Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-05-21

You have come with a check book
she said curtly.
yes" he replied
you have decided to offer a large
sum"
"You anticipate what l was going
to say exactly"
"If | do not accept your offer you
will be bankrupt in a week"
That was almost the literal truth.
He realized that he must pull himself
together and get word in.
1t was distressing to be taken off
ones guard like this in a matter of
business.
Am | to understand" he said,
with a great effort to be cool and col
lected.
THAT | am the head of the firm
which is underselling you in hairpins?
Yes" she said, without giving him
time to complete his sentence.
He had prepared to lead up gradual
ly by means of threats to a reasonable
offer, but this bluntness put every
thing out of his usually well ordered
head
You're a remarkable woman" he
blurted out.
Il have five minutes to spare" she
said sternly.
you have guessed quite rightly
what l came for.
Then there is no need to explain
it; need you stay lOnger?
This was unbearable and not diplo-
macy Honor forbade him to remain,
but the thought of bankruptcy within
a week prevailed, and she was
handsome woman. He pulled himself
together.
81 was going to suggest he said,
that no good seems likely to come to
anybody from this cut-throat competi-
ton"
Except to the consumer" she
put in.
He pooh-poohed the suggestion that
that should affect the question as be-
tween men and women of business
and she did not press it further. Till
he saw that she meant nothing by it
his opinion of her fell but he was
reassured and it rose again. He
smiled and they tacitly agreed in
treating the consumer as a joke.
We'll, madam" he said (feeling
that the form of address was out of
place in the case of so charming a
woman). We'll, madam, do not know
how it strikes you, but it occurs to me
that in another week, even though !
may be bankrupt, there will be such a
large stock of hairpins in every house
hold in the country that you will find
it difficult to avoid the same fate. No
body will take the things as a present
by that time"
She smiled slightly, but said moth
ing.
Il have more respect for your busi-
ness ability"-he bowed and she
bowed in return. Il have-ahem!
more respect for your business ability
than to suppose that your object in
this is to crush me without regard to
what is to happen to yourself"
He was gradually making up his
mind for great stroke and felt more
confident.
Il presume you alone are concerned
in this admirable scheme?' he asked,
Yes" she said.
1T was too omplete-too-too-
homogeneous, if l may use the word,
to be anything but the work of one
once, mind of quite extraordinary
capacity" She put her hand before
her mouth to hide coming smile and
turned away little.
You will understand, of course,
that | have met many remarkable
minds in the course of my career"
Yes" she said, Il have watched
It,"
This was gratifying.
so many of such minds" she said.
find their way ultimately to the peni-
tentiary."
Only the inferior kind" he replied.
'One can never respect the man who
allows that to happen"
1T is so much matter of luck" ="
she said.
"Oh, no, I think not; | think not.
Now I was once in partnership with
q man"
He stopped, remembering that there
was no time to indulge in reminis-
cences, however much they were to
his credit
Il have not been in partnership
with anybody since" he said thought
fully.
You found the risk too great? The
partner is apt to give the whole thing
aWay?" she inquired.
The way she grasped his meaning
was wonderful.
This was a woman in a million.
Most men are FOOLS" he said.
And women?"
81 have not had much experience; :;
such as l have had has created a ia
vorable impression"
81 am glad" she said.
Till to-day it was practically moth
ing" he said.