The Bossier banner., 1916-04-20

| DlStllerS and Brewers league.
Bozzam came. suave. smiling, more
polished gentleman than anybody, but
not offensive with it.
How goes it," asked Sledge.
"Splendidly," said Bozzam. "The
| stocks all sold, including our own.
We're ready to move on unless We can
| put over real good organization of
some sort. We don't want another lit.
tie one, though Traction companies
are our game"
Get busy" remarked Sledge.
with the original traction thought?
A grunt Of assent was Sledge's reply
as he looked out along the high board
| fence which bound in the narrow area
way. y thing which had once been 4
mop leaned in corner by one of the
scantlings, decaying
BoZzam looked at Sledge for mo-
ment and, being a gentleman Of rare
penetration. rightly concluded that his
| errand was over.
Good day" he said and started for
| the door.
Bendix and Il big blue eyed man with
Il square jaw and muscular shoulders
| came in. and Bendix introduced the
latter to Bozzam as Jim Gally. The
two gentlemen exchanged grins as they
| shook hands. but neither one of them
was careless enough to state that they
| had already met, although, as n mat
ter of fact, Mr.. Gally now possessed
| the exclusive bar privilege at the new
| amusement park.
| Stick around, Bozzam," said Sledye
Tom. Bozzam gets his car line. Gally
will fix the franchises"
Bendix. although the project and
| Sledge's resolution were absolutely
new to him, never batted an eyelash.
We'll get together on that at the
hotel in about an hour" he told Gally
and Bozzam. Nothing ready to give
out to the papers, is there, Sledge?"
"Nawr
You'd better explain to Bozzam
what you want in the way.of routes" :"
suggested BendiX. "The franchises
should be passed in secret session, Gal
| ly. Is everybody all right?"
Its a family reunicn," declared
Gally. "Is that all, Sledge?".
WATT" said Sledge and looked ont
at the mop.
Everybody sat down, and there
seemed to be some important topic in
abeyance. They INDUCED In no trifline
conversation, but looked out Of the
window. Bendix ordered drinks, which
they consumed silently and solemnly.
Sledge evidently had some weighty
plan ON his mind, for he only drank
half his beer.
Davis of the First National came in.
pompous man, with fish fat double
chin and pompous white side whiskers
and white waistcoat. He stood at
| the other side of the tab'e, hut Sledge
beckoned him closer, and 9a W.; wear
ing an impenetrable air Of mystery.
leaned his whiskered ear far down.
Call Marley's loans," rumbled the
boss in a tone which at three feet
away sounded like tuba sawmill.
rs he shaky?" inquired Davis in a
| panic stricken whisper.
"He will be- promised Sledge.
why, he owes the bank $50 5,OOOv' re-
turned Davis, more panic stricken than
ever. and his whispering sounded like
the exhaust of safety valve. I'm go
| right away and protect the bank.
What has happened to him. Mr.
| Sledge?"
Nothing yet" stated Sledge. "sft
down, Davis"
Mr.. Davis sat down, and the four
who had been told to wait looked at
one another with growing wonder and
at the impassive big man, who was
still drawing inspiration from the de-
| crepit mop.
Five minutes passed. Bendix and
Bozzam and Gally sat in comfortab BILE
| quiet. resting all their faculties, phys
| zeal, mental and moral, but Mr.. Davis
fidgeted audibly. He twiddled his fin
| gers, he fused with his cravat, be
| ran slip nooses in his watch cord, he
wiped his reading glasses and put them
on and took them off.
Five minutes more passed. Mr.. Da
Wis in desperation rang the bell for
| the velvet footed Adolph and ordered
il drink. In other gatherings Mr.. Boz
Eam would have enlivened the moment
| with a story or with conversation and
| repartee. On occasion he could have
sung song or recited poem or play
ed seven up. craps or tiddledywinks, all
with the pleasing finish Of a profes-
sional. Just now. however, he remain
ed as placidly calm as a cake of Swiss
cheese.
A step came down the narrow pas
| sageway. A rawboned fellow appear
ed in the doorway He was tall and
Dig and wore good clothes. His hama.
| we're coarse and had bulbous finger
tips, with extremely broad, stubby
nails, but they showed no signs Of re-
cent toll. He had wide mouth and
| prominent cheek bones and lew fore
| head. He looked like a retired coal
beaver. The exigencies Of politics had
once made him county treasurer, and
since then he had lived in prosperous
idleness.
Sledge arose and walked around to
the front of the table.
Say, Feeder he growled, I've been
| paying you seventy-fve month for
two years. That rightF'
| Yes" hesitated Feeder, with a puz-
zled glance at the unusual crowd in
| the little room.
What for?" demanded Sledge.
Mr.. Feeder smiled ingratiatingly, but
paled in the process.
Campaign work." he replied.
What for?'' demanded Sledge