Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-17

cd. shaking his shoulder hercely. "You
know If we get this order from Wash
ington it means an independent for
tune for you. Don't you know thatT"
The force OF the other stronger per-
sonality reacted on the weaker man.
YES sir; you say So" he said.
Pinckney went on more earnestly,
driving his points home with all the
power of his strong will.
Think what it means. Marsh. It
means the end of this slavery. day aft
er day. at the works. 1t means you'll
have time to work on your inventions.
It's your one chance of a lifetime
your one chance. Marsh, to amount tc
something In this world and"-he end
ed most persuasively-"and you don't
need to have anything to do with this
affair. I'll attend to it."
The little man looked up with the
gaze of a helpless child.
"What-what do you intend to do?"
he asked.
Pinckney smiled, well satisfied.
"Do?' he said. Nothing. L won't
do anything" His look became shrewd-
ly, terribly malevolent as he ended,
Smith will put that gun in the tenn
pering bath before Sommers gets
here"
The little mans eyes grew wide
with fearful understanding.
Put it in at too high a temperature
and kill itp' he gasped.
Pinckney laughed cruelty.
Of ha
kills the gun we don't know anything
about it," he said.
The little man shivered.
This is horriblev'
Pinckney's laugh was cold and men,
acing.
Horrible" he sneered What did
you invent your gun for but to muir
der men and disrupt nations? Now,
nobody asked you to do anything,
Marsh. Just you go out there and
send Smith in to me. Attend to your
work and don't notice anything that
Smith does.''
Marsh looked up weakly.
ayes, SIR" he said, and Pinckney
clapped him on the back with real
heartiness.
'Now,. remember, Marsh, it means
your fortune and your future. Be
quiet"
When Marsh had gone Pinckney
stood thoughtful for a moment
''What pity he's such q weak fool"
he muttered to himself. Then another
thought made him smile with more
satisfaction. Perhaps it's just as
well he is such fool. 1 couldn't have
got away with him so easy otherwise
Smith came lurching in a little
fiercer than before. but Pinckney on
occasion knew how to manage even
Smith in his fiercest mood.
'See here he exclaimed sharply,
that gun must go into the bath before
1 O'Clock. No foolishness nowi You're
fighting drunk, but 1 don't want any
thing out of you. Understand. you
get that gun in before 1 o'clock If
you're ever going to do any more
work around this place"
Smith. drunk though he was, recog-
nized that now Pinckney was not the
man to fool with.
Its going in in fifteen minutes" he
said.
Let no one interfere with you, you
understand ordered the general man.
ager.
The drunken foreman leered at him.
You saw what that fellow got that
did interfere, didn't you? Well, they'll
all get that If they fool with Smith"
Pinckney nodded acquiescence.
You're responsible. Remember, if
teen minutes, that's ALL"
81 know my business retorted the
foreman. IN do the job and he
lurched for the door as fast as he
could go.
Pinckney looked after him, with a
laugh.
well, when that fresh navy duck ar
rives he will find his gun in thou
sand gallons of oil. L guess 1 fixed him
all right"
He was turning away when the
street door opened. and Sommers, cool
and collected as ever, lounged I'M
Hello, Mr.. Pinckney."
He smiled at Pinckney's startled
look. Guess I'm a bit early. Didn't
expect me so soon. did you? I'll just
hang around here till my gun is taken
out of the fire."