Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-01-14


The general manager looked at him
sharply.
What time did you say Sommers
would get here?'
"~One-thirty." replied Marsh.
~Pinckney'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 express
sion of horror. He knew now what
the general manager intended to do.
1t made him sick to think of it, for
Marsh was honest at heart. Only he
was an inventor. He loved his work.
1t was his chance of a lifetime. And.
then, be was weak.
You mean you will ruin his gum
he half whispered family.
The brutal laugh of the other man
was answer enough.
shut up" he sneered. Don't talk
as If it was murder. If you're going
to get on in this world. Marsh. you
must learn there's as much in blocking
the other fellows game as there is in
playing your own"
His latent sense of honesty made
one last sickening revolt as Marsh
started up from his chair, exclaiming
wildly.
Its avful. l won't be a party to
any such thing as that. Mr.. Pinckney."
With all his superior physical and
mental strength P~inckney seized the
weaker man and pushed him back in
his chair.
Don't be a fool. Marsh" he explain
ed. shaking his shoulder sarcely. You
know If we get this order from Wash
ington it means an independent for
tune for you. Don't you know th1tY'
The force of the other stronger Ler-
sonality reacted on the weaker man.
Eyes. sir; you say So" be said.
Pinckney went on more earnestly.
driving his points home with all the
power of his strong will.
think what it means, Marsh. 1t
means the end of this slavery, day aft
er day. at the works. 1t means you'll
have time to work on your inventions.
1t. your one chance of a lifetime
your one chance. Marsh. to amount to
something in this world and"-he end
ed most persuasively-"and you don't
need to have anything to do with this
aitalr. I'll attend TO 1T"
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. / 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 it!' be gasped.
Pinckney laughed cruelty.
"Smith has charge of that. If he
kills the gun we don't know anything
about it." he said.
The little man shivered.
'This is h%orribler
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.
Eyes, 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 a pity he's such a weak fool"
he muttered to himself. Then another
thought made him smile with more
satisfaction. Perhaps it's just al
well he is such a fool. | co!Sln't have
got away with him SO easy Otherwise"
Smith came lurching in "a little
iercer than before, but Pinckney on
occasion knew how to manage even
Smith in his iercest mood.
"See here" he exclaimed sharply.
that gun must go into the bath before
l O'clock. No foolishness now! You're
fighting drunk, but l don't want any
thing out of you. Understand, you
get that gun in before l O'Clock if
you're ever going to do any more
work around this place."
Smith, drunk though he was, recog
nized that now P~inckney was not the
man to fool with.
Its going in in fifteen minutes" he
said.
Let no one interfere with you. you
understands 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
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