Page 99 (1/1)

Abel did not speak, partly because hecould not think of what to say

They sat staring at each other for several ed, ’But you still own eleven hotels!

’Used to own,’ said Davis Leroy ’Have to put it in the past tense now, Abel I no longer own any of them; the bank took possession of the freeholds last Thursday’

’But they belong to you, they have been in your faenerations,’ said Abel

’They were, They aren’t any longer Now they belong to a bank There’s no reason why you shouldn’t know the whole truth, Abel; the saht now, big or s the hotels as collateral and invested the ht across the board in stocks and bonds, fairly conservatively and in well - established companies I built the capital up to nearly five million, which was one of the reasons the hotel losses’never bothered ainst the profit I was ive those shares away We may as well use them as toilet paper in the eleven hotels For the last three weeks I’ve been selling as fast as’I can, but there are no buyers left Ile bank foreclosed onthat it was on a Thursday when he spoke to the banker ’Most people who are affected by the crash have only pieces of paper to cover their loans, but in my case the bank who backed ainst their original loan

So when the bottom dropped out, they immediately took possession of them

The bastards have let roup as quickly as possible!

’T’hat’s ht now, and if they supported us through this period, together we could show theood return on their investment!

’I know you could, Abel, but they have my past record to throw back in est just that I explained about you and told theive us their backing, but they werent interested They fobbedpuppy who had a the text book answers about cash flows, no capital base and credit restric tions By God, if I ever ge ’ t back, I’ll screw hi we can do is get ourselves uproariously drunk, because I am finished, penni less, bankrupt!

’I’llen so areat future ahead of you, son Anyone who takes over this group couldret et that I oenty - five per cent of the group!

Davis Leroy stared at him It was obvious that that fact had slipped his mind

’Oh my God, Abel, I hope you didn’t put all yourthick

’Every last cent,’ said Abel ’But I don’t regret it, Davis Better to lose with a wise man than ith a fool! He poured hi in the comers of Davis Leroy’s eyes ’You know, Abel, you’re the best friend a man could ask for You knock this hotel into shape, you invest your own money, I make you penniless, and you don’t even cohter refuses toherT said Abel, less increddlous than he would have been without the bourbon

’Silly little bitch, doesn’t know a good thing when she sees one She wants to entleenerals in his fan - lily tree or if she does randfather has to have come over on The Mayflower

If everyone who claiether, the whole da would have sunk a thousand tihter for you, Abel No one has served me more loyally than you have

I sure would have been proud to have you as a reat team, but I still reckon you can beat the ahead of you’

At twenty - three Abel suddenly felt very old

’Thank you for your confidence, Davis,’ he said, ’and who gives a damn for the stock market anyway? You know, you’re the best friend I ever had’ The drink was beginning to talk

Abel poured himself yet another bourbon and threw it down Between the When Davis fell asleep in his chair, Abel er down to the tenth floor, undress and collapse on to his own bed He akened frooing round and round, but the banging went on and on, louder and louder Sorope his way to the door It was a bellboy