"
"Why?"
"Matter of pride. It would have meant the violation of my code in such
matters."
"Ah, I apprehend. A woman, eh? That dashing Sepulvida girl?"
"Her mother would have saved me--for old sake's sake, but--I would have
been expected to secure her investment with collateral in the shape of
a six-dollar wedding ring."
"So the old lady wanted you for a son-in-law, eh? Smart woman. She
has a long, sagacious nose. So she proceeded, unknown to you, to
finance old Conway, eh?"
"No, she did not. Another lady did."
"What a devil you are with the women! Marvelous--for one who doesn't
pay the slightest attention to any of them. May I ask if you are going
to--ah--marry the other lady?
"Well, it would never have occurred to me to propose to her before
Panchito reached the wire first, but now that I am my own man again and
able to match her, dollar for dollar, it may be that I shall consider
an alliance, provided the lady is gracious enough to regard me with
favor."
"I wish you luck," John Parker replied, coldly. "Let us join the
ladies."
Three days later, in El Toro, Don Mike and his attorney met in
conference with John Parker and his associates in the office of the
latter's attorney and completed the sale of the Agua Caliente property
to a corporation formed by a merger of the Central California Power
Company and the South Coast Power Corporation.
Pages:
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389