Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-03-02

We'll. | amt" announced Slcdye.
We don't sell"
Not at all?" asked Bozzam. reveal.
ing the secret worry under which he
had labored ever since the meeting.
"Nix!" replied Sledge. We keep 'cm
and build. Dig up for your stock"
Bozzam merely blinked. This was a
blow so unexpected that he could
scarcely comprehend 1t. Moreover. 1t
was q blow beneath the belt.
Dig up" he family repeated.
Two hundred thousand cash." Sledge
rumbled. Il dug" He tossed BozZam
Il receipt from Johnson, the secretary
of the Ring City Rapid Transit com
rany showing that Benjamin r. Slcdgc
had paid S750,000 cash for 1900 shares
of stock in that live corporation.
Here's the stock" added Slcdge,
throwing down one lone certificate for
the entire amount.
You don't mean that you're going to
make a bona iidc company out of this?''
Bozzam incredulously questioned.
"The moneys in the bank. Make
GGod or let go
BoZzam felt his circulation stopping.
I'VE can't let got he blurted i'm acute
pain.
"surc not" said slcdge, lifting his
heavy upper lip to snarl at him Vim
dictively. "Iou cheap crooks thought
You could double cross me. You bought
stock III Bert elders name. You
loaned Marley enough to buy control.
Any way you fix it you lose"
BozZam reflected owe that statement
carefully. lie viewed it from every
turned it upside down to look at the
bottom. 1t was a nawless statement,
sound and solid in every particular, and
he admired it.
II believe everything they evcr said
about you," he acknowledged and
laughed pleasantly. Nov, let's get
down to cases, Sledge. How can we
compromise this ness"
Nothing doing. No double crosscr
ever gets away from me-"
80 I've been told" commented Boz
Fam, smiling with keen appreciation Of
some unlimited joke. 1T seems to me
this is now up to Moodson," and he
touched a bell.
A girl entered.
Send Mr.. Moodson in, please" said
Bozzom, and Sledge looked at his
watch.
Mr.. Moodson arrived and took a
chair opposite Sledge and on the other
side Of BozZam, his mouth so tightly
closed that n wondered how he could
induce himself to eat. He looked at
his watch, but held the face toward
him like a poker hand and dropped it
stealthily back in his pocket, as if he
feared that some one might get the
time Of day away from him.
I've a queer little puzzle for you,
Moodson," said BoZzam cheerfully.
"Mr. Sledge has determined to make a
bonafidc company out of the Ring
City Rapid Transit, and Of course will
not sell the franchises. He has put up
his $750,O0O and requests us to put up
our 100000 to complete the capitaliza-
ton. He knows that you financed the
drama at the recent stockholders
meeting; that you bought 1000 shares
Of stock for $4,000 and loaned $4,000
on 100000 worth of Marley's. Now,
here is the case in a nutshell: If you
put up the 100000 to pay for the
stock in this new company it will drive
the other II out Of business, and YOU
can get half a cent a pound for your
$4,000 worth of stock certificates in
the old company. If you don't make
good on this subscription you get OK
actly the same price for your old stock
as you would if you did. Now, what
is the answer, in view of the fact that
Mr.. Sledge is absolutely implacable
and means to do us harm? l shall
leave you gentlemen to discuss the
question"
He left the two experts in silence,
facing each other glumly arross his
desk, and went into the adjoining
room, where he surprised the meek lit
tie stenographer by sinking on the arm
of n bench and laughing noiselessly
until he grew purple in the face.
Timbers came in, looking much dis
trcssed for Il fat man, and surveyed
BOZzam in establishment.
"Slip me the good one" he begged.
II need a laugh worse than I ever
needed n drink on the 4th of Janu-
ary."
We've stung Moodson!' snorted Boz
yum. For that matter, we all get
stung, but I'm willing to lose my end
Of it in order to see that inhuman ghoul
get his"
Timbers grinned to his full capacity,
which was much.
II didn't know you hated Old Gloom
as bad as I do. Where did he go to
die?"
Have a look" offered BozZam,
pointing to the frosted glass partition.
In a corner Of one Of the panes there
was a little clear space made by the
scaling Of the glass, and to this Tim
berS applied his eve. Moodson's face