the marvels of this new world into which she had been thrown had failed to realize her expectations--if she saw in them, and in the sense of life which they express, something less real, less substantial, than do those who laud its grandeur and power to charm--she gave no hint. She was still absorbing, sifting and digesting the welter of impressions. She had been overpowered, smothered by the innovation; and she now found her thoughts a tangled jumble, which she strove incessantly to unravel and cla.s.sify according to their content of reality, as judged by her own standards.

"Why, Ames," replied Reed, turning a watchful eye upon Carmen, "is a multimillionaire financier of New York--surely you have heard of him!

He and his clique practically own the United States, and a large slice of Europe. For some reason Ames bought a block of Molino stock.

And now, I judge, Ketchim would give his chances on eternal life if he hadn't sold it to him. And that's what's worrying me, too. For, since Ames is heavily interested in Molino, what will he do to the new company that absorbs it?"

"There isn't going to be any new company," a.s.serted Harris doggedly.

"There's got to be!" cried Reed. "Ketchim holds us strictly to our contract. Our negotiations with old Rosendo were made while in the employ of Molino. It wouldn't be so bad if we had only Ketchim to deal with. We've got the goods on him and could beat him. But here enters Ames, a man of unlimited wealth and influence. If he wants La Libertad, he's going to get it, you mark me! Where we fell down was in ever mentioning it to Ketchim. For if we don't come over now he will lay the whole affair before Ames. He told me over the 'phone last night that he was badly in debt--that Ames was pressing him--that many of the Molino stockholders were making pertinent inquiries. Oh, he quite opened his heart! And yesterday I saw on his desk a letter from Ames. I can imagine what it contained. Ketchim would sacrifice us and everything else to keep himself out of Ames's grip. We're in for it, I tell you! And all because we were a bit too previous in believing that the girl had disappeared for good."

"By Jove!" exclaimed Harris, "but doesn't it sound like a fairy-tale, the way Carmen got back to us?"

"And here I am," continued Reed, with a gesture of vexation, "left with the girl on my hands, and with a very healthy prospect of losing out all around. My wife said emphatically last night that she wouldn't be bothered with Carmen."

"Well, she won't bother you. Send her away to school."

"Fine! Good idea!" replied Reed sarcastically. "But do you realize that that involves expense? I'm a comparatively poor man, just getting a start in my profession, and with a young and socially ambitious wife!"

"But--your wife--er, she's going to--to have money some day, isn't she?"

"Very true. But the grim reaper has a little work to do first. And on occasions like this he's always deucedly deliberate, you know.

Meantime, we're skating close to the edge--for New Yorkers."

"Well, we may be able to beat Ketchim. Now, my father and Uncle John--"

"Oh, shoot your father and Uncle John!" snapped Reed impatiently.

The conductor opened the door and bawled a cryptical announcement.

"This is the place," said Reed, starting up and making for the door.

"And now you rake your thought for some way to deal with Ketchim. And leave your father and Uncle John entirely out of the conversation!"

Ketchim was just bowing out a caller as the young engineers mounted the steps. "See that fellow!" he exclaimed, after giving them a hearty welcome. "I just sold him a hundred shares of Simiti stock, at five dollars a share--just half of par. Beginning right on the jump, eh?"

"But--" protested Harris, as they entered the s.p.a.cious parlor, "the company isn't even in existence yet--and hasn't an a.s.set!"

"Oh, that's all right," replied Ketchim easily. "It's coming into existence, and will have the grandest mine in South America! Boys," he went on earnestly, "I've been talking over the 'phone with Mr. Ames, our most influential stockholder, and a very warm friend of mine. I told him about our conversation of yesterday. He says, go right ahead with the new company--that it's a great idea. He's satisfied with his present holding, and will not increase it. Says he wants Molino stockholders to have the opportunity to purchase all the treasury stock, if they want to."

"Decidedly magnanimous," returned Reed. "But--what about the basis of organization of the new company?"

"Leave it as we planned it, he says. He thinks the arrangement and division of stock fine!"

Reed and Harris looked at each other questioningly. It did not seem possible.