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Mr. Crawford was busy in his office when a gentleman of fifty entered.
"I hope you are at leisure, Crawford," he said.
"But I am not, Mr. Grayling. I am unusually busy."
"I wanted you to go out and show me that house in Mount Vernon which you mentioned to me the other day. My wife is desirous of moving from the city for the sake of the children."
"Won't to-morrow do?"
"To-morrow I shall be busy myself. To-day is so fine that I managed to get off. Can't you manage to go?"
"No, Grayling, I can't possibly be spared from the office."
"Is there no one you can send with me?"
Mr. Crawford hesitated a moment. Then, as his eye fell upon Andy, he had a sudden thought.
"I will send this young man," he said.
Mr. Grayling smiled.
"He seems quite a young man," he said.
"Yes," said Mr. Crawford, with an answering smile, "he is several years short of forty."
"If you think he will do I shall be glad of his company."
"Wait five minutes, and I will give him the necessary instructions."
"Have you ever been in Mount Vernon, Andy?" asked his employer.
"Yes, sir; I have a boy friend there, and I once spent a Sunday there."
"Mr. Grayling wishes to purchase a residence there. I shall place him in your charge, and give you an order for the key. I will mention some points to which I wish you to call his attention."
Andy was pleased with the commission. It seemed like a step in advance.
"Thank you, Mr. Crawford, for your confidence in me."
"If you succeed in selling the house to Mr. Grayling, I will give you one per cent. commission."
"I will do my best, sir. I have no claim to anything except through your kindness."
"Now let me see how much business ability you have."
Andy and the prospective purchaser took the cars at the Grand Central
Station, and in forty minutes found themselves in Mount Vernon.
At the depot, much to his satisfaction, Andy found his friend, Tom
Blake.
"What brings you here, Andy?" asked Tom, in surprise.
"I have come to show the Griffith house to this gentleman. Can you direct me to it?"
"I will go with you."
"Thank you, Tom. You will be doing me a favor. Is it far?"
"Little more than half a mile."
"Shall we walk or ride, Mr. Grayling?"
"Walk, by all means. It is a charming day, and a walk will do me good."
They reached the house. It was a spacious country residence in good condition, and Mr. Grayling was favorably impressed. The key was procured and they entered.
The interior bore out the promise of the exterior. The rooms were well and even handsomely finished. They were twelve in number, and there was a good-sized bathroom.
"I wonder if the plumbing is good?" said Mr. Grayling.
"I will test it as far as I can," said Andy.
"You seem to have a good deal of experience for one so young."
"No, sir, not very much, but I have made a careful study of the subject. Mr. Crawford has a good architectural library, and I have made use of it."
After a careful inspection, Andy made a favorable report.
"Of course," he said, "if I am mistaken we will make matters right."
"That will be satisfactory. What is your price for the house?"
"Eight thousand dollars."
Mr. Grayling, after a brief consideration, said:
"That seems reasonable. I will buy the house. How soon can you give me possession?"
"In a week."
"Very good. Then our business seems to be concluded. We will catch the next train back to the city."
"Would you mind giving me a memorandum stating that you will buy the house?"
"I will do so. We will stop at a stationery store, and I will make it out."
When Andy re-entered Mr. Crawford's office the real estate agent inquired:
"How does Mr. Grayling like the house?"
"He has bought it."
"Is it possible? At what figure?"
"Eight thousand dollars."
"Good! I was authorized to take two hundred dollars less, if need be."
"He asked no reduction."
"I hope he won't change his mind."
"He won't. Here is his written agreement to take the house."
"Excellent. Did he offer this assurance?"
"No, sir. I asked for it."
"Andy, you have succeeded admirably. I shall have great pleasure in keeping my promise and paying you eighty dollars, or one per cent, on the purchase money."
"That will be very acceptable, Mr. Crawford. I don't often earn eighty dollars in one day."
In reply to Mr. Crawford's inquiries, Andy gave a detailed account of his visit, and his employer drew a check for eighty dollars, which he placed in his hands.
"Now that I see what you can do," he said, "I shall send you out again."
"Perhaps you will find my services too expensive."
"No. In addition to my regular percentage I receive an extra hundred dollars for getting the full eight thousand dollars."
Andy cashed the check, and deposited the money in a savings bank. He did not pay it to Mr. Crawford on account of the land in Tacoma, for it occurred to him that he might have occasion to use it.
In this he proved correct.
Three weeks later he received a letter from his father. Sterling Grant was a farmer, little used to writing letters, and Andy knew that there must be some special reason for his writing at this time.
He opened the letter quickly, and this was what he read:
"DEAR ANDY: I am in trouble. Next Tuesday the semi-annual interest on Squire Carter's three thousand dollars falls due, and I have but twenty dollars to meet it. My crops have not been up to the average. I have lost my best cow, and somehow everything seems to have gone against me. I expected to sell ten tons of hay, and have had but seven to spare. This alone made a difference of sixty dollars.
"I saw the squire yesterday, and told him how I was situated. I asked him if he would kindly wait for the greater part of the interest, accepting twenty dollars on account. He at once refused. 'I am sorry you have been unlucky, Mr. Grant,' he said, 'but of course I am not responsible for your misfortune. The three thousand dollars I lent you I regard strictly as an investment. Had I supposed the interest would not be paid promptly, I should, of course, have declined to lend. You will have to meet the interest, or take the consequences.'
"I have tried to borrow the money in the village, but thus far I have been unable to do so. I may have to sell two of my cows, but that will cripple me, for, as you know, I depend a good deal on selling milk and butter. Of course this worries me a good deal. I don't know why I write to you, for with your small pay it is hardly likely that you can help me. Still, if you have ten or fifteen dollars to spare, it will aid me. If your friend, Mr. Gale, were near at hand, perhaps he would advance a little money. I might get along with selling one cow, in that case. Two would cripple me.
"Let me know at once what you can do, that I may make plans. Your mother is as well as usual, except that she is worried. We both send love.
"Your affectionate father,
When Andy read this letter he felt, with a thrill of joy, that he had it in his power to relieve his father from anxiety. He had, with the commission received recently from Mr. Crawford, a hundred and fifty dollars in the bank. He withdrew eighty dollars of this, and then explaining to Mr. Crawford his reason for it, asked for time for a visit home.
"Certainly, Andy," said the real estate agent. "Can I lend you any money?"
"No, sir; I have enough."
As he could not leave till the next day, he telegraphed his father in this way:
"Don't worry. I shall reach home to-morrow. ANDY"