The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-08

When tho messenger boy had made out
the name he opened this smaller door and
entered the long, narrow store. It's sides
and walls were covered with bins and
racks containing sample steel rails and
iron beams and coils of wire of various
sizes. Down AZ the end OF the store were
desks where several clerks and bookkeep-
ers were at work.
As the messenger drew near n red-head-
ed Office boy blocked the passage. saying.
somewhat aggressively. "Well."
Got telegram for Whittier. Wheat
croft a. Co." the messenger explained,
pugnaciously thrusting himself forward.
I'm therei' the Office boy returned. jerk
ing his thumb over his shoulder toward
the extreme end of the building, an extern
sion. rooted with glass and separated by
glass screen from the space where the
clerks were at work.
The messenger pushed open the glazed
door OF this private office. a bell tingled
over his head. and the three occupants OF
the room looked up.
whittier, wheatcroft e. Co 80 said the
messenger. interrogatively. holding out the
yellow envelope.
''Ycs." responded Mr. whittier. a Tall.
handsome old gentleman. taking the tele
gram. you sign. Paul"
The youngest OF the three. looking like
his father. took the messengers book and
rlancing at an old-fashioned clock which
stood In the corner. he wrote the name OF
the firm and the hour OF delivery. lie was
watching the messenger go out when his
attention was suddenly called 10 subjects
or more Importance by sharp exclama-
ton from his father.
We'll. well. we'll" said the elder Whit
tier. with his eyes fixed on the telegram
he had just read This Is very strange
very strange. indeed
whats stranger asked the third occu-
NJ he afffaa Mr WbpafrreFt \
steut irascihle-looking man. with a shock
Of grizzlinE hair.
For all answer Mr.. Whittier handed 10
M whea,eroft tho thin Slip Of paper.
No sooner had the Junior partner read
the paper than he seemed augrler than
ever.
Stranger" he cried. u should think IT
was .strangel Confoundedly strangc-and
teuced unpleasant too"
MAY 7 see what II is that's 50 very
stranger" asked Paul picking up the dis
patch
cor course Won can 500 &c." growle1 Mr..
wheatcroft. and let rs see what you can
mako OF g."
The Young man read the message aloud:
"ncal or Can got quarter cent better
terms Caykeaaale"
Then he read IL again 80 himself NJ
LAT h said, - confess don't see any
thing 50 very mysterious In that We've
have happened lots Of times before. hasn't
~"
IT'S happened twice before this fall"
returned AR Nheatcroft dcrCeiv. after
our bid had hoen practically accepted, and
Just before the signing Of the final con-
tract
let ma explain Wheafcroft." inter
rupted tho elder Whittier gently ''You
must not expect INV son 90 understand tho
ms and oaes a. this business as We 10
Resides Ia has been IN the oeice only ton
teys,"
y don't oxpec, him to understand"
Fvtwicd Wheatcroft Wow could he Z
son't understand II myself
CLOSE thar door. Paul" said Nj Wait
tier az don't want any 81 the clerks -
Know what We are talk{nE shout"
''l4ore ara the facts ~ fhN case Pau.
and think zou win admit that they are
certainly curious" began Nfr whittier
''Tvvice this faIl. and now a thir4 tiue.
We have Neso the lowest bidders fsr iu-
portamt orders. and yet 'ust before cur
hid was formally accepted. somebody has
cut under ass hv q frarticn ~ e cent era
ret the 'oN f'f~st W. Thought w. were
srofnE 60 yot fhe building or the Rarataria
Ceutrars hridre over rho little Nacki0~
to~h river. 1suf in Tho end - was the Tux
ESQ Steel Company that cnt the contrRCt.
Then there Was the or,ie~ f0r The ~ otC
MILES Of wire fer the TrRns~Out{oertal
'Teiex~anis-we mode an eNtraorA uaritv
low estimate on thNt We wanted the
contract and We threw 81 n0t ONLY orr
r-ort b1t eve~ a''owarcrs F0~ o0tc~ sV-
,>nrere-arF vrt five minutes before ths
last bif had n D. in the Tuxedo Company
Yuf fn an otfer ouiY a hun6re9 and TWEEN
-v-fve dollars less than ours. Vow comes
,Ne TELEGRAM, fesav The Nethusslsh T.ife
Insurance Company 81 going - pUF up
sie building. VS. were askeA - estimate
or the steel framework We wanted lat
w-o~t-tffs,ez are hard and there "a lttle
doing. as YOU know. and We u}ust get
work for our mon II We can. We meant
- have thls contract g Ne could We
offered - G. G. AZ what was a}1v sr+vRl
r-st ~ r,art-fe cttiTe- without uroHf FIRST
cr aN ans then without a0v charge az an
~0~ Cagcc exrenaes Ter interest >r cariral
o. 9eurpcfasfef a plant. The vice rreSi-
ssr,t - tNe Nfathuse}ah. tNe enc Who at
tends - al their real estate - Mr. Cark-
artnfe Fle to3a me Yesterday that cGr
ia was very low. snd that W we've GER
tan % sret fhe contract AHf now De
SENDS me this" au3 Mr.. Whittier picked
sip the trIegrau1 again.
10 you mean - say that Won thtnk the
Tuxedo PEOPLE have somehow been made
acquainted with our bids asked the
young man.
That's bat I'm thinking Row. vas
EasaIcgost'z s1aza slSNer - s4as