HOW ONE MAN CAME TO WRECK 



insist upon these terms. They get them 

 everywhere else in North Dakota, so they de- 

 mand them of me. That is the reason for 

 predating the contract. That money has 

 been here six months and my customers in 

 the East demand that interest on the money 

 they advance shall begin from the time they 

 send it. But of course you are not obliged 

 to accept these terms, Mr. Evans. If you 

 think you can do better somewhere else, go 

 and try it. There's a bank over at Medusa 

 you might try." 



It was ten miles off, he told me, but he was 

 so angered that he resolved to attempt 

 Medusa. So the next day he drove off in 

 the other direction and interviewed another' 

 bland banker, to about the same result. 



*' These are the prevailing rates for money," 

 he was told. *'The risk is so great that mon- 

 eyed men are unwilling to accept it without 

 reasonable compensation." 



"'But I have one hundred and sixty acres 

 of the best land in the valley," said Evans, 

 "and if I run away the land can't." 



"You forget the heavy expenses and the 

 delays of foreclosure," said the banker man, 

 coldly. "Besides, very few of these fore- 

 closed farms realize the principal. But we 

 go here on the basis of take it or leave it. 

 We don't compel any man to make a loan he 

 doesn't approve of." 



25 



