The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-12

ment. How much are you going to
soak me for?
johnson cleared his throat and
looked self-righteous.
SNOW. Williams" he began. you
understand that we can't use that
material to advantage at all. Well
have to rework II at considerable ex-
pense into something else. II we take
Il. But I'm sorry for you and would
like to help you out. Suppose we give
you $4,000 for t."
Williams stared at him In amaze
ment. Then his face grew red 40 he
struggled for utterance. His plans for
a self-possessed. diplomatic surrender
were suddenly forgotten.
why. you Internal robber!" ne al
most shouted. why don't you take
a piece Of lead pipe and 20 to Il right?
Sell you that stock for $4,000? Never!
I'll let II rot first. You've got the
nerve Of q Mexican bandit to make a
proposition Of that kind"
But as he strobe out the door still
swelling with Just indignation. he
could not help realizing that ne had
paid rather dearly for his outburst.
ut was worth II. though" he told
himself going back to headquarters In
the street a 4. ~fll have to hold that
material till the cow come home,
probably. and do business on a COM
mission basis until I can get another
bank roll: but I'm Just Irish enough
to be willing to shoot my wad that
way a. any other. That fellow John
son Is my meat II I ever have a
chance to do him"
And in spite OF the fact that he
was practically -down and out finan-
cially he was almost merry as he
told Miss Blanche what they had tried
to do to him
"By the Great Horn SPOON he de-
clared in finishing his recital. "the
Sanders Wagon Company will pay me
that money with interest. or my name
isn't Ted Williams"
II was a little tough to have to
give up choice accounts that he had
worked up personally and turn them
over TO other lumbermen. taking a
measly S. a car profit. just because
he couldn't manage to carry the ac-
counts. but Williams bucklcd down
10 the work. determined 10 make back
the money he had lost, and get to n
point where he could cross swords
with the Sanders outfit again.
He knew that rocked buyers are
few and far between, n that square
dealing is the rule and not tho ex-
ception in business. Hence the treat
mont fp which ha had hn,N stbl,.l
was all the more unpleasant. and every
time he thought of h wagon stock
under the shed at TeXtor's mili-the
latter had kindly granted free stor-
age. IN view Of tho s~ituation-he grit
ted his teeth and told himself that his
nance would come.
Then the war broke. business had
not been any too good before, hut
when the bottom dropped out OF ex-
ports the hardwood mills closed down
with remarkable unanimity. Prices
brok" rapidly and Williams had
cause 10 congratulate himself that he
was not a manufacturer and could
take his profits whether quotations
were high or low. Rut buyers we're !
AFRAID OF the slump!ng market. and
for months orders were SO scarce that
II took a fine tooth comb 10 find them.
a little later, however, predictions !
OF war business materialized and the
began TO brighten. The mills
closed and the active de-
mand for certain kinds and grades of
lumber needed for munitions OF war
diminished the supply more rapidly
than was generally realized. one da.
Williams read a brief news item 10 IN.
effect that Il certain concern had
booked up several million dollars
worth OF foreign business and were
going To he the husies, manufacturers
IN America, so busy n fact that much
OF the goods would have to be made
in other plants.
WiIlIams decided that there might
be "A nance to sell some lumber there
and promptly caught a sleeper for the
where the factory was situated.
lie oun lumbermen. wagon manu-
~saddlery and harness men
and in fact everybody else who was
ever so slightly by the wal
camping out there and
to his disappointment that
orders for all tho material needed had
been placed.
Going home that night ne was about
TO step into the smoking room OF the
when he heard familiar
They were those Of Sanders
md Johnson. who had evidently been
nj the factory as well.
What are we going to do about the
for that order. johnson ?"
Sanders was asking his lum-
Der buyer. The hardwood man, look
.ns quickly behind him. saw that the
coast vas clear. and decided TO forget
'thics for q moment and eavesdrop.
We have got to handle our part Of
contract in sixty days and our
'tock G" lumber n parts Ia simply
hot TO pieces. was counting on the
wagon trade being dull for a year
] instructed you to lot UP on all
,uyinE."
Yes" re,oined johnson. and tho
worst OF II is that this wal business
las cleaned up all the thick stock In
he country. Two inch dry lumber
nd thicker is practically OF the
We can wait to have il
manufactured because OF the delay.
nd anyway putting green stock
through the dry kiln would waste too
time, even n we didn't have 10
ir dry II for a while. {
another thing. Wa have got To get {