Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-05
CHAPTER XXVII-Continued.

IT sincerely sympathize with you." said
Dick. You have an abundance OF paper:
why don't you write the libretto of an up
to-date history. Now, listen: things have
to come to a head pretty soon. and want
both OF you to keep busy IL any custom
ers come. Don't notice them at first. Be
proud. be naughty. that is the way TO
give the impression of great prosperity.
have written to a lot Of people who
owe me money II any one tries to pay
you money, don't be in a hurry to take
it: make them identify themselves. and
II you do take 1T. be surly about tive
don't want any one to think that We are
green to the ways Of business-but don't
let them get away entirely. Use the de-
lay formula on all who ring up. and IL
any one is admitted to my office. use the
butt-in formula Come. Mulligan."
Dick entered his private Office and pro-
ceeded to hunt for cigarette. Failing
to find 1t he opened the door and asked:
Ivan. when you pawned my tuxedo did
you search the pockets"
II don't think / did" answered Ivan
Make 1t a rule never to pawn any
thing or give anything away without first
examining the pockets" said Dick,
sternly.
He re-entered his office and taking a
perfecto from a drawer in his desk he
SHlciieu VI IL iONiHSly, tiCii odhf'CiSN q
blotter and put them both back into the
drawer.
In the meantime Emil had taken down
the huge ledger. turned its blank pages
and replaced it with sigh. after which
he knocked on Dicks door and was adj
mitted. Have you nothing you wish to
know?' he asked. soberly.
NO, / am perfectly familiar with every
thing have" answered Dick, with equal
seriousness.
II mean. is there nothing which you
lack which you wish?'
"Oh, many things, dear friend. many
things: but from what 1 know OF You,
question your ability to supply the de-
mand."
81 should very much like some work"
persisted Emil, sadly.
Have you committed to memory the
names of the New York capitalists and
the estimated size of their fortunes
Yes. indeed. Shall name them alpha
betically. or according to the size OF their
fortunes?"
IF you do either in my presence 1 shall
take your life with great violence" Dick
studied a moment and then asked: when
was the dawn Of civilization?
According to the Bible, six thousand
years ago, because Adam was a civilized
being to begin with; but If you really
mean the dawn Of civilization it would
be safe to put it back at least thirty
thousand years. Morgan says
That's close enough. Now. l want to
know the value OF one penny at d per
cent compound interest from the dawn of
Morgan's civilization. You need not
carry the answers out farther than mills.
Try to get this as soon as possible
"Ah. that is something like job!' ex-
claimed Emil, rubbing his hands together
delightedly as he returned to the outer
office. "Ah, Ivan, now have job which
is to my ability fitted
"I care not" answered Ivan. Il have
| a new cook book and am going to learn
box 10, ,of a< MD
Dick slowly filled and lighted pipe.
"Mulligan, this has to explode pretty
soon. there is no use talking. They are
| trying to bluff me and they certainly de-
serve credit, but, hang it. Mulligan, they
have to give in. Sooner or later they
| have to give in. I always did like pipe
better than a cigar, but I wish l were
as strong. financially as this pipe is odor-
| iferously.
He clasped his hands behind his head
and leaned back in his chair. mechanical
ly placing his feet on the desk. His
brows were drawn together and the lines
Of long continued strain were family Wis
ible. The three past months had thumbed
his face heavily. hardening it and mold
ing 1T to cast of grim determination.
The old boyishness was still there, but IT
no longer waited to spring forth, instead
it appeared to come as an instructed dele
gate. After time he took a photograph
Of Kate from a drawer and shading his
eyes with the palm of his left hand he
gazed at 1t steadily.
The honk Of motor was heard In the
street below and presently William Bur-
ton. very busy and very important, en-
tered the outer Office. Emil continued his
figuring and Ivan, whose book was hid
den, appeared to be filling out checks to
pay a heap of bills which lay on the desk
before him.
Mr. Burton stamped his foot. WELL
when am l to be waited on?"
Whom do you wish to see?" inquired
Ivan. softly.
81 want to see that young Bennington"
"Have you an engagement with him.
Engagement? No! 1 am William
Burton of the National steel mills. and I
don't have to have engagements
He is very busy this morning and I
your card said Ivan, gently. as he de-
scended from his stool and opened the
| wicket door which separated them.
Il don't carry card" snapped Burton.
"My face is enough
Ivan appeared as free from guile as q
cold lizard At am sorry, sir, but / can't
| take In your face and we have strict
orders
"You simply say that.I am here" roared
Burton, turning purple.
Ivan tiptoed to the door and knocked
softly. After waiting a moment he
knocked a trifie more loudly. At his third
attempt he was admitted and announced
Mr.. Burton, without evincing the slight
est excitement
Dick ratified some papers in his hand
for a moment and said, with polite i'm
patience: Present Mr.. Burton with my
compliments and say that press of bust
ness compels him to ask you TO call
again.
Ivan closed the door reverentiy and said
to Mr. Burton with formal independence:
present Mr.. Bannington's compliments
sir. and he says that press Of business
compels him to ask you to call again"
Mr.. Burton's face worked convulsively
and his rapid breathing was clearly audi
Bile. Many years had passed since he had
been thrown against the granite Of
modern business wall, and 1t was shock
which effectually loosened his habitual
complacency. After one has been &C
customed to talking freely with the brain
Of an industry, 1t is ga ling In the ex-
IRENE to be stopped by the mere hands.
One cannot argue with a hand. one can
not demonstrate with 1t. or reVile II. or
threaten it. or even stamp ones feet and
swear before it-without losing ones dig
nifty, and the strain is, something terrific.
when one is not properly braced.
1t would have been as nothing to one
of the common people. who never 0nder
any consideration come into contact with
the brain of an enterprise, but VINO trans
act all their affairs with mere hands,
strong, unsynpathetic. and having moth
ing whatever to do in dec ding on the a
tiors which they perform. This is really
one Of the most humiliating features of
modern life this constant dealing wit
the unseen and the immovable. All our
traffic las some of the secretiveness or
The blind tiger" We rap on a door, a
small wicket in ii opens and a hand
reaches forth, We put some money in the
hand and presently a package is given