Martin!" Hamar observed, backing towards the
door. "Gently--you promised to give me a courteous hearing. I meant no
offence. I say I admire your daughter immensely--she takes the shine
out of our American girls."
"The deuce she does!" John Martin foamed.
"She does, you bet!" Hamar went on. "And I see no reason if she likes
me, why we couldn't get engaged. I would do the thing handsomely as
far as money goes. What do you say?"
"I say that unless you're very careful I shall break my promise and
kick you."
"I would pay you a big lump sum to take me into partnership," Hamar
went on complacently, "and I would introduce a number of new tricks
that would stagger creation. I shouldn't be in any hurry to marry--the
length of the engagement would be for you to decide."
"Then it would be _ad infinitum_," John Martin said grimly, "for
you'll never get my consent to a marriage."
"Never is a long day--and even a John Martin may change. You want new
blood and new capital in your Firm--you would have both in me. I
assure you your show would boom as it has never boomed before!"
"And the only condition on which you offer me all this is my
daughter?"
"You have said it--that is the one and only condition. Your
daughter--my brains, my dollars."
"I have decided!" John Martin said.
"Good!" Hamar exclaimed; "I guessed you would! There's nothing like
the almighty dollar, is there?"
"Yes!" John Martin rejoined; "the almighty fist--and that's what
you'll get if you don't clear out of this house instantly.
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