from ten dollars to five thousand, for four years, without interest
and without security?"

Mr. Merrill's eyes narrowed, and the flesh upon his face became quite
firm.

"Not if I have to pay money for it," he announced, and the
conversation would have ended right there had it not been for
Wallingford's engaging personality, a personality so large and
comprehensive that it made Mr. Merrill reflect that, though this
jovial stranger was undoubtedly engineering a "skin game," he was
quite evidently "no piker," and was, therefore, entitled to courteous
consideration.

"What you have to pay won't break you," said Wallingford, laughing,
and presented a neatly engraved card conveying merely the name of
The People's Mutual Bond and Loan Company, the fact that it was
incorporated for a hundred thousand dollars, and that the capital was
all paid in. "A loan bond," added Mr. Wallingford, "costs you one
dollar, and the payments thereafter are a dollar and a quarter a
week."

Mr. Merrill nodded as he looked at the card.

"I see," said he. "It's one of those pleasant little games, I suppose,
where the first man in gets the money of the next dozen, and the last
five thousand hold the bag."

"I knew you'd guess wrong," said Wallingford cheerfully. "The plan's
entirely different. Everybody gets a chance. With every payment you
sign a loan application and your receipt is numbered, giving you four
numbered receipts in the month. Every month one-fourth of the loan
fund is taken out for a grand annual distribution, and the balance is
distributed in monthly loans."

"Oh!" exclaimed Mr. Merrill, the firmness of his facial muscles
relaxing and the cold look in his eyes softening. "A lottery? Now I'm
listening."

"Well," replied Wallingford, smiling, "we can't call it that, you
know."

"I'll take a chance," said Mr. Merrill.

Mr. Wallingford, with rare wisdom, promptly stopped argument and
produced a beautifully printed "bond" from his pocket, which he made
out in Mr. Merrill's name.

"I might add," said J. Rufus, after having taken another careful
inspection of Mr. Merrill, "that you win the first prize, payable in
the shape of food and drink. I'd like to have you take dinner with me
at the hotel this evening."

Mr. Merrill, from force of habit, looked at his watch, then looked at
Mr. Wallingford speculatively.

"Don't mind if I do," said he, quite well satisfied that the dinner
would be pleasant.

In his own carpenter-s