But in case he does not show up, what
then? The first man that offers seven dollars an acre, and is prepared
to make a substantial payment takes the property?"
"Just so. If McNabb, or his representative, is not here on the stroke
of twelve, the day after to-morrow, with tender of a cash payment of
ten percent. of the purchase price as stipulated in his contract, then
he is out of the reckoning altogether. But why do you ask? You speak
as though there were some doubt in your mind as to McNabb's appearance?"
"You can never tell," answered Wentworth. "He told me he would be here
himself to close the deal at the proper time. If he does not come, it
is no affair of mine, except that I should be out of a job. I need the
job, so I tipped off his chief rival capitalist as to the date of
expiration, and told him that in case for any reason McNabb fell down
on the proposition, he had better show up here at the post on the first
day of July with a big bunch of coin." He paused and grinned at
Cameron. "I was merely playing safe. If McNabb shows up, well and
good. If he don't, well and good again--I still have a job, and you
get seven dollars an acre, instead of five."
"But will the other be here?"
Wentworth shrugged. "That is what I have been asking myself for a
week. Will McNabb come? Will Orcutt come? Or will they both come?
In the latter case I may have let myself in for some unpleasant
complications.
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