ran down the alley just back of the
property, a fact that hurt the lot for residence purposes, but that was
indispensable for the boot and shoe people. Geary knew that the heads of
the manufactory were determined to buy the lot, and he was sure that if
properly handled by clever brokers they could be induced to offer at
least one third more than its appraised valuation. It was a chance for a
fine speculation, and it was torture to Geary to think that Vandover, or
in fact any one besides himself, was going to profit by it.

The afternoon of the day upon which Hiram Wade had brought suit for
twenty-five thousand dollars, while Geary was pottering about his swivel
office chair with an oil can trying to find out where it creaked, a
brilliant idea had suddenly occurred to him, a stroke of genius, a
veritable inspiration. Why could he not make the Wade suit a machine
with which to force Vandover into the sale of the property?

His first idea had been to push the case so vigorously that Vandover
would surely lose it. But on second thought this course did not seem to
promise any satisfactory results. Geary knew very well that though Hiram
Wade had sued for twenty-five thousand dollars he could not recover more
than five thousand, if as much as that. Geary did not know the exact
state of Vandover's affairs, but he did not think that his chum would
sell any property in order to make the payment of damages. It was much
more likely that he would raise the five thousand, or whatever it might
be, by placing a second mortgage on some of his property. This, however,
was presuming that Wade would get judgment for about five thousand
dollars. But suppose that Vandover thought that Wade could actually
recover twenty-five thousand! Suppose that Geary himself should see
Vandover and induce him to believe such a story, and to settle the
affair out of court! Vandover was as ignorant of law as he was of
business. Geary might frighten him into a sale. Yet this plan seemed
very impracticable. In the first place, it would be unprofessional for
Geary to have an interview with Vandover under such circumstances, the
story was almost too monstrous even for Vandover's credibility, and
besides, Geary would not pay, could not pay twenty-five thousand for the
property. This last was a serious tangle. In order to get Vandover to
sell, Geary would have to represent the damage suit as involving a
larger sum of money than Geary was willing to give for the b