Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-06-13
Saving the
Company.
By CARLETON HAZARD.
Copyrighted, 1903, by Associated
Literary Press.
By CARLETON HA,
Observation-Disclosures.

were made straight
SO quietly did the girl slip into the
routine Of the office and so unostenta-
tlously 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
straight, and, manlike, he took
the credit to himself.
Il had been q 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
ly 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 intl-
mated that If he would round out the
first year there would be an increase
of salary as well as the present Of
block Of stock.
The biggest feather IN his cap was
when the home Office turned over 10
him the task Of securing contract tor
some S2,OOO,,vO 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 1t In
the private letter file In the safe. III
they turn this matter over to me 1t Is
l.. 1
sign that they have faith In my Juug-
ment. It's going to be ticklish mat
ter to figure on all that material at
price that will be low enough to cap
ture the contract and still give us as
much of a profit as possible"
"They probably realize that you are
close to the contract, and they know
that they can trust YOU" answered
Alice. at shows that this branch Is
becoming important"
She went quietly about her work.
but there was a happy light In her
J ewes. for she was as much pleased at
this sign OF confidence as was Bradley
himself.
Alice was not a girl Of impulses, but
she had come to have more than liK-
ing for Bradley, and she took a PRIDE
In his success.
The week that followed was busy
one. Bradley figured far into the
night on. the problems Of cost, and each
morning he gave to Alice the results Oh
his work, to be tabulated on the ma
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 1t on
| to New York in person for the ap'
proyal of the home office.
He was jubllant on his return. The
president of the company had congrat
nlated him on the excellence of his
work and had limited that the new
London office might be opened sool
with Bradley in charge.
But the jubilation was short lived
for two days later a long letter came
from the New York Office instructlnt
the branch to alter the estimates II
accordance with a set Of figures some
10 per cent in advance OF the orlglha
estimate.
Here's a Job for you" growie'
Bradley as he took the paper u
Alices desk. "Tll have to do as tn
home office says, but It's throwing
awoy the contract and my chance o
promotion"
"Are you certain that 1t Is the orde
Of the New York Officer" asked Allc
as she took UP the sheets. You KNOW
that this contract will mean grea
deal to the trust If they are able |
fake 1t away from us. 1t means
creot deal more to us to retain 1t"
"Thats lust it," complained BradIe!
"Thev know that If we lose this col
tract we lose our fight for an indepeno
ent existence and shall have TO sell "
70 the trust at their own price II W
get 1t. It will mean that we can De'
Them and hold our own. Yet the
raise my figures"
"And 1t would be worth a great {
fort to heat u.s." went on Alice. "Sul
nose that the trust people had son
ono nlanted in the home office WI
could COPY the figures and send the
m the trust officers. Suppose, TO
n that they supplied the people with OF
letter heads and envelopes. we Wou
no unsuspicious and change the Did
accordance with instructions, only
find ont that we had been duped ait
tho bids had been opened and the co
tract awarded to the trust. thli
Won will find that they have bid on
slightly lower than this, but mu
higher than your original figures"
"That's possible" admitted Bradie
an wire the home office and flnd ou'
"And warn the traitor in the OH
that his plans have been discovered
7 reminded Alice. "They will then L
below your figures and get the contra
anyway. 1t would be best TO hoiu
and take chances by yourself. 1t "
be the only way to hold the contrac
"If I only could be sure exciaim
BRADLEY. But I can't act on me
guesswork."
"Tbls is something more than que
- work" insisted Alice. I'm the II
place. this letter is mailed from
Madison square station. That Is IN
building in which the trust mas
main Office. Our letters all come II,
me Wall street station, four or !
miles away and nearest our Old
They are using the same make
typewltter President Hammond
nographer uses. but it is not the sa
machine. On the letters from our
fee there Is a piece broken from
cross Of every t."
Il think you are right!' cried Br
ley as he compared twG letters. wv
pop in the original estiXate, and wi
they come to open the bids out
f.to,,1y ,,-ilI ho.-a a 1O1pn fits y