Gamble shrugged his shoulders resignedly. 

 "Your only chance is to build or sell," he decided. "It's your property, all right. Have you offered it?" 

 "Old Mort Washer wants it—confound him! I've discovered that the day after I bought this ground he told my friends that he intended to buy the big piece and build in competition; and they ran like your horse—Angora—last Saturday, Gamble. Now Washer offers to buy this ground for two and an eighth millions—just the amount for which I will be sued." 

 "Leaving you to try to forget the hundred and twenty-five thousand you've already spent," figured Gamble. "Nice cheery thought of Washer's! Of course you applauded?" 

 "With a brick—if I'd had one!" declared Courtney still angry. 

 Johnny smiled and looked thoughtfully out over the sunlit greensward. There were electrifying plays down there; but, "fan" though he was, he did not see them. Something in the tingle of it, however, seemed to quicken his faculties. 

 "Sell me that block, Mr. Courtney," he suggested with a sudden inspiration. 

 The mad mob rose to its feet just then and pleaded with Sweeney to "Hit 'er out!" Shrieks, howls and bellows resounded upon every hand; purple-faced fans held their clenched fists tight to their breasts so that they could implore the louder. 

 "On what terms?" shouted Courtney into Johnny's ear. 

 "I'll take over your contract," yelled Johnny beneath Courtney's hat brim. 

 "On what terms?" repeated Courtney at the top of his voice. 

 "Bless your heart, Sweeney, slam it!" shrieked the now crimson-visaged colonel. He was standing on his chair, with distended eyes, and waving his hat violently. 

 "Your original price!" loudly called Johnny. "Pay you fifteen thousand now, fifty thousand in thirty days and the balance in sixty." 

 Sweeney fanned. The atrocious tumult was drowned, in the twinkling of an eyelash, in a dismal depthless gulf of painful silence. One could have heard a mosquito wink. 

 "Where's my security?" bellowed Courtney in Johnny's ear, so vociferously that all the grandstand turned in that direction and three park policemen headed for the riot. 

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