“‘Ah, yes,’ says Andy, gaping, ’it’s the same old game.  I’ve often read about it in the papers.  Then he conducts you to the private abattoir in the hotel, where Mr. Jones is already waiting.  They show you brand new real money and sell you all you want at five for one.  You see ’em put it in a satchel for you and know it’s there.  Of course it’s brown paper when you come to look at it afterward.’

[Illustration:  “‘Of course, it’s brown paper.’”]

“‘Oh, they couldn’t switch it on me,’ says Murkison.  ’I haven’t built up the best paying business in Grassdale without having witticisms about me.  You say it’s real money they show you, Mr. Tucker?’

“‘I’ve always—­I see by the papers that it always is,’ says Andy.

“‘Boys,’ says Murkison, ’I’ve got it in my mind that them fellows can’t fool me.  I think I’ll put a couple of thousand in my jeans and go up there and put it all over ’em.  If Bill Murkison gets his eyes once on them bills they show him he’ll never take ’em off of ’em.  They offer $5 for $1, and they’ll have to stick to the bargain if I tackle ’em.  That’s the kind of trader Bill Murkison is.  Yes, I jist believe I’ll drop up Chicago way and take a 5 to 1 shot on J. Smith.  I guess the water’ll be fine enough.’

“Me and Andy tries to get this financial misquotation out of Murkison’s head, but we might as well have tried to keep the man who rolls peanuts with a toothpick from betting on Bryan’s election.  No, sir; he was going to perform a public duty by catching these green goods swindlers at their own game.  Maybe it would teach ’em a lesson.

“After Murkison left us me and Andy sat a while prepondering over our silent meditations and heresies of reason.  In our idle hours we always improved our higher selves by ratiocination and mental thought.

“‘Jeff,’ says Andy after a long time, ’quite unseldom I have seen fit to impugn your molars when you have been chewing the rag with me about your conscientious way of doing business.  I may have been often wrong.  But here is a case where I think we can agree.  I feel that it would be wrong for us to allow Mr. Murkison to go alone to meet those Chicago green goods men.  There is but one way it can end.  Don’t you think we would both feel better if we was to intervene in some way and prevent the doing of this deed?’

“I got up and shook Andy Tucker’s hand hard and long.

“‘Andy,’ says I, ’I may have had one or two hard thoughts about the heartlessness of your corporation, but I retract ’em now.  You have a kind nucleus at the interior of your exterior after all.  It does you credit.  I was just thinking the same thing that you have expressed.  It would not be honorable or praiseworthy,’ says I, ’for us to let Murkison go on with this project he has taken up.  If he is determined to go let us go with him and prevent this swindle from coming off.’

“Andy agreed with me; and I was glad to see that he was in earnest about breaking up this green goods scheme.