Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-05
Che Hrgus Daily Short Story
Saving the Company. BY Carleton Hazard.
Cobyrighted< 19OS by Associated Literary Press:

After a long line of incompetent
stenographers Bradley congratulated
himself when Alice Fuller took her
place at the typewriter desk, and as
though by magic the crooked places
We're made straight.
So quietly did the girl slip into the
routine of the office and so unostenta-
tiously did she accomplish results that
Arthur Bradley did not realize all that
she was doing. He, had only the pleas
ant feeling that at last the Office was
running straight, and, manlike. he took
the credit to himself.
1t had been struggle to get the of.
flee going at all, for the firm was in
opposition to the trust, and everything
possible was done to break up the
| newly established branch office.
More than once Bradley had narrow
~ escaped some trap laid for him, but
| for every blow struck at him he gave
| back as good The letters from the
home Office were encouraging and init
| mated that if he would round out the
| first year there would be an increase
| OF salary as well as the present of a
block of stock.
| The biggest feather in his cap was
when the home office turned over to
him the task Of securing Il contract for
some 100000 worth of material
| .Such big contracts are usually han
| died from the home office" he explain
ed to Alice Fuller as he gave her the
| letter with instructions to place it in
| the private letter file in the safe. IF
they turn this matter over to me 1t is a
sign that they have faith in my judg-
ment. It's going to be a ticklish mat
ter to figure on all that material at a
price that viii he low enough to cap
ture the contract and still give us as
much of profit as possible"
| They probably realize that you are
! close to the contract, and they know
that they can trust you." answered
| Alice. 1T shows that this branch is
becoming Important
She went quietly about her work.
but there was a happy light in her
eyes, for she was as much pleased OF
this sign of confidence as was Bradley
| himself.
Alice was not girl of impulses, but
she had come to have more than lik-
ing for Bradley, and she took pride
in his success.
The week that followed was a busy
one. Bradley figured far into the
night on the problems of cost. and each
morning he gave to Alice the results of
| II. a.
chine and filed in the safe until the
figures should be complete. 1t was
weary work with all the specifications
and blanks, but at last the estimate
was complete, and Bradley took it or
to New York in person for the ap
prevail of the home Office.
He was jubilant on his return. The
president of the company had congrat
ulated him on the excellence of his
work and had limited that the new
London Office might be opened .soor
with Bradley in charge.
But the jubilation was short lived
for two days later a long letter came
from the New York Office instructins
the branch to alter the estimates IL
accordance with a set of figures some
10 per cent in advance Of the origina
estimate.
Here's a job for you," growlet
Bradley as he took the paper 4
Alice's desk. "I'll have to do as tn
home Office says, but it's THROWN,
away the contract and my chance o
promotion"
Are you certain that it Is the orde
of the New York officer asked Alic
as she took up the sheets. '.You know
that this contract win mean a grea
deal to the trust if they are able t
take 1T away from us. 1t means
great deal more to us to retain it."
'srhat's just it." complained Bradley
i eThey know that If we lose this cor