Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-08-28

inrs that - could ct the Job. Mr..
jacobsen wy,is. 6r., hsd mystesi-
0us wy a. cJssang contracts oses -
came IN personal costact WIKI ths
proper people. Il the words Of hls
envioue competitoss, b he'd 'good TO-
minal facINties." nut business Was
bad. 81 b had relied upon The cor.
tainty Of securing thts trensndous cor
tract; he had even turned work away
50 that his plant might be ready for
the rush, with tho result that many Of
his men were IDLE ana he was running
far below capacity. But be had his
eye upon those English bonuses, When
his associates rather timidly called hls
attention to The present state Of A.
fairs he handled them roughly and ~
sured them bitiusly that ~ knew his
business. Nevertheless he wishs0 It
was time to subnaat the bid that had
lain for . month upon, his desk. The
magnitude OF the figures was getting
Oh his serves.
On the 1Oet u May ~ pscsivea . c.
blegram IN his ewn omcial cipher
which. translated, read:
Meet Sir Thomas Drummend. chairman
Royal Barrats bridge commissi0o. asytv-
Waldorf. Arrange DsgssuaNy Derrata con-
tract. Caution.
The cablegTam WAS unsigned. but IT.
address. "At-Wylis." betrayed not only
it, ,aestination, but also the identity Of
its sender. Nj. Jackson Wylie became
trsmsnAously excited The last word
conjursd up bewudsring possibilities.
He was about to consult his associates
when It struck him that the greatest
caution hs could possibly observe
would consist In holding his own
tongue. They had seen at to criticise
hi handling Of the matter thus far:
heace ~ decided to tell them nothing
until b. had nrst seen Sir Thomas
Drummond. He imagined be might
then have something ssectrifying to
say. He had dealt from the bottom
too often, he had closed too many
bridge contracts In his time. to mis-
take the meaning Of this visit or Of
that last word Caution
IL Was hard work to hold In, howev-
er, and be was ct . high state Of ten
sion when on the morning Of the 18th
day Of May he strolled into the Wal
for Sir Thomas Drummond.
There was no Sir Thomas stopping
1t the hotel, although a Mr.. T. Drum
mond from London had arrived on the
previous afternoon. Mr.. Jackson Wy
lie placed the heel Of his right shoe
upon the favorite corn Of his other: ex-
tremity and bore down upon it heavily.
He must be getting into his dotage. he
decided. or else the idea Of $4,000, 600
job ratified him.
At the rear desk he had his card
blown up through the tube to "Nr. T..
Drummond" and a few moments later
was Invited to take the elevator.
Arriving at the sixth door. he needed
no page to guide him. Boots pointed
his way to the apartment Of the dis.
tinguished visitor as plainly as let
tered signboard-boots Of all descrip-
tions-hunting boots. riding boots.
street shoes, low shoes. pumps. san.
dals, black onss and tan ones, all in
row outside the door. Evidently Sir
Thomas Drupmond Travelled In style
and had come prepared for emergen-
cies. Nothing was missing from the
collection unless perhaps pair Of
rubber hip boots.
a stoop sheuldersd old man with .
marked accent and port wine nose
showed him into parlof, where the
nrst object upon which Mr.. Wylie's
active eyes alighted was a mass Of
blue prints on the center table. he
knew those drawings. He had figured
on them himself. He Likewise noted q
hatbox and q great, shapsless Eng
lish bag. both plastered crafty with
hotel and steamship labels from every
quarter Of the world. It was plain to
be seen that Sir Thomas was 4 globe
trotter.
seated" the valet announced. with
what seemed an intentional accent on
the "Mr.," then moved silently out
Mr.. Wylie remarked 10 himself upon
the value OF discreet servants. They
were very valuable. very hard to get
This must be some lifelong servitor Of
his lordshlp's family.
There was no occasion to inquire the
identity Of the tall. 'Aorid DnElishman
In tweeds who entered moment lat
er, bundle Of estimates in his hand.
teSir Thomas Drummond. Chairman Of
the Royal Barrata Bridge Commits
sion," was written all over him in
large type.
His lordship did not go to the trouble
Of welcoming his visitor. but scanned
him sharply through his glasses.
"You are Mr.. jackson Wyue, ST., he
demanded abruptly.
''That Ii my name"
"Owner Of the Atlantic Bridge COM
pany OF Newark, N. J.?"
1.-The same"
''You received cablesram from
your son in London?''
Eyes. your lordship."
Sir Thomas made q gesture Is Il to
feeego the titls.
"Let me see it,
Mr.. Wyhs produced the cablegram.
and Drummond scanned 1t hastily.
Evidently the Identification vas com
plets.
..Does any one besides your son and
yourself know the contents OF this
nessags!'
'.Not SOUL
"You havs not tod any sss Of my
coming1'
mo. SIR"
~