The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-05-18
How the Contract
Was Filled
"A CHEMICAL WORKS STORY
BY E. r. STEARNS.
Author OF The Girl from Jepsou,n
(Copyright, BIZ Joseph B. BoMlaal
"A N o R STORY
Author of The Girl from Jspson'A

NSSSyAAAAJ W SOstpu d. bOWle6J
AS the clock struck ten, Cowles-
junior of Caxton & Cowles, the manu-
featuring chemists-sent up his card
Cowles was hidden to go up and ente,
the sick-room.
We'll. what Is IT." Caxton asked
not too cordially. IT'S that inferno
contract-eh?"
yep"
Il knew It! I knew 1t! l knew
we were in for a muss, sooner or later
1t was a fool thing from the very
start. You never should have made
it."
We'll, 1t was a pretty broad con
tract" Cowles confessed. I'm MOI
denying that part-but 1t was the only
thing they'd sign, and we need all the
business we can grab this year. Lei
me see. We were to furnish them with
something like two thousand barrels
of sal-soda during the twelve months
the deliveries to be made when they
called for them. That's the sub
stance, Last week they wanted one
hundred barrels at one delivery. II
was all nonsense, of course. They
couldn't possibly use it all at once and
1t nearly wiped out our stock of sal.
soda-but l gave it to them"
Cowles avoided the eye of the In
valid and stared across the bed, falling
into contemplation of the bottles on
the medicine table.
Now" he said softly, they want
two hundred and fifty barrels more,
before noon tomorrow"
"Two-hundred-aud-ffty!" Cax-
ton shouted.
"Um-m."
why, hang IT." Caxton cried, test
uy. Il don't believe they've ever got
storage facilities for another two hun
dred and fifty barrels there! It's a
put-up job"
OF course 1t Is. It's simply a bluff,
to worm out of that contract. Hewes
Is morally certain that we won't make
the deliyery-and, not having kept to
SHS II Vi thO d6lCChlSul II lGJ > tuSIH
out as well. Do you suppose I can't
see through that? | even know their
reason for the move. Day before yes
terday, the combine changed its mind
and offered Hewes all the soda he
wants, whenever he wants it. for no
end less than he's paying u.s."
Yes, | imagine that something of
the sort may have occurred" said the
senior partner, drily. 81 guess Hewes
Is open to it, so far as we're con
cerned."
We'll, I don't!" said Cowles, and
the glitter of war awakened In his
black eyes. "Hewes isn't freed from
that contract until noon tomorrow,
and not then If we should happen to
deliver his two hundred and fifty bar
rels."
Redding, superintendent of the Cax-
ton & Cowles factory, staring out upon
the unpleasing landscape of Brooklyn's
uttermost end as he ate his lunch, was
startled by the abrupt intrusion of the
junior partner.
"Redding," said that gentleman,
there's the devil to pay again with
these Hewes people"
More soda? Terror appeared in the
superintendent's eye. Since the sign
ing of the Hewes contract, saI-soda
had absorbed an undue amount of his
time and attention.
Two hundred and fifty barrels be-
fore noon tomorrow! How does that
strike you?"
I'VE can't give 1t to them, Mr..
Cowles-that's all. There's only a
hundred and two or three barrels in
the place"
Il know it. How much soda is
crystallizing now in the coolers"
I'VE may take out 35 barrels this
afternoon"
Good. You have 20 coolers for
.lauber's salt, haven't you, and Is
more for Epsom's?"
yes"
"All right. Empty them-every one
and start more soda crystallizing."
THAT won't give us the balance be-
fore noon tomorrow"
Never you mind noon Tomorrow"
said Cowles. "If you push everything
% the limit you car turn out the stuff
by noon on Thursday-the day after
:o-morrow-can't your"
81 suppose So"
"All right. That's what | wanted to
But will Hewes give us the day of
grace necessary for that, Mr.. Cowles?"
I'm not going to ask for it-you
AN gamble on that, Redding. Now,
,aey want one hundred barrels with
'ur brand on-that's what they mean
o use themselves; and the other hun
lred and fifty r to be delivered with
10 brand-that's what they intend to
esell, Of course. | think we'll order
'rand-new sugar barrels for that lot.
hey look nicer. and Hewesll be Just
hat much more likely to save them
or his customers. Can your barrel
nan give us that many tonight"
"Ill ask him" Redding turned to
he telephone. YES" he said, after a
1oment, we can have them"
"All right. Order 'em. Tell him
hey positively must be here before six
clock. And, by the way, before
tarted over here, Redding, I called
p that Grandford concern that is /
utting down the new floor and talked {
nth the manager of their place in b
'ong island City. They-say, Red. b
ing, just close that door, will you? t
a do without an audience" a
On Wednesday morning, John $
-ewes settled down to work, abeam c
18th quiet satisfaction. q
AS he termed it. Caxton G Cowles !
ere "treed. They and their con-
act were out of the way-or would
at noon-and the Combine having :,
'nceded the desired cut In prices, :