The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-17

Healey groaned, but he acted. Summon ] ing clerks from the other departments
 he imparted his instructions.
 "Go up t tn Broadgauge," said he. l "Quick! Buy The Enigma Yis, pay i SIPS fer 'em. Come in tn back way an
 take 'em to the stock room, an thin git
 more. Kape on till I till ye stop
 lively. and to most of the clerks, an
 inexplicable demand now sprung up at
 the Broadgauge for "The Enigma.
 Breathless young women, few men and
 sundry boys and girls arrived, demanded
 the book and hurried away with several
 copies apiece. Some times they came
 back for more. Extra help was needed
 in PopISin's section. More and more the
 stock room was called upon for fresh
 piles of the volumes, and the whole store
 was electric with excitement. few
 clerks understood: they had heard Name
 all forenoon at the telephone, calling up
 one friend after another, and to each re- beating the same injunction:
 "Go down to Bambergers and get me The Enigma Yes. get me all you can,
 and then go again. Yes, yes; pay for
 them, and fetch them here, and I'll have
 the cash for yo. What? No, l cant get
 away, and they're selling 1t less n we are. Hurryi''
 And they had noted the stream of friends who came to Names counter, each with a parcel, which they exchanged for coin, and which parcels immediately went to the stock room, post haste. In the care of strong armed porters, whence they appeared quickly in Popkin's region and made hasty exits over his counters
 These few understood the Napoleonic contest raging-but they merely smiled.
 And meanwhile Healey wag still selling and buying-tons and tons of "The Enig- ma. and wondering in his soul where
 the Broadgauge got all its supply, and if he never would see the end of 1t and of his ill-starred plan, which was losing him
 money with every book that was sold He was a glad man when closing time came and he viewed with great satisfac- ton the counters now cleared of 'The Enigma" and sighed that his scheme
 had rather miscarried.
 As for Popkin. he now began to be busy. He had only time to nod to Name as the closing gong rang. Popkln had work ahead.
 "Mame, you're a brick!" he exclaimed as she smiled at him.
 "Go on: you've only begun" was her reply Yet she smiled back as she jabbed and sho swung her handbag at him in friendliest fashion as the door closed on her Popldn was satisfied
 Till far into the night Popkin and his helpers worked. Each separate volume of "The Enigma passed through their hands, and in this handling certain rubber stamp with large letters figured mysteriously. And the advertising man. ager came in for a long talk, which re- suited in increased activity in several newspaper offices in the early morning hours.
 Results showed with the dawn. Each paper carried a page from the Broad gauge, and on each was the announce ment, in flaming letters:
 "Everlastingly the Lowest! We will not be undersold The Enigma regular
 price, s1. .25; rivals price. sl.18;at our store only $1.13 Come early; only few left!' And in the windows of the Broadgauge and on the piles of books were similar an-
 nouncements on big signs: The Enig- ma.' S1.13 Everlastingly tho lowest.''
 Hea1ey had severe shock when he saw this latest move. He recognized in it a forcing of his hand. But 1t was too late for retreat. He knew that his course was plainly mapped out for him, and he looked not back from the blow.
 Hence. 1t was with no surprise that Popkin recognized, in tho rush that en- sued. the now familiar faces of Healey's aids
 The word passed quickly to the Popkin clan: Sell all you can to the Bamberger crowd; sell to them in preference" And the instructions were obeyed. By noon 'The Enigma' was eliminated from the