Earl Derr Biggers

“ He was, indeed, a thin small man, quite unlike the accepted figure of the great financier. His face was ascetic, his eyes rather dreamy; there seemed, at first glance, nothing about his personality that would strike terror to an opponent. ”

“ Mikklesen?”
“I will say this”—the Englishman studied the end of his cigarette—“if you do go in, it will be a matter of what you call the breaks. They may be for you; they may be against you. You'll need all the luck in the world.”
“Ah, luck,” smiled Batchelor. “That's where the Batchelor Construction Company shines. For more than thirty-five years the breaks have been our way. And I've still got my lucky piece.”
He took from his waistcoat pocket a silver dollar. ”

“ She was holding open the door of the car.
“This is luck,” she cried gayly. “We're on our way to the pier. Jump in.”
Jump in! Without his laundry! A cold shiver ran down his spine. Luck, she called this meeting, but he was not so sure. He noted that there were three other people in the car—an elderly woman and two men. One of the latter was undoubtedly Jim Batchelor, and—yes, the other was Henry Frost. Millions sitting there!
“I—I'm sorry,” Bill stammered. “I've got a very important errand first. I'll see you later.”
“What sort of errand?” inquired Sally. ”

“ Poppycock, eh?”
“Oh, well, Blake & Co. know what a fool you are,” said Frost. “They realize the psychological effect on your mind if you lost that thing. They're willing to pay for that.”
“They'll never get the chance,” answered Batchelor, and his eyes flashed. “I think I will go into that China thing. In fact I know I will. Gentlemen, here are the cocktails.”
They stood about a table, each with a glass in his hand. As Bill Hammond looked around him, he saw that the eyes of each man present were on the pocket that held the little silver dollar. ”

“ A human being, after all.
“I'm afraid my party's going to be rather a stag affair,” Jim Batchelor said, as the car swung into the broad expanse of Market Street.
“Well, we're used to that,” said Sally. “Aren't we, Aunt Dora?”
“We ought to be by this time,” sniffed that lady.
“There'll be Mrs. Keith, however,” Batchelor went on.
“Mrs. Keith!” Henry Frost raised his bushy eyebrows.
“A very charming woman, Henry,” said Jim Batchelor. “Lived in China a great deal, I believe. I want to have a talk with her about conditions over there. You see, this isn't only a pleasure cruise for me. ”

“ I'm still thinking of entering the primaries.”
“Nonsense!” growled his friend. “Why get mixed up in that sort of thing?”
“Just what I tell him,” said Aunt Dora. “Still, Washington would be interesting.”
“Well, I don't know,” mused Batchelor. “Every man has ambitions that way, I guess. At any rate, I'm taking O'Meara, the lawyer, along on this cruise to talk over the situation. When it comes to politics, he's one of the wisest.”
“O'Meara!” Mr. Frost spoke rather sourly.
“It's a very mixed crowd, I'm sure,” said Aunt Dora, and Bill Hammond felt that the glance she cast at him was a bit personal. ”

“ I believe you're thinking of that bridge contract.”
“I am—seriously.”
Mikklesen nodded.
“Of course, it's a bit risky,” he said. “The government isn't any too stable, to put it mildly. There are other difficulties—I'll speak of them later. Yes, it's decidedly risky.”
“You bet it is,” remarked Julian Hill, who had just come in.
“But I like risks,” smiled Batchelor.
“I know, Governor, but this is the limit.” Mr. Hill seemed very much in earnest. “I'm bitterly opposed.”
“You were opposed to that lighthouse job in South America too,” Batchelor reminded him. ”

“ I paid a dollar extra to make sure. Where's Sam? Say, listen, we're keeping all the money in San Francisco waiting. Let me help you—oh, I can't read that stuff. But please get a move on.”
The old man made a gesture as of one requesting peace. He turned reproving spectacles upon the customer. They were steaming up again. Once more he studied the rack, while Bill Hammond chattered wildly at his elbow. Finally the Chinaman reached up and captured a fat package. Bill snatched it from him, tossed it into his suitcase and began to strap the latter up. ”