It
would be worth a quarter of a million dollars to your father this
minute if he could insure himself against redemption of the mortgage;
and it would be worth an additional quarter of a million dollars to him
if he were free to do business with Okada to-morrow morning. Okada is
a sure-fire prospect. He will pay cash for the entire valley if I
permit the deal to go through now. If, however, through my
stubbornness, your father loses out with Okada, it will be a year hence
before he can even recommence work on his irrigation system and another
year before he will have it completed. Many things may occur during
those two years--the principal danger to be apprehended being the
sudden collapse of inflated war-time values, with resultant money
panics, forced liquidation and the destruction of public confidence in
land investments. The worry and exasperation I can hand your respected
parent must be as seriously considered as the impending tremendous loss
of profit."
"I believe you are a very shrewd young man, Don Mike," the girl
answered, sadly. "I think your plan will be much more likely to
produce half a million dollars of what you call 'getaway money' than my
suggestion that a friend run up the price on father at the sale. But
how do you know Okada will pay cash?"
"I do not know. But if your father's attorneys are Californians they
will warn him to play safe when dealing with a Jap.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243