IIIIt was seven-thirty, the hour set for the meeting; and everybody looked about, waiting for somebody else to begin. At last a stranger rose, a big six-footer with a slow drawl, introducing himself as Mr. F. T. Merriweather, attorney for Mr. and Mrs. Black, owners of the southwest corner; by his advice, these parties wished to request a slight change in the wording of the lease.
“Changes in the lease?” It was the hatchet-faced Mr. Hank who leaped up. “I thought it was agreed we’d make no more changes?”
“This is a very small matter, sir—”
“But Mr. Ross is to be here in fifteen minutes, ready to sign up!”
“This is a detail, which can be changed in five minutes.”
There was an ominous silence. “Well, what is your change?”
“Merely this,” said Mr. Merriweather; “it should be explicitly st
