{"id":"01KG8AKAHTC2YWEPNRTRW98CPC","cid":"bafkreihzdibvwnwayj2cvdjlh2l7cxbg4fte7z4ipphk3d3u4twit6qefy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":3411,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.722Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 3","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":3329,"text":"self-seeking? To solicit out of hand, for my private behoof, an hundred\r\ndollars from a perfect stranger? I am not mad, my dear sir.\"\r\n\r\n\"How, how?\" still more bewildered, \"do you, then, go about the world,\r\ngratis, seeking to invest people's money for them?\"\r\n\r\n\"My humble profession, sir. I live not for myself; but the world will\r\nnot have confidence in me, and yet confidence in me were great gain.\"\r\n\r\n\"But, but,\" in a kind of vertigo, \"what do--do you do--do with people's\r\nmoney? Ugh, ugh! How is the gain made?\"\r\n\r\n\"To tell that would ruin me. That known, every one would be going into\r\nthe business, and it would be overdone. A secret, a mystery--all I have\r\nto do with you is to receive your confidence, and all you have to do\r\nwith me is, in due time, to receive it back, thrice paid in trebling\r\nprofits.\"\r\n\r\n\"What, what?\" imbecility in the ascendant once more; \"but the vouchers,\r\nthe vouchers,\" suddenly hunkish again.\r\n\r\n\"Honesty's best voucher is honesty's face.\"\r\n\r\n\"Can't see yours, though,\" peering through the obscurity.\r\n\r\nFrom this last alternating flicker of rationality, the miser fell back,\r\nsputtering, into his previous gibberish, but it took now an arithmetical\r\nturn. Eyes closed, he lay muttering to himself--\r\n\r\n\"One hundred, one hundred--two hundred, two hundred--three hundred,\r\nthree hundred.\"\r\n\r\nHe opened his eyes, feebly stared, and still more feebly said--\r\n\r\n\"It's a little dim here, ain't it? Ugh, ugh! But, as well as my poor old\r\neyes can see, you look honest.\"\r\n\r\n\"I am glad to hear that.\"\r\n\r\n\"If--if, now, I should put\"--trying to raise himself, but vainly,\r\nexcitement having all but exhausted him--\"if, if now, I should put,\r\nput----\"\r\n\r\n\"No ifs. Downright confidence, or none. So help me heaven, I will have\r\nno half-confidences.\"\r\n\r\nHe said it with an indifferent and superior air, and seemed moving to\r\ngo.\r\n\r\n\"Don't, don't leave me, friend; bear with me; age can't help some\r\ndistrust; it can't, friend, it can't. Ugh, ugh, ugh! Oh, I am so old and\r\nmiserable. I ought to have a guardian. Tell me, if----\"\r\n\r\n\"If? No more!\"\r\n\r\n\"Stay! how soon--ugh, ugh!--would my money be trebled? How soon,\r\nfriend?\"\r\n\r\n\"You won't confide. Good-bye!\"\r\n\r\n\"Stay, stay,\" falling back now like an infant, \"I confide, I confide;\r\nhelp, friend, my distrust!\"\r\n\r\nFrom an old buckskin pouch, tremulously dragged forth, ten hoarded\r\neagles, tarnished into the appearance of ten old horn-buttons, were\r\ntaken, and half-eagerly, half-reluctantly, offered.\r\n\r\n\"I know not whether I should accept this slack confidence,\" said the\r\nother coldly, receiving the gold, \"but an eleventh-hour confidence, a\r\nsick-bed confidence, a distempered, death-bed confidence, after all.\r\nGive me the healthy confidence of healthy men, with their healthy wits\r\nabout them. But let that pass. All right. Good-bye!\"\r\n\r\n\"Nay, back, back--receipt, my receipt! Ugh, ugh, ugh! Who are you? What\r\nhave I done? Where go you? My gold, my gold! Ugh, ugh, ugh!\"\r\n\r\nBut, unluckily for this final flicker of reason, the stranger was now\r\nbeyond ear-shot, nor was any one else within hearing of so feeble a\r\ncall.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 3"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJKFF88V28K6MV6GXX63Q","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKAHTCSGGJGBJ1DNQNM6N","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:00.570Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:08.392Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}