Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-20

"My dear Mr. Bezazzum, you must
realize that, SO far as intent goes, we
are entirely innocent in this affair. In
a spirit of fairness, however, we will
do this much. We will pay the freight
both ways, take back the 800 portable
houses and repay your 10 per cent ad.
vance deposit in cash."
"Hear, heart" cried Hickey Saunders,
In tone which tried to be exhilarat-
ing. "That's a sportin' offer. Mr.. Be
zazzum."
Mr.. Bezazzum's answer to that sport
ing offer was immediate, picturesque
and violent. He intended to press his
claim In the highest courts in the land,
so help him Moses, and there was no
possible compromise. Hold on, thought
There might-that is, 1t was just barely
possible that there might-be a way
out. 1t might be barely possible that
II the Speckled Bass company were to
relinquish the goods free, In settlement
Of Mr.. Bezazzum's claim-well, gentle
men, there you werel
| The dense silence was broken by
Humperdink. "Did l understand the
gentleman to say that he offered a
compromise?" he queried in tones of
intense thought.
Mr.. Walllngford, apparently hopeless
and despairing, put the compromise
into ineligible terms.
"At last there's somethin' fairly
sportin'r' Hickey plucked up his spir-
its enough to announce. "Is 1t correct,
guv'nor, that this gentleman will Just
take the 800 portable houses and go
back home to Bezap, or Bezibber, or
wherever It is, and never-er-never
molest us again%
"That is his only term" vociferated
Mr.. Bezazzum.
"Then," went on Hickey, still bright
ening, u vote, fellows, that we accept
the bloomin' compromise and thank
the gentleman from Beam for having
made his rippin' good sportin' Offer"
Just moment, gentlemen" warn
ed Wallingford solemnly 1--WE are set
ting dangerous precedent. We have
customers In Ontario and in Arkansas
who will be claiming the very same
terms"
'Move we let 'em all have the
TERMS" returned Hickey promptly.
"Move we let 'em all have 'em. That's
sportin'. eli. fellows? Somebody sec
ond the notion"
They had barely made that resolution
when the attorney for the National
company just managed to happen In
upon them. The attorney for the Ma
tional company was very severe. He
would give the Speckled Bass company
a few minutes In which to buy for
$125,000 Wallingfords patents, which
had beeH infringed, and to quit busi-
ness entirely and forever
1t took the board of directors just for
ty-three seconds to accept the PROPOSE
ton, and Immediately thereafter II
departed in body, declining even to
take parting drink In the hideous
marts OF traue.
Violet and Fannie Warden started
nervously as the door of Manager Wal
lingford's private Office opened, but
they frightened as Mr.. Wallingford
and Pete Bezazzum entered with dis
tinct and concerted swagger.
'Everybody's discharged" announced
]. Rufus jovially. "The Speckled Bass
company has gone out of business"
Forever Mr.. Bezazzum pulled off
his whlskers and threw them on the
desk and became Blackie Daw. 1--WE
must have cleaned up about a quarter
Of million for the Warden restitution
fund, jim"
"a little better, think" Walllng-
ford threw open the safe and drew out
bundle, which he tossed on the desk.
There's a hundred and twenty-five
thousand cash, which wouldn't touch
until we had every possible comeback
settled"
"That's the idea" Blackie turned in
explanation to the mystihed girls. 'Tn
any con deal it's easy enough to get
hold of the money, but to make It safe
money requires both skill and pa
tience."
Violet laughed, but Fannie still look
ed troubled.
II don't quite understand how you
got this money, Mr.. Wallingford."
by strictly legitimate business
methods In use every day from Port
land, Me-, to Portland, ore.," immedi-
ately claimed Wallingford, quite anx-
lous to convince Fannie that 1t was
all right.
THAT isn't what 1 meant" Fannie
went on.
However you got 1t, the money is
for patents you sold the company
your inventions"
"Bunkp grinned Blackle. 'Jim in
vents like he eats his dinner, five or
six courses at a time. The fact you
have to consider is that we got this
S125,000 for the heirs of the Warden
estate out of the heirs Of some of the
crooks who robbed It. And there's
more besides. girls, You own 525 fine,
hollow walled, very portable bunga-
lows What are they worth, Jim?"
Cant say exactly" wallingford
had deep frown on his brow
They're at good distributing points,