Mr. Crocker suggested that being a junior partner wasn’t very satisfactory, anyhow, since you didn’t have an equal voice in the conduct of business, and again Stick nodded. Mr. Crocker was fast proving himself a man of discernment and wisdom. It is an odd fact that your extremely suspicious person--and that Stick Patterson surely was--can be readily fooled if the right intelligence undertakes the job. Look around and see if I’m not right. Stick reversed his opinion of Mr. Crocker in something under thirty minutes. He no longer thought him base and designing. On the contrary he saw now that Russell’s picture of the hardware merchant had been quite out of drawing and that Mr. Crocker was a kind-meaning, well-intentioned gentleman whose seeming interference in their affairs was actuated by honest and sympathetic motives. In short, Mr. Crocker saw from his long experience the fate awaiting the unfortunate venture of the Sign of the Football and, having the Golden Rule ever in mind, was doing what he could to avert it. Having accepted that estimate of the caller and his errand, Stick became confidential.
Ten minutes later Mr. Crocker, patting his soft hat more firmly on his head, remarked: “Well, if your partner can’t be made to see the wise thing there’s nothing I can say or do, Mr. Patterson.” He smiled kindly and sorrowfully as he moved toward the door.
“I suppose not,” assented Stick gloomily. “Gee, if I could get out of it--”
“Yes, you might do that,” said Mr. Crocker carelessly.
Mr. Crocker turned a slightly surprised countenance over his shoulder. “Why, sell out, of course,” he said.
“Oh!” replied Stick disappointedly. “I’m willing enough but Russell hasn’t got the money. He says he may have it later, but--”
“I don’t believe,” said Mr. Crocker, pausing and looking thoughtfully through the door, “that your partner would be willing to give you more than you put in for your share of the business.”
“I wouldn’t expect him to,” said Stick. “I’d be glad to get my money back!”
“You ought to do a little better than that,” asserted the man. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you could sell at quite a neat little profit, Mr. Patterson.”
“I don’t believe so, sir. By the time Rus gets ready to buy me out there won’t be any business left, I guess.”