then one buying price."

"If we were to sell to you, would you work the property?" asked Jenvie.

"Most certainly," he replied; "I would work it as I did before--on ze
paper."

"We have sold the control," said Hamlin, "and have only left some shares
of stock."

"I understand," said the man; "Mr. Browning has the control and is
unloading the stock cheap. He three days ago tendered me some stock for
one shilling per share. I said, 'No, but give me one bond at three
pennies per share for four months, and I will consider ze matter, and try
to help you close out some unproductive property.' He would not comply,
but he thought it over very much, and asked me to call again. One broker,
Mr. Williams, offered to sell me plenty for four pennies, but would not
make one bond."

"We do not care to bond ours," said Jenvie, "but would sell for four
pennies."

"I will not give it," said Emanuel, rising to go. "I would give you three
pennies, but no more," and he started for the door.

The three consulted in private for a moment, and then Jenvie called to
Emanuel, who was half out of the door, that he might have the stock at
three pennies for cash, but begged him not to mention that he had
purchased it. Emanuel paid the money and took the stock, and then said:
"You ask me not to mention this business. Are you crazy? Suppose Mr.
Browning by and by bonds me ten thousand shares less than half he has
got, with this in my pocket who will then have ze control? I want you to
promise to say nothing about this sale for six months. In the meantime
I propose to become just so intimate with Mr. Browning as possible."

Then he winked and walked out, and the conspirators looked in each
other's faces and smiled.

Emanuel went directly to Browning and delivered him the stock, but he
lied about the price he had paid for it, telling Browning he had given
five pennies per share for it. But while Browning was sure the man had
lied, he was satisfied, for he then had all of the stock of "The Wedge of
Gold."

Browning had, as he told Sedgwick, gone to South America on a commission.
It was known in London that he was a miner who had made a success in
America. An Englishman who had a bond on a mine in Venezuela had hired
him to go over and make a report on it. He fulfilled the trust, but he
heard while there of another mine in a district ten miles away. He went
to see it and bought it for L2,000, hired a foreman and ten men; laid out
the work for