His first idea had been to push the case so vigorously that Vandover would surely lose it.  But on second thought this course did not seem to promise any satisfactory results.  Geary knew very well that though Hiram Wade had sued for twenty-five thousand dollars he could not recover more than five thousand, if as much as that.  Geary did not know the exact state of Vandover’s affairs, but he did not think that his chum would sell any property in order to make the payment of damages.  It was much more likely that he would raise the five thousand, or whatever it might be, by placing a second mortgage on some of his property.  This, however, was presuming that Wade would get judgment for about five thousand dollars.  But suppose that Vandover thought that Wade could actually recover twenty-five thousand!  Suppose that Geary himself should see Vandover and induce him to believe such a story, and to settle the affair out of court!  Vandover was as ignorant of law as he was of business.  Geary might frighten him into a sale.  Yet this plan seemed very impracticable.  In the first place, it would be unprofessional for Geary to have an interview with Vandover under such circumstances, the story was almost too monstrous even for Vandover’s credibility, and besides, Geary would not pay, could not pay twenty-five thousand for the property.  This last was a serious tangle.  In order to get Vandover to sell, Geary would have to represent the damage suit as involving a larger sum of money than Geary was willing to give for the block, even a far larger sum than that which the boot and shoe manufacturers could be induced to pay for it.  It seemed to be a deadlock.  Geary began to see that the whole idea was out of the question.  Yet the desire of it came back upon him again and again.  He dwelt upon it constantly, smelling out the chance for a “deal” somewhere in the tangle with the instinct of the keen man of business.  At last he seemed to have straightened it out.  The idea of a compromise came into his mind.  What if Vandover and Hiram Wade could be made to compromise upon eight thousand dollars!  Geary would be willing to pay Vandover eight thousand for the block.  That was his original offer.  Wade, though he had sued for twenty-five thousand, could easily be made to see that eight thousand was as much as he could reasonably expect, and Geary knew the boot and shoe manufacturers would pay fifteen thousand for the lot, perhaps more.

But in order to carry out the delicate and complicated affair it was absolutely necessary to keep Vandover from seeing a lawyer.  Geary knew that any lawyer would fight the proposition of a compromise at eight thousand dollars:  five thousand was as much as Wade could possibly get in court, and if judgment for such amount was rendered, Vandover’s counsel would advise him to raise the sum by mortgaging some property instead of selling the block.