"Your father hoped to build in twenty years, and you need to build in seven." "He provided much better than that," returned Lofty in quick defense of his father's acumen.

"He only allowed ten-year leases; but the one occupied by Ersten came to him with a twenty-year life on it.

We've bought off all the other tenants, at startlingly extravagant figures in some cases; but Ersten won't listen." "Did you rattle your keys ?" inquired Johnny, much interested.
"As loudly as possible," returned Lofty, smiling.

"I went up three steps at a time until I had offered him a hundred thousand; then I quit.

Money wouldn't buy him." "Then you can't build," innocently remarked Constance.
Willis Lofty immediately displayed his real age in his eyes and his jaws.
"I'll tear down the top part of his building and put a tunnel around him if necessary," he asserted.
"You won't like that any better than Ersten," commented Johnny.