The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-01-24

III. we never TedllZeu IHdl IL was any
thing but a legitimate increase till
the smash came. They quit all their
a orders. We went back to our nor
! NAL business, laid off u extra force
and found ourselves with a lot of use
less machinery and half a dozen super
fuous packing houses on our hands
and no advertising lone at all that
year. Shrewd game. eh?"
Can o beat that?" asked Jackson
of his friend.
Just shows you" Wallace answered,
what chance a little fellows got"
None at all, unless he's got big CAPT
tai. That would have ruined a small
manufacturer"
What did uncle do them" Jackson
asked. and he fingered for a second on
that word uncle" He was beginning
to have new ideas about both gum and
uncles.
Turned everything he personally
had in all the world into hard cash and
put 1t bang into the business"
This was somewhat startling. you
mean that, aside from the actual chew
ing-gum business, he left very little?"
Nothing at all. Well, / won't say
that, for I believe the plant did actual
ly show a profit last year. When Miss
Richards she'll tell you. She's
got 1t at her finger tips"
Josie? Does she know as much as
that? What's her position in the fac
tory"
She's chief accountant, practically
manager now. You remember her? OF
course you do. She'll tell you all there
is to tell" the Judge explained, as
Dave came with the cigars.
Their mere arrival made both Wis
itors nervous, and when the judge pre-
sented them to Broadway he was glad
to find 1t reasonable to disclaim cigar
smoking entirely and light a cigarette.
Wallace had no such excuse He had
been smoking steadily since his ar
rival until within ten minutes. He
never felt like thinking save when he
was smoking and there would be much
hard thinking to be done this evening.
But to smoke one Jonesvflle perfecto
would. he doubted not, end all thinking
for all time, so he declared with
fervor that he had, already, smoked
as much that day as he was allowed to
smoke by his physician.
The judge chuckled as he delved into
the bundle of legal papers Sam had
brought. Then: Here it Is. It's a
long will. Take you quite a little while
to read 1t. Better put it in your
pocket and look 1t over when you go to
the hotel. And this other stuff We'll go
through later.
There's some one at the door. I'll
see who II is. Mons making lemon
ade and Sans practicing his banjo.
Hear him."
Broadway looked at Wallace with a
shaking head while the judge was from
the room. You see? Nothing but the
plant. I've got to sell all right"
Wallace nodded in slow affirmation.
Yes, but not at their price. Didn't
you hear? The plant showed a profit
last year without any advertising?
Heavens, man! Think of that! In
these days!"
Broadway recalled his very pressing
needs. Il can't afford to take a chance.
This is Thursday. Pembroke said
they'd have to know by Saturday
noon"
That's a bluff"
broadway looked at him reprovingly.
You don't seem to realize the enor-
nifty of the ~offense-I mean of the
amount. it's twelve-hundred-thou-
sand-dollars."
Il tell you to hold out"
But | tell you | can't afford to hold
out. l."
Piano." Wallace warned. Mrs. S.
is coming"
And indeed she entered with a tray
on which there were a pitcher and two
glasses. Here's some nice, cold lemon
ade." she explained Hospitality. Then:
Did the Judge go to the door,"
Broadway nodded.
She dropped her voice to a loud
whisper. Il put a drop of whisky in
the lemonade. The judge would have
a fit II he should find 1t out. He's such
a temperance crank! But he'll not
J know. He never will drink lemonade"
Jackson smiled at her with full APP
probation Of this tribute to him. 'Tll
keep your guilty secret" he said sol
emily.
With me it's sacred" Wallace
promised her.
She beamed on them and raised her
voice. We'll, IL you want more Just
shout out"
Tn liable to shout most any min
ute," Broadway promised, though the
thought of sweetened lemonade-he
wasn't him." the Judge replied. Il
know him"
Wallace knit his brows. He was not
pleased. who the deuce was it?"
Mrs. Gerard's lawyer!" Broadway
whispered to Wallace, worried.
No, no." he laughed.
He said" the Judge continued, that
he'd wait for you down at the Grand.
He said that IL was most important;
that he must see you tonight
so he went to the Grand hotel?"
"Yes."
did you tell him that I wouldn't see
anybody"
Il didn't even admit that you were