Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-06-01

still, I might have been taken in,"
persisted Brouillard suavely. You'll
surely want to give me my instruc-
lions little beforehand, won't you?
Just think how easily things might get
tangled. Suppose l should say to some
body-to Garner, for examp1e-that
the town was hugely mistaken; that
no congressional committee had ever
been appointed; that these gentlemen
who are about to visit US are mere
complaisant friends of yours, coming
as your guests, on a iunketing trip at
your expense. Wouldn't that be rather
awkward?"
The mayor Of Mirapolis brought his
hands together, fist in palm, and for a
fitting instant the young engineer saw
in the face of the father the same ex-
preston that he had seen in the face
Of the son when Van Bruce Cartwright
was struggling for a second chance to
kill man.
Damn you'll" said the magnate say
agely; you always know too much!
You're bargaining with mel"
We'll, you have bargained with me,
first, last and all the time," was the
cool retort. "On each occasion 1 have
had my price, and you have paid it.
Now you are going to pay it again.
Shall l go over to the Spotlight Office
and tell Harlan what I knaw2'
you can't bluff me that way Brouil.
lard, and you ought to sense it by this
time. Do you suppose don't know
how you are fixed?-that you've got
money-money that you used to say
you owed somebody else-tied up in
Mirapolis investments?"
Brouillard rose and buttoned his
coat.
There is one weak link in your
chain, Mr.. Cartwright" he said even.
ly; you don't know men. Put on your
coat and come over to Harlan's office
with me- 1t will take just about two
minutes to satisfy you that I'm not
bluffing"
For moment it appeared that the
offer was to be accepted. But when
he had one arm in a coat sleeve
Brouillard's antagonist in the game OF
hardihood changed his tactics.
Forget it," he growled morosely
What do you want this timer"
IT want you to send a wire to Red
Butte telling the snelter people that
you will be glad to have them handle
the Little Susan ore"
And if l do?"
eff you do, two things otherwise due
to happen adversely will go over tC
your side Of the market I'll agree tC
keep out of the way Of the sham Wash
ington delegation, and I think I car
promise that Harlan won't make 6
scarehead of the facts concerning the
COronida land titles"
Mr.. Cartwright thrust the other arm
into the remaining coat sleeve and
scOWled. But the rebound to the norm
of brusque good nature came almost
Immediately.
You are improving wonderfully
Brouillard, and that's no joke I have
a large respect for man who can out
bid me in my own corner You ought
to be in business-and you will be
some time. III send the wire, but
warn you in advance that / can't make
the slnelter people take Massingale's
ore if they don't want to. All can dc
is to give the old man free field"
THAT is all he will ask-all I'll ask
except one small personal favor: Don't
rub your masquerading Washington
delegation into me too hard. A fine
quality of noninterference is about all
you are buying from me-"
Tell me one thing, Brouillard
What is your stake in the Massingale
game? Are you silent partner in the
Little Susan'?"
NO"
Then why are you so anxious to
make old David rich man at my ex
pense? Are you going to marry the
girl?"
The engineer did not resent the ques
ton as he would have resented it a
few weeks earlier. Instead he smiled
and said: "a little while ago, Mr.
Cartwright, 1 told you that you didn't
know men; now I'll add that you don't
know women"