rinking from the hypnotic caress in the
financier's manner.

"If you should do that _and_ should take out a nice new one hundred
dollar bill--you have one, Bill, right in that old leather wallet--don't
shrink, Bill, your alarm pains me--if you, now, here in Lawrenceville,
New Jersey, John C. Green Foundation, should produce that one hundred
dollar bill--slap it on the counter, shove it into my face, force it
into my pocket, beg me to give you a little interest--_no_! No, Bill,
no! I'd refuse--I'd _have_ to refuse. Don't build up any false hopes,
Bill, don't."

"I won't," said Appleby, yet already a sense of great personal loss had
begun to invade him.

"All I can let you in on are the regional rights--the Lawrenceville
rights--for ten years. I might, I don't say it flat,--I want to
consider,--but I _might_ extend them to Princeton. It's a gift, but I
might. And do you know why I'm giving you this opportunity of a
lifetime?"

"Why, Doc?"

"Because, Bill, I don't want to break you. I don't want to have to run
you out of business. That's friendship, but there's more. I can use
you," said Macnooder magnanimously. "You have the qualities I shall need
in my future operations--I suffer from them now but I appreciate them.
You will make an ideal watchdog of the dollar, and when the dollar
leaves your hand, Bill, there won't be a rim left to it. Bill, let's do
business--it's more than just the toothbrush, it's a whole future's open
to you. Bill, the moment is yours. Choose! Fifth Avenue, a yacht, box at
the opera--Lillian Russell!"

Appleby fumbled in his pocket and drew out a cigar to break the spell,
and the hand that held the match trembled.

"Wall, now," he began cautiously, "to-morrow's to-morrow, and
toothbrushes is toothbrushes. And say--gettin' down to tacks--who in Sam
Hill ever wanted a folding toothbrush, nohow?"

Macnooder's fist descended on a shivering glass counter as he cried
triumphantly:

"Say that again!"

"Wall, who does want a folding toothbrush?" said Appleby, in a more
bellicose manner.

"Bill, your hand!" said Macnooder, matching the gesture to the
exclamation. "Straight to the point. Keen--Gad, you're devilishly keen!
That's you, Bill, no one can beat you at seeing the kernel at once! Who
wants a folding toothbrush? No one!" said Macnooder, folding his arms
and beaming with delight. "Is there any reason any one should? There is
not. Can you imagine anything more unnecessary, idiotic or us