Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-12-23
Copyright. 1908. by Frederic Thompson

Pincknry made an impatient gesture.
Slight delay. nothing. Haven't YOU
sense enough to see it's Il game of this
toy sailor. Sommers: They'll counter
mand the order for our gun after they
test his just as sure as fate"
Marsh dropped into Il chair defect
eddy.
Just my luck" he exclaimed in dis
tress. That's the end of my royalty.
l might have known. 1t always hap
pens that way with me. L never have
any luck"
Pinckney stood looking, a sneering
smile on his face.
"That's it," he said contemptuously
Lay down. That's the reason YOUR
luck is always bad and always will
be bad. \. gutter can't have any luck.
How do you expect to have anything
if you drop at the first ditch"
The inventor looked up, puzzled.
"What can l do?" he asked.
Pinckney smiled pityingly on him.
What can you do? Haven't You
sense enough to guess? Here"-hc
stepped closer to the inventor to speak
in Il lower. firner tone-''this dirty,
tricky sailor has got the BEST of us in
Washington, but with Smith drunk
guess we've got the best of him here
Marsh looked up. startled. amazed
Some slight hint of what Pinckney in.
tended began to dawn on him.
What do you mean:" he asked
slowly in an almost dazed tone.
The general manager looked at him
sharply.
What time did you say Sommers
would get here?"
"One-thirty," replied Marsh.
PinckneN's laugh was rich with con.
fdent relief.
well. there's lots of time. 1t isn't
II yet" he chuckled.
On Marsh's face had come an expires.
sion of horror. He knew now what
the general manager intended to do
1t made him sick to think of it, fC;
Marsh was honest ut heart. Only he
was an inventor. He loved his work
1t was his chance of Il lifetime. And
then, he was weak.
"You mean you will ruin his gum
he half whispered family.
The brutal laugh of the other mai
was answer enough.
Shut up" he sneered. Don't tall
as if it was murder. If you're goins
to get on in this world. Marsh, 70,
must learn there's as much in blockin:
the other fellows game as there is il
playing your own"
His latent sense of honesty made
one last sickening revolt as Marsf
started up from his chair, exclaimins
wildly:
"It's awful! l won't be a party tt
any such thing as that, Mr.. Pinckney.'
With all his superior physical ant
mental strength Pinckney seized the
weaker mar and pushed him back il
his chair.
Don't be a fool, Marsh" he explain
ed, shaking his shoulder fiercely. "Yo,
know it we get this order from Wash
ington it means an independent for
tune for you. Don't you know thatY'
The force of the other stronger per
sonality reacted on the weaker man.
eyes. sir; you say So" he said.
P%inckney went on more earnestly
driving his points home with all tn
power of his strong will.
"Think what it means, Marsh. l
means the end Of this slavery. day aft
err day. at the works. III meanS ceu'l
have time to work ON your inventions
It's your one chance Of a lifetime
your II chance. Marsh, to amount t
something in this world and"-he end
need to have anything to do with thi
affair. III attend to it,"
The little man looked up with til
gaze of Il helpless child.
"What-what do you intend to do:
he asked.
Pinckney smiled, we'll satisfied.
"Do?" he said. Nothing. | won
do anything.' His look became slrewo
ly, terribly malevolent as he ended
"Smith will put that gun in the ten
pering bath before Sommers get
here"
The little mans eyes grew wild
with fearful understanding.
"Put it in at too high a temperatur
and kill it, he gasped.
Pincknev laughed cruelty.