Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-04-04

smith tnat you We given me. lie
good TO look at. and I've been remem-
bering that wonderful grin of his all
morning. It's like a drink of good
wine"
He's a perfectly grand grinner; he
invented it. think" agreed Marjorie,
and they went to lunch.
That evening, just before closing
time. Hammond looked suddenly up
from his memoranda and snapped:
"Bluffing, did you see about securing
that adjoining tract of land for the
extension of the Eureka Works"
"Why-no," faltered Mr. Bluifing, Il
haven't seen to it yet
You haven't" roared Hammond,
"Bluffing, | am going to pain you. Go
do business with the cashier, and
don't bother to come back and shake
hands Good-by."
That evening. after having accepted
the angry resignation of the girl with
the straw-colored hair, the captain
took a train 10 minutes earlier than
his accustomed one, and stopped at
the gray cottage of the Smiths on his
way up to his own big stone residence
at the end of the boulevard. In answer
to his ring very pretty brown
haired girl came to the door. and Cap
tain Hammond whose heart was
growing younger through the days eX-
perience, fairly beamed upon her.
MY goodness me! And you're one
of the grown-up Smith children, too,
aren't you?" he said, as one awaken
ing to a startling discovery.
Yes, Captain Hammond" she re-
piled, dimpling. Pm June"
Where's your brother?"
"Oh, he's up at your house playing
tennis, | think. We were just going
up TO join them" and she looked back
chubby young fellow of about twenty
two strolled out hatless and saluted
the captain with a flourish of his
| hand
Hell, Peters!" said the captain;
you're a great one. | never see you
twice with the same girl"
"Hush!" said Billy Peters in a care
full burlesQue of a confidential under
tone. Il don't dare encourage any of
them too much" And he gave a fine
: imitation of a man yawning.
Some of these days, my boy"
warned the captain, laughing. you're
going to be so hard hit that it viii
make a man of you. By the way
June, I'm suddenly so interested in all
you young people that ! forgot my er-
rand ! understand that your brother
is looking for a position
"Oh, no." she said, beaming with
sisterly pride, 'he found one this
morning"
Then the captain, who usually tried
/ to be most circumspeet in the COM
pany of ladies, forgot himself.
He'll" he said
| Napoleon Smith had secuted" in
perhaps a dozen places before a good
Samaritan led him to the Offices of
/ Forsythe and Spencer. They called
/ themselves promoters, did Forsythe
and Spencer, although they chiefly
| promoted real estate deals and would
/ follow a dollar through Hades, or I'M
/ til they had annexed it, Forsythe's
/ hair, face, mustache> and beard were
/ the color of a dish of ice cream, and
| he looked up at one through shrewd
| old eyes which bored down through
| the soul to the pockets.
Yes, Mr.. Smith," he quavered in
his high-pitched and nasal voice, I'VE
do need a man, but I'm afraid from
what you tell me that you haven't had
enough business experience"
| Assuming that you are correct"
he said. how much money would you
be willing to pay me?"
Ten dollars a week"
Napoleon grinned. Forsythe liked
that grin; he knew it had commercial
value, and he waited with concealed
anxiety for the answer.
And what would | be expected to
do?"
Anything you're told"
No" decided Mr.. Smith. -"One gets
more money for that, Well say about
rs dollars, and even then there'd have
to be reservations"
Around the corners of Forsythe's
mouth there came an unfamiliar
twitch, and after a hard struggle the
! corners turned upward.
Il see," he said well, Mr.. Smith,
suppose We leave the question of
salary an open one. Suppose you
work with us for two weeks. At the
end of that time, we'll sit down and
have a good quarrel upon the matter
of pay"
I'm take you" said Napoleon, with
an alacrity which almost startled the
older man.
Come in and meet Mr.. Spencer"
he said. grimly.
So it came about that Napoleon
Smith was put out in Sunnyview and
| began the herculean task of selling
building lots to prospective home
seekers. The first week he was well.
nigh discouraged, for, in spite of all
| his engaging efforts and his pleasing
personality, and even despite his grin,
the flock of people attracted by the
Forsythe and Spencer advertising
came and looked at the appalling for.
sakenness of the place and went
away; and by Saturday noon he had
only sold eight lots.
What do you think of that Smith
boy?' said Forsythe, rubbing his
| biOOdIess old hands tooatbar cue