The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-26

Epl, even IL ne Qdu wanted 10 D6
helped. Jim Carew set the pace, and
he was bitter against Eph. Carew
had turned Eph's invention into COM
pany concern, and he was loaded down
to the heels with the worthless stock.
Eph wanted Polly badly; he humbled
himself to go to the magnate and ask
for work as-his chauffeur!
Your mans left. hear" Eph be-
gan.
You want the job, said Carew, and
a devilish clever thought came to him.
How would twenty-five a week suit
, your" he asked.
Finely" said Eph.
I'll take you, then. And I'll pay
you twenty-five-in the knight com.
pany stock"
Eph never blinked That suits me-"
he answered. And he went to work.
The Knight company insolvent as
ever, made steel castings in small
way, and the twenty-five dollar shares
were still to be had, if anyone wanted
them, at about three dollars apiece.
The widow had fifty. Carew held
forty thousand, and every Saturday
one was unloaded on Eph. After a
couple of months the magnate grew
reckless.
I'll raise you to a hundred" he
said. That meant about twelve dol
lars week to Eph. Actually, Carew
was afraid of losing a good chauffeur.
III make it two hundred he said
little later Pretty good salary for a
chauffeur"
Yes, sir" said Eph.
Eight shares a week passed into
Eph's pocket, or twenty-five dollars at
the actual Knight prices. In six
months he held something over two
hundred shares, representing a CAPT.
tai of $500. Polly was jubilant. He
had spoken of marrying her.
One Saturday Carew said, "I'n buy
back those shares at five apiece, Eph.
l hear the company's doing little
business. l understand you haven't
cashed in on Them
I'm going to hold them, sir" said
Eph. I'm going to sell them my tor
pedo and, when they start manufac-
turing, the shares will be worth the
old price, and something more"
We'll, I'll pay you cash in future"
grumbled Carew.
There won't be any future an
swered Eph. I'm going to leave you
tomorrow, Mr.. Carew."
He did, and the bans were put up in
church, while Eph went back to the
shed and invested everything in
forge and torpedo metal. Folks pitied
Polly now. They spoke more harshly
of Eph than ever. He had sold his
stock at six, and it was rising, rising.
1t became twelve, twenty, fifty. The
war boom broke with vengeance. It
rose to ninety. 1t touched hundred.
There was wild furry to sell. Every
one sold except the Widow Gill, whose
five thousand dollars worth remained
in the bank vaults. People alternately
cursed and praised Eph, according as
they had won or lost
It'll touch two hundred" said Eph,
when the slump followed Only knight
stocks held steady. Nobody under.
stood.
Not till Eph and Polly, both radi.
antly happy, had started on their
honeymoon. Then the papers were
full of the news. The knight com.
pany-Eph Knight, president, had the
exclusive right to manufacture the
new torpedo for the allied govern.
ments. And Eph, who had sold at six,
held fifty thousand shares, new shares,
at two hundred!
welcome home!" said the triumph.
al banner under which the honeymoon.
ers rode on their return journey.
But when the mobs had dispersed
oily sat beside Eph, radiantly happy,
in the old woodshed, while the inven-
tor, lost in thought worked on his i'm.
proved aeroplane engine.