The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-27

discussing with his partner, Mr. Ho-
bart. some letters ,hat he held in his
hand.
Here's another" he sighed. "Our
Western salesman wants us to 90
down the river and bid on that Hub
bell contract. I'm getting tired of run.
Mug all over the country after these
small Jobs. wish we had some one
we could trust TO handle them and
leave me free to figure on the big fell
lows"
There's young Avery remarked
Hobart, stroking his chin. "He has
been with us three years now and
knows the business pretty we'll. The
only question is whether we could
trust him to make estimates and put
in bids on his own responsibility. He
might put us in a hole IL he made q
mistake"
james thinks Avery is the real
thing during business hours" an
swere Stanley "All James has against
him is that he seems inclined to be
sporty Spends his evenings playing
billiards and poker, | believe"
James is like all head book Keepers
over fifty They think the young fel.
lows under them should be as sober as
a married man with nine children"
was Hobart's comment "The young
fellows will have their fling. But to
come back to business" he added,
why not give him trial? Send him
down the river and tell him to do the
best be can for us. He cant break us,
and II he turns out all right we might
take him with us some day"
Accordingly, next day, Frank Avery
was told to get ready to go down the
river on Wednesday. so as to be in
time to put In bid that was to be
opened on Friday evening.
The news soon spread among his
friends that he was in line TO be pro-
NOTED TO a travelling man, and not the
least hearty Of the congratulations
came from Jennie Wheaton, who had
her own reasons for regarding Franks
euccess in life with particular interest
81 do hope you will be successful"
she told him enthusiastically
Wouldn't it be nice if you got con-
tract all by yourself? I'm sure they
would take you into the firm some
day
While Frank smiled at the impor-
tance which Jennie attached to such a
triile as one contract. he realized that
the outcome Of his first attempt might
mean a good deal 10 him, and he de-
termined to be very careful in his es-
tlmates and make no mistakes. If he
were to underbid the firm that got the
contract would have TO lose money on
the job,
The same evening that Jennie
Wheaton was talking over the future
with Frank In her home, two men
were discussing the young man in the
back room of q saloon in another part
of the same town. One OF these was
a professional gambler called jim
Hoadley and the other was a man
named Willets, who had requested the
interview.
"There's two hundred dollars in II
for YOU, Hoadley," remarked the caller
quietly. as he poured out glass or
whiskey we want that contract
down the river, and we thought We had
II all fixed TO get it. Stanley and llo'
bart must have only just heard about
II, and they are going TO send one oil
their young men down there on the
Jump TO figure on the job. Now, you
see," he went on. slipping his whiskey
they think 1t isn't much OF contract
or old man Stanley would go after II
himself. We can't get him into the
ring with us any way we try II
Whether we can handle this young fel
low Avery or not, we don't know. bui
there's one thing sure; IL you can III
him it's our contract, and as ! said be
fore, it's worth two hundred II you car
do the trick"
well" drawled Hoadley, as h
helped himself to a cigar, Il shoult
~
with him, and they would be gone tw'
or three days. Besides
"Ill pay fares and all expenses o
that kind" interrupted Willets hastily
Besides, it's a question" continue
Hoadley, not noticing the interruption
whether we could hold the young fe
low or not. There's some that you ca
catch. but they break away. Som
YOU can put the screws on and max
;em do most anything II you get 'eI
into a corner, and there's others ths
will night and break away Perhap
this young fellow is fighter" and IA
gambler looked questionlngly at WI
let's.
II don't know anything about that
replied Willets, little Impatient.
Gan 1 want is TO get the bulge on hi
some way so we can prevent him troi
bidding against us on that JoD don
care whether he never gets near IN
lob al all or whether he agrees TO
in with us and put his figure hig
enough to let Stanley and Hobart OF
and leave us in. That's up to yo'
You've trapped better and smarter me
before to-day and there's two hundre
dollars in II. You can have halI OF
now, and all expenses paid.
The upper deck of a river steame
with the billows OF brown smoke swif
ly and silently pouring out OF tn
smokestaeks behind, and the eve
changing. but monotonous, shore
front, with its endless procession
melancholy moss-laden trees Is not
attractive as the comfortable saloo
cabin. with its warm stove and tn
supper tables all in line, waiting fo
the gong.
One of the men sitting round IN
stove offered Frank a cigar maxim
some remark about the absence OF al
signs OF fog. After chatting pleasan
Nv for a while he volunteered the i
formation that his name was Maxwe
and that he was going as far down
Natchez. while his friend here Colon