return."

They were pleased with the plan, and we formed a pool to buy thirty
shares of stock. Thompson and I were trustees, and the certificate stood
in our names; but each contributor received a pro-rata interest; Lena,
one thirtieth; Judson, five-thirtieths; and the others between these
extremes. The stock was bought at eighty-two. I may as well explain now
how it came out, for I am not proud of my acumen at the finish. A little
more than a year later the stock reached 122, and I advised the
syndicate to sell. They were all pleased at the time with the handsome
profit they had made, but I suspect they have often figured what they
might have made "if the boss hadn't been such a chump," for we have seen
the stock go above two hundred.

This was not the only enterprise in which our colony took a small share.
The people at Four Oaks are now content to hold shares in one of the
great trusts, which they bought several points below par, and which pay
13/4. per cent every three months. Even Lena, who held only one share of
the C., R.I., & P. five years ago, has so increased her income-bearing
property that she is now looked upon as a "catch" by her acquaintances.
If I am correctly informed, she has an annual income of $105,
independent of her wages.

CHAPTER LVII

THE DEATH OF SIR TOM

At 7.30 on the morning of March 16, Dr. High telephoned me that Sir
Thomas O'Hara was seriously ill, and asked me to come at once. It took
but a few minutes to have Jerry at the door, and, breasting a cold, thin
rain at a sharp gallop, I was at my friend's door before the clock
struck eight. Dr. High met me with a heavy face.

"Sir Tom is bad," said he, "with double pneumonia, and I am awfully
afraid it will go hard with him."

I remembered that my friend's pale face had looked a shade paler than
usual the evening before, and that there had been a pinched expression
around the nose and mouth, as if from pain; but Sir Tom had many twinges
from his old enemy, gout, which he did not care to discuss, and I took
little note of his lack of fitness. He touched the brandy bottle a
little oftener than usual, and left for home earlier; but his voice was
as cheery as ever, and we thought only of gout. He was taken with a hard
chill on his way home, which lasted for some time after he was put to
bed; but he would not listen to the requests of William and the faithful
cook that the doctor be summoned. At last he fell into a heavy sleep
f