Oh, Money! Money! | Page 3

men of themselves, maybe. As it
was--Well, you never can tell as to the results of a so-called 'good'
action. From my experience I should say they are every whit as
dangerous as the bad ones."
The lawyer laughed outright.
"But, my dear fellow, that's just where the organized charity comes in.

Don't you see?"
"Oh, yes, I know--Case number twenty-three thousand seven hundred
and forty-one! And that's all right, of course. Relief of some sort is
absolutely necessary. But I'd like to see a little warm sympathy injected
into it, some way. Give the machine a heart, say, as well as hands and a
head."
"Then why don't you try it yourself?"
"Not I!" His gesture of dissent was emphatic. "I have tried it, in a way,
and failed. That's why I'd like some one else to tackle the job. And that
brings me right back to my original question. I'm wondering what my
money will do, when I'm done with it. I'd like to have one of my own
kin have it--if I was sure of him. Money is a queer proposition, Ned,
and it's capable of--'most anything."
"It is. You're right."
"What I can do with it, and what some one else can do with it, are two
quite different matters. I don't consider my efforts to circulate it wisely,
or even harmlessly, exactly what you'd call a howling success.
Whatever I've done, I've always been criticized for not doing something
else. If I gave a costly entertainment, I was accused of showy
ostentation. If I didn't give it, I was accused of not putting money into
honest circulation. If I donated to a church, it was called conscience
money; and if I didn't donate to it, they said I was mean and miserly. So
much for what I've done. I was just wondering--what the other fellow'd
do with it."
"Why worry? 'T won't be your fault."
"But it will--if I give it to him. Great Scott, Ned! what money does for
folks, sometimes--folks that aren't used to it! Look at Bixby; and look
at that poor little Marston girl, throwing herself away on that worthless
scamp of a Gowing who's only after her money, as everybody (but
herself) knows! And if it doesn't make knaves and martyrs of them, ten
to one it does make fools of 'em. They're worse than a kid with a dollar

on circus day; and they use just about as much sense spending their pile,
too. You should have heard dad tell about his pals in the eighties that
struck it rich in the gold mines. One bought up every grocery store in
town and instituted a huge free grab-bag for the populace; and another
dropped his hundred thousand in the dice box before it was a week old.
I wonder what those cousins of mine back East are like!"
"If you're fearful, better take Case number twenty-three thousand seven
hundred and forty-one," smiled the lawyer.
"Hm-m; I suppose so," ejaculated the other grimly, getting to his feet.
"Well, I must be off. It's biscuit time, I see."
A moment later the door of the lawyer's sumptuously appointed office
closed behind him. Not twenty-four hours afterward, however, it
opened to admit him again. He was alert, eager-eyed, and smiling. He
looked ten years younger. Even the office boy who ushered him in
cocked a curious eye at him.
The man at the great flat-topped desk gave a surprised ejaculation.
"Hullo, Fulton! Those biscuits must be agreeing with you," he laughed.
"Mind telling me their name?"
"Ned, I've got a scheme. I think I can carry it out." Mr. Stanley G.
Fulton strode across the room and dropped himself into the waiting
chair. "Remember those cousins back East? Well, I'm going to find out
which of 'em I want for my heir."
"Another case of investigating before investing, eh?"
"Exactly."
"Well, that's like you. What is it, a little detective work? Going to get
acquainted with them, I suppose, and see how they treat you. Then you
can size them up as to hearts and habits, and drop the golden plum into
the lap of the worthy man, eh?"

"Yes, and no. But not the way you say. I'm going to give 'em say fifty
or a hundred thousand apiece, and--"
"GIVE it to them--NOW?"
"Sure! How'm I going to know how they'll spend money till they have
it to spend?"
"I know; but--"
"Oh, I've planned all that. Don't worry. Of course you'll have to fix it
up for me. I shall leave instructions with you, and when the time comes
all you have to do is to carry them out."
The lawyer came erect in his chair.
"LEAVE instructions! But you, yourself--?"
"Oh, I'm going to be there, in Hillerton."
"There? Hillerton?"
"Yes,