WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 147

 

“You think so?” returned Jasper, with cold in-
credulity.

“JT Know so,” was the positive responsé. “I
could point you to a dozen men who have made
their tens of thousands annually for the last five
or ten years.”

“Tt is easy to talk about making tens of thou-
sands, Martin; but the fact itself is a more difficult
matter.”

“A fact is a fact, however, Mr. Jasper,” said the
other. ‘‘ What is done, is done.”

“Of course.”

“Tt is a fact that money is made at the lead-
mines, hand over fist,” continued Martin. “ Of this
Iam prepared to give you the strongest kind of
evidence.”’

“Why should you be so anxious to convince me
of this fact?” returned the merchant. “TI have
quite as many irons in the fire now as I can see
to.”

“Ah! hat may be,” said Martin, forcing to
his rather hard features a bland smile. ‘“ But these
new irons I will keep from burning.”

“Tt’s no use, Martin, to talk of lead-mines to
me,” said Jasper firmly. ‘I am spread out enough
already. Contraction, not expansion, is my present
motto. I’ve met with more than one heavy: loss
since I saw you.”

“Have you, indeed? I’m sorry for that. But a
false card’ will turn up now and then, you know.
The game in the long run is sure.”

“We're sure of nothing,” replied Jasper, with
considerable feeling.