Five Thousand an Hour: How Johnny Gamble Won the Heiress
conversation with "Colonel" Bouncer, a heavily-jowled man with grizzled hair and very friendly eyes which, however, could look quite cold enough on occasion. The colonel was staring up at the box occupied by the young lady to whom Loring had bowed. 

 "Bless my soul, I'm getting near-sighted!" he was saying as Loring joined them. "Isn't that Paul Gresham up there with Miss Joy?" 

 "Is that her name?" asked Gamble eagerly. "Well, I believe it." 

 The colonel turned from him impatiently. 

 "You know Gresham, don't you, Loring? Is that he up there in that box?" 

 "That is Saint Paul all right," answered Loring with a smile, as he glanced up at the prim and precise Gresham, who had now succeeded in fencing Miss Joy in a corner, away from the other young men. 

 "Thanks," said the colonel, and walked away abstractedly, his eyes still turning in the direction of the box, although he did not even start to go up into the grandstand. 

 "The colonel is still bargain-hunting," observed Loring with a laugh. "His shoe-manufacturing business has increased to the point that he must have more space—and he must have it at once. The only available ground is Gresham's adjoining property, which Gresham long ago gave up trying to sell him. The colonel is crazy to buy it now, but he's afraid to let Gresham know he must have it, for fear Saint Paul will run up the price on him. In consequence, he trails the man round like a love-sick boy after an actress. When he finds Gresham he only looks at him—and goes away. That's only half of the laugh, however. Gresham wants to sell as badly as the colonel wants to buy, but he doesn't know where to find a fancy market. Queer case, isn't it?" 

 "Yes," replied Gamble. "Who's Miss Joy?" 

 "For heaven's sake, Johnny, don't say you're hit too—even at long distance!" 

 "Hit!" repeated Gamble—"I'm flattened out. I'm no lady-fusser, Ashley, but I'm going to buy a new necktie." 

 "You don't even know she's rich, do you?" asked Loring, looking at him with a curious smile. 

 "Of course I do!" asserted Johnny. "I saw her eyes. Who is she?" 


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