p's figs, and taken
his advice, more than once, about cattle.

"Who's a-buyin' oil lakes?" demanded Uncle Jap.

"Nathaniel Leveson."

"Who else?"

Dives eyed Uncle Jap keenly. Rich men don't tell all they know,
otherwise they would not be rich. Still, those figs and that water-
melon on a broiling July afternoon had tasted uncommonly good!

"Look here, Mr. Panel, I think I can guess what has happened. Somebody
has tried to squeeze you--eh?"

"That's so."

"Um! You're not the first."

"I wan't squeezed."

"Not yet, but----Mr. Panel, I should like to do you a service, and I
know you to be an intelligent man. Do you see this sheet of blotting-
paper?"

The blotting-paper lay immaculate upon the desk. Dives took a clean
quill, dipped it into ink, and held it poised over the white pad.
Uncle Jap watched him with interest.

"This," continued Dives, thoughtfully, "represents you and your ranch,
Mr. Panel," he made a small dot upon the blotting-paper. "This," he
made a much larger dot, "represents me and all I have. Now Leveson
represents--_this_."

With a violent motion, quite contrary to his usual gentle, courteous
manner, Dives plunged the quill to the bottom of the ink pot, withdrew
it quickly, and jerked its contents upon the blotting-paper. A huge
purple blot spread and spread till the other small blots were
incorporated.

"D--n him!" spluttered Uncle Jap.

Dives shrugged his shoulders, and smiled.

"My advice is: take what Leveson offers."

"Fifty thousand for millions?"

"Possibly. Can you touch them, if Omnipotence forbids?"

Dives stared moodily at the big purple blot; then picking up the sheet
of blotting-paper he tore it to pieces with his nervous, finely-formed
fingers, and dropped it into the waste-paper basket. When he looked
up, he saw that Uncle Jap's mild blue eyes were curiously congested.

"You might see So-and-so," Dives named a banker. "I'll write a note of
introduction." Then he added with a faint inflection of derision: "I
fear it will be of no service to you, because few business men care to
buy trouble even at a bargain."

All this Ajax and I heard from Uncle Jap, after he returned from San
Lorenzo without selling Sunny Bushes to So-and-so. None the less, he
brought back a pair of small diamond ear-rings.

"Lily's ears ain't pierced," he explained; "but she'll hev a reel
splendid time lookin' at 'em, jest as I uster hev with my nightie."

"Your--_nightie_?"

Uncle Jap c