The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-10-29

to the surface. | have patent on the
process.
"Have you done much with it?" in
quired Wallingford, always awake t.
money making possibilities and he ex.
an,Ined the checkerboard again with
keen interest.
mot a thing" returned Closby, with
the carefree nonchalance of a man
whose success in one line has made
him kind to all his failures. Il shipped
an assortment Ut the stuff to ,ny New
York agent and be could do nothing
with 1t. guess it's just as we'll, for
believe the success OF the process il
due to some peculiar quality in the
city water, which have not analysed.
l tried to prepare the material In Chi
cage and New York and had failures
In both places"
Wallingford puzzled over that state
ment for a moment and then he
chuckled.
II see." he said. III you had made
hit with it the city council would nave
declared 1t an official enterprise"
Blackie's whiskers arrived in bulky
package on the first mail Tuesday
morning and BIackie. who had Kept
impatiently out OF sight on Monday. in
sisted on wearing the red Galways and
wig to breakfast, in spite Of WaIling-
ford's dismayed protest J. Rufus posi-
lively refused to appear with him on
the street in that make up. so Blackie
went alone, made the round OF the
square aud walking boldly into the
general merchandise store, attended by
Il dozen small boys and Dummy Long
shank. purchased from the amazed
Closby himself spool Of black cotton
thread No. ~. q dozen clothes pins and
a cake Of beeswax!
In the afternoon he added luxuri.
ant black goatee to his own pointed
black mustache and, making motions
like Frenchman. Infested the public
places until he had large enough fol.
lowing and entered Closby's store.
In the evening, as soon as it was
properly dark. Blackie made him
mask out of some blue cambria, went
back through the brickyard. climbed
up on CIosby's high board fence and
sat there smoking through hole in
his mask. absolutely motionless other
wise. for solid hour. while the popu.
lace qniveringIy watched
Rlackie's actions were so openly
mysterious that Mayor Sawberry him.
self came to WaIlingford in protest on
Wednesday morning
your man. Holmes. is mighty care.
less about his DISCUSSES" be complain.
ed after having duly introduced him.
self. "Henry Closby's bound to know
who he is and what he's hanging
AROUND for"
WaIlIngford. who was annoyed into
an itching rash by this most absurd Of
all Blackie's many roles. was. however,
prepared for this emergency.
HE is doing that to throw Mr. Clos
by of the track" he asserted He In.
tends Ciosby to know who be Is and
to keep so much in his eyes that he
Will NOT think or me-.
"Bn, what good does it do?" persist
Ell the mayor
"Just this" said Wallingford i'm
pressivey. while my assistant has
been attracting attention to himself l
have been finding ont things. For in
stance, Henry Closby is making net
profit of over $500 a week out of
product of this town about which you.
SIr. Mayor. know nothing"
The mayors chest sank in like de-
6ated balloon. You don't mean itv' he
gasped painfully.
Look at this letter." insisted Wal
!ingford calmly.
He handed Mayor Sawberry letter
bearing the business card of B. f. Tut
tie and addressed to Henry Closby.
With oily fingers the mayor opened
that letter. with no more conjunction
than II it had been addressed to him.
self. He read as follows:
My Dear Mr.. Closby-I take pleasure in
calling your attention to the fact that
your royalties are steadily increasing, be-
ing s., 223.50 for this month. an increase OF
nearly $3.50 over last month and of over
$3.50 above the month previous. Your lat
est shipment looks very promising. BY
the way. l think you had better send me
a sample of the Spanglerville city water
for analysis.
The mayor laid down that letter on
the table before him and viewed it
with bullying eyes. Hes been using
the city water!' he puffed.
Exactly" agreed Wallingford. in
specting the absorbed mayor with scant
liking. Your city water possesses
some delicate chemical property that
makes it highly valuable to Mr.. Closby
in a secret process of art manufacture.
This letter shows just how valuable"
The new letter was from New York
bank. and the mayor opened it with
fingers that trembed from Indignation.
He read:
My Dear Mr.. Closby-As per your re-
quest, We inclose herewith an itenized
statement of the amounts deposited with
us to your credit by your agent, Mr.. Tut
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