The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-04-25

right here in your office. You're
falling over them, sitting on them,
walking on them. Schemes! Every
thing Is a scheme. Everything mas
money in it,"
1 shrugged my shoulders.
YES" l said, "for you. But you
are a genius"
ch%eerfully, 'else why Perkins the
great? Why Perkins the originator!
why the great and only Perkins or
Portland?"
"All right I said, what / want is
for your genius to get busy. I'll give
you a week to work up a good scheme.
Perkins pushed back his hat, and
brought his feet to the floor with a
smack.
why the delay?" he queried. Time
is money. Hand me something from
your desk" .
looked in my pigeonholes. and
pulled from one a small a or string:
Perkins took it in his hand n looked
at 1t with great admiration.
"what is it?' he asked seriously.
That" / said, humoring him, for l
knew something great would be evolved
from his wonderful brain, lis a ball OF
red Irvine I bought at the 10-cent store:
! bought it last Saturday. 1t was sold
to me by "a freckled young lady In a
white shirt waist. l paid
I looked. at the ball Of Irvine curious
IL. tried to see something remark
able in It. 1 couldn't. 1t remained a
simple ball Of red Irvine. and ! told
Perkins so.
"The difference declared Perkins,
"bctween mediocrity and genius. Me-
diocrity always sees red Irvine; genius
| secs a bal! of Crimson Cord"
He leaned back in his chair snd
| looked at me triumphantly. He fold
| ed his arms as II he a settled the
| matter. His attitude seemed to say
that he had a fortune for us. u
denly he reached forward and grasp
ing my scissors, began shipping or
small lengths Of the Irvine.
"The Crimson Cord" he CALCULATED
what does it suggest"
7 told hin that il suggested a par
eel from the druggists. I had Otter
seen just such Irvine about a drug
| gist's parcel. .
Perkins shifted disdainfully.
"Druggists?" he exclaimed with dis
gust. Mystery, Blood! The Crimson
Cord Daggers! Murder. Strangling
Clews! IT, Crimson Cord"
He motioned wildly with his hands
as IL the possibilities Of the phrase wer
quite beyond his power of expression
at sounds like a book 1 sug
geSted. ,
GREAT. cried Perkins. 20 novel
The novel! Thjnl' Of the words \
Crimson Cord in blood-red letters 81
feet high on a white ground" II
pulled his hat over his eyes. and sprea
out his hands, and I think he shud
dered.
"Think of A Crimson Cord" h
nuttered. ";n blood-red letters on
ground Of dead. sepulchral blacl
with a crimson cord writing throug
them like a serpent"
He sat up suddenly, and threw or
hand In the air.
Think" he cried. "of the words
black on white. with a crimson col
drawn taut across the whole adj"
He beamed upon me.
1.-The cover Of the book" he saI
ruite calmly. with black letterin
and the cord in crimson. With ea6
copy we will give a crimson silk col
for q book mark. Each copy VIII
done up in a white box and tied Wi
crimson cord"
He closed his eyes and tilted h
head upward.
"a thick book" he said. xvi
Gcckle edges and pictures by Christ
No, pictures by Pyle. Deep, my
FERROUS pictures! Shadows and gloor
And wide. wide margins. And
gloomy foreword. One-ffty per COZ
at all booksellers"
Perkins opened his eyes end set
hat straight with n quick motion
his hand. He arose and pulled on
gloves.