HE walked into Colonel Willetts's office with a pugnacious consciousness of being twenty years older than on the day before. He would talk business in a business-like way. He was prepared to fight, to overcome opposition, to convince the colonel against the colonel's will. “Hello, Tommy!” called out Colonel Willetts, cheerily. He was standing beside the stock ticker. “Have a seat, my boy.” Tommy was glad at the welcome, but also subtly disappointed. It is easier to fight a fighter than to fight an amiable friend. “Good afternoon, Colonel. I came to--” “Just wait a minute until I see the closing price of my latest mistake, won't you?” He ran the tape through his fingers. “Not so bad! A kind Providence may yet save me. Now what can I do for you?” “Providence has heard your prayers, Colonel. I came to show you that your plain duty is to become a stockholder of the Tecumseh Motor Company with the rest of your family.” “They tell me the younger the shark the more voracious it is.” “Colonel,” said Tommy, earnestly, because the colonel was not taking Tommy's mission very seriously, “ten years from to-day, when New York real estate--” “Hold on. I know disaster is approaching this fair metropolis and skipping Dayton.” The colonel held up his hands. “I succumb!” “The entire two thousand shares, Colonel, of course,” said Tommy, prepared to compromise. “Sit down, young man.” Tommy sat down and looked expectant. Colonel Willetts pursued, seriously: “I've looked over your papers again. You vouch for their accuracy?” The colonel had put on his martial air and managed to look not only stem but cold. “Yes, sir, I do!” answered Tommy, firmly. “You are sure of your figures?” “Absolutely. But I'd like to call your attention to the fact that the company's plans have for an object not only to solve certain problems among our wage-earners, but also to insure the permanency of our dividends on a basis of eight per cent, per annum. There may be extra dividends, but we won't promise more than--” “It is an iron-clad rule of mine never to have business dealings with personal friends. I prefer to make a gift of the amount than to regard it as an investment.” The colonel was frowning quite fiercely. Tommy's heart leaped, for Colonel Willetts was a very rich man indeed. But he said, “A gift is, of course, out of the question.” “That is why I have to break my rule two or three times a year. You wish friends to be interested in your Mr. Thompson's experiments. I don't blame you. No, I don't! But they might prove rather expensive. Yes, yes, I know you think they will be successful. Rivington telephoned to me that you were going to see Mead and Jim Wilson, and a few other unfortunate fathers of chums, but I'll save you the trouble. I shall make them think the experiment worth trying and we'll take a sporting chance. You owe it to us to warn us in time if things don't go right.”