"You mean you blackmailed him." "That's a harsh word. I prefer _persuaded_ myself. After all, he wouldn't want something like that to come up just when he's finagling for that permit, would he? Anyway, I paid five dollars for the option." "That's unusual. You've got some of your own money in this deal." Like a gentleman, Slim ignored that thrust. "Tomorrow is the first. I've got to raise two hundred and fifty for a month's rent. We'll need fifty more for deposits on light, heat, and power. We'll make a million within a month. We split fifty-fifty." "How do you make the million?" * * * * * Slim looked around. Nobody was near; he leaned close and whispered. "This is the invention of the century. We can solve the parking problem of the entire city. You know how it is--you can't even get into a parking lot after ten a.m. Lots of businesses are threatening to put branches out in the suburbs." "Yes?" "The parking problem must be solved if the city is to survive," Slim said dramatically. "Okay, but how can you make any more out of an old building than anybody else?" He whispered again. "I can create a magnetic field that will slow electrons down to almost zero velocity. A car will shrink to about four inches long." He stared at me intently. "Do you see what that will mean?" I sighed. "I'm afraid I do. If it works, you can pack a million cars in a space that ordinarily would hold about a thousand." I tried to stop my enthusiasm, but it was too late. The idea was taking hold. "And that garage is right across the street from Newton's, the biggest department store in the city." "The parking problem was intensified last week when they abolished parking on the street so the afternoon traffic could get through. Boy, this is the spot for us!" Slim said. "Will it take all of three hundred dollars?" I asked Slim. He nodded gravely, "Every cent. And then it will be a shoestring." "Wouldn't two hundred and ninety-nine be enough?" "No," said Slim. He looked back at me. He had always been that way; he never compromised with my money. I shuddered when I saw my hair in the mirror as we left. But, I knew I'd better keep the dollar for cigarettes.... We paid the first month's rent; I put up the deposits, and Slim brought a bunch of wire and stuff from his basement, and we worked till one o'clock winding gadgets and building a regular stall to run a car into. This garage had a ramp going to the basement floor, and we decided to use that floor. Also, there was an old freight elevator up to the second and third floors, and we could park a few on the main floor and send a few upstairs when we had time, because of course we didn't want the secret to get out.