"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 250 - Death About Town" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

The three retired to a committee room on the mezzanine floor, where Delmot, at Cranston's request,
acquainted Harry with the terms of membership in the Avenue Club.

To aid the drive for new members, initiation fees had been discarded. The club depended entirely upon
annual dues, which ran to approximately one hundred dollars, plus a few minor charges. There was a
special feature, however, that Delmot took care to emphasize.

Membership in the Avenue Club carried an insurance benefit of five thousand dollars, payable upon the
death of a member, regardless of cause, with a double indemnity of ten thousand dollars in the event of
accidental death.

"That's quite a benefit!" exclaimed Harry, in surprise. "Why, I should think that the premiums on the life
insurance would take up all the membership dues!"

"They did, originally," stated Delmot. "In fact the club lost heavily on life memberships, which cost only
fifteen hundred dollars, but gave the same benefits, so we had to discontinue them. However, we soon
learned that the insurance feature could be handled profitably.

"A separate corporation was formed, known as the Allied Benefit Association. Though the Avenue Club
directs the affairs of the A.B.A., the latter has extended its work to other cities. There are approximately
a dozen clubs on the subscribing list, and Allied Benefit has accumulated a strong reserve to tide it over
any difficulty."

While Delmot was still speaking, someone knocked on the door. Delmot finally called for the person to
come in, and a tall, stoop-shouldered man entered. Harry noted a sharp, hatchet face and quick eyes that
were thorough in their rapid scrutiny. Then Delmot was introducing the newcomer. He was Louis Buram,
manager of the Allied Benefit Association, subsidiary of the Avenue Club.

Buram had met Cranston before, and gave him an affable nod. When Delmot stated that Harry was a
prospective club member, who wanted to know facts about A.B.A., Buram's eyes showed a pleased
gleam. He shook hands with Harry, sat down and gave a brief sketch of the A.B.A. and its functions,
reeling off facts from his fingertips.

It was quite simple, as Buram elucidated it.

Members of the Avenue Club, and similar societies, were insured on a group basis, at a cost much less
than ordinary life insurance. Buram's figures showed that the cost per member was under forty dollars a
year, including the double-indemnity proviso. One reason was that the club members were all good risks,
for the Avenue Club laid emphasis upon athletics and physical training.

"Of course, we require a large number of policy holders," said Buram, in conclusion. "The more, the
better, because numbers protect us against sudden losses. For instance" - Buram drew a check from his
pocket and handed it to Delmot - "here is ten thousand dollars, payable to the estate of Dana Orvill
because of his unfortunate death, which comes in the accidental class.

"Ten thousand is a mere trifle to the A.B.A., but we do need more members. That is why we are selling
the idea to clubs in other cities. When we have fifty or a hundred subscribing organizations like the
Avenue Club, instead of a mere dozen, our policy holders will total many thousands."

Buram was looking at Delmot, who nodded approvingly. Apparently, the two had business to discuss, so