Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/25

Rh "We should hardly tell those we proposed to benefit, incidentally, that we were philanthropists," said I. "Not on your life! They'd never subscribe if we did," said Chelubai. "Hard-headed men of business would be our line."

"And we must bear in mind that we have fear on our side," I said.

"Of course we have," said Chelubai.

"How fear on our side? It is we who will have to be afraid since we do the removing. I don't understand," said Bottiger.

"Well, if we display sufficient strength of character to remove a monied uncle, the presumption is that we shall display sufficient strength of character to remove a thankless nephew. At any rate we can make the thankless nephew fear it."

"And it is fear, you bet," said Chelubai. "Once in Shanghai I knew a man who bucked against a Chinese secret society. "The Good Sons" it called itself. And I tell you that when it began laying for him that man would have paid up seventy-five cents of every dollar he had to square it; and he did not part easily. Oh, he was ready to squeal He was frightened enough. Yes, sir."

"Observe the fruits of enthusiasm," said I. "Chelubai is once more his country's idiomatic son."