mistake was in waiting too
long."

"Speaking of waiting," said Mr. Opp, impatiently, "there's a call
meeting of the Turtle Creek Land Co. for this morning at eleven at Your
Hotel. Hope it's convenient, Jimmy."

"Oh, yes," said Jimmy; "we got more empty chairs at Your Hotel than
anything else. What's the meeting for? Struck gold?"

Mr. Opp imparted the great news.

"Oh, my land!" exclaimed Miss Jim, "will they be here to-day?"

"Not until to-morrow night," explained Mr. Opp. "This here meeting this
morning is for the stock-holders only. We got to kinder outline our
policy and arrange a sort of basis of operation."

"Well," said Miss Jim, "I'll take the portrait up to Mrs. Gusty's and
ask her to take care of it for me. I don't know as I can do the face
over into somebody else's, but I can't afford to lose it."

It was afternoon before the stock-holders could all be brought together.
They assembled in the office of Your Hotel in varying states of mind
ranging from frank skepticism to intense enthusiasm.

Mr. Tucker represented the conservative element. He was the rich man of
the town, with whom economy, at first a necessity, had become a luxury.
No greater proof could have been desired of Mr. Opp's persuasive powers
than that Mr. Tucker had invested in a hundred shares of the new stock.
He sat on the edge of his chair, wizen, anxious, fidgety, loaded with
objections, and ready to go off half-cocked. Old man Hager sat in his
shadow, objecting when he objected, voting as he voted, and prepared to
loosen or tighten his purse-strings as Mr. Tucker suggested.

Mat Lucas and Miss Jim were independents. They had both had sufficient
experience in business to know their own minds. If there was any money
to be made in the Cove or about it, they intended to have a part in it.

Mr. Opp and the preacher constituted the Liberal party. They furnished
the enthusiasm that floated the scheme. They were able to project
themselves into the future and prophesy dazzling probabilities.

Jimmy Fallows, alone of the group, maintained an artistic attitude
toward the situation. He was absolutely detached. He sat with his chair
tilted against the door and his thumbs in his armholes, and treated the
whole affair as a huge joke.

"The matter up for immediate consideration," Mr. Opp was saying
impressively, "is whether these here gentlemen should want to buy us
out, we would sell, or whether we would remain firm in possession, and
let them