The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-09-13

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upholstery or woodwork. We have been
considering equipping works of our
own, but l am afraid they are not go.
ing to materialize."
1--WE can handle anything" and, from
sheer force of habit, he was all enthu-
sfasm. He had pleasant visions of the
shops running overtime and everybody
satisfied and happy. 1t made no differ
ence to him that he would not be there
to share in the general prosperity.
With the start he had given it, the flu
ture of the Huckleberry would be as
sured. He decided he had better say
nothing to Curtice about South Amer
lea.
The upshot of this meeting was that
he stuck to Curtice with genial de-
votion that made him wax in his hands.
They spent two days together inspect
ing painless and tattered day coaches,
and on the third day Dan strolled fror,
his friends office buttoning his coat
a contract that would mean many thou
sands of dollars for Antioch. 1t was
altogether his most brilliant achieve
ment. He felt that there only remain
ed for him to turn the Huckleberry
over to Holloway and leave the coun-
try. He had done we'll by 1t.
Dan had been in Chicago about three
weeks, when at last Holloway return
ed, and he proved as limp as Cornish
had said he would be in crisis. He
was inclined to be critical, too, and
seemed astonished that Oakley had
been waiting in Chicago to see him.
He experienced a convenient lapse Of
memory when the latter mentioned his
telegram
II can't accept your resignation" he
said, fussing nervously among the pa
pers on his desk. II didn't put you
at Antioch That was General Cor
nish's own idea, and don't know what
he'll think
ut has got past the point where
care what he Thinks" retorted Dan
CURLY. you must send some one else
there to take hold"
why didn't you cable him instead Of
writing me?'A fretfully. 81 don't know
what he will want, only it's pretty GER
tain to be the very thing l shan't
think off,
Il would have cabled him if l had
| considered it necessary, but it never
occurred to me that my resignation
would not I've agreed to on the spot, as
| my presence in Antioch only widens
the breach and increases the difficulty
of settlement with the men,"
"Whom did you leave in charger
inquired Holloway.
Holt"
who's hep
Hes Kerr's assistant" Dan ex-
planned
why didn't you leave Kerr in
charge" demanded the vice president.
II laid him off," said Dan in tone
! of evaporation, and then he added, to
! forestall more questions: "He was in
| sympathy with the men, and he hadn't
the sense to keep it to himself. l
| couldn't be bothered with him, so got
| rid of him."
well, / must say you have made a
frightful mess of the whole business,
Oakley. but 1 told General Cornish
from the first that you hadn't the train
ing for the position"
Dan turned very red in the face at
this, but he let it pass.
Its too bad murmured Holloway,
still lingering the letters on the desk.
''Since YOU are in doubt, why don't
you cable General Cornish for instruc-
lions, or, if there is a reason why YOU
don't care to, it is not too late for me
to cable,'' said Dan
This proposal did not please Hollo-
way at all. but he was unwilling to ad-
init that he feared Cornish's displeas-
ure, which, where he was concerned
usually took the form of present 81.
lence and subsequent sarcasm that
dealt with the faulty quality of his
judgment. The sarcasm might come
six months after it had been inspired
but it was certain to come sooner or
later and to be followed by bad half
hour, which Cornish devoted to past
mistakes. Indeed, Cornish's attitude
toward him had become through long
association one of chronic criticism
and he was certain to be unpleasantly
affected both by what he did and by
what he left undone.
"Why don't you wait until the gen.
eral returns from England? That's not
$50