Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-22

Of the Ring City Rapid Transit com
pany showing that Benjamin +. sledge
had paid $4,000 cash for 1850 shares
Of stock in that live corporation.
Here's the stock" added sledxe,
throwing down one lone certificate for
the entire amount.
You don't mean that you're going to
make bona fide company out Of this? p
Bozzam incredulously questioned.
1.-THE moneys In the bank. Make
good or let GO
Bozzam felt his circulation stopping.
I'VE can't let go,' he blurted in acute
pain.
"Sure not" said Sledge. lifting hiS
heavy upper lip to snarl at him vim
! dictiveIy You cheap crooks thought
you could double cross me. You bought
| stock in Bert elders name. You
loaned Marley enough to buy control.
Any way you fix 1t you lose"
| Bozzam reflected over that statement
carefully. He viewed it from every
angle. He twisted and sianted 1t and
| turned it upside down to look at the
bottom. 1t was a fawless statement
sound and solid in every particular. and
he admired It,
Il believe everything they ever said
about you" he acknowledged and
laughed pleasantly. Now, let's get
down to cases, Sledge. How can we
compromise this mess!
Nothing doing. No double crosser
ever gets away from me-"
so 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 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 one wondered how he could
induce himself to eat He looked at
his watch, but held the face toward
him like 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 queer little puzzle for you,
Moodson,'' said BoZzam cheerfully.
Mr. Sledge has determined to make a
bonafde company out of the Ring
City Rapid Transit, and Of course will
not sell the franchises. He has put up
his $4,000 and requests us to put up
our 100000 to complete the capitalize
ton. He knows that You financed the
drama at the recent stockholders
meeting; that you bought 1000 shares
Of stock for $50, 900 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 one out of business, and you
can get half 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 ex
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 a bench and laughing noiselessly
until he grew purple in the face.
| Timbers came in, looking much dis
tressed for fat man, and surveyed
Bozzam in establishment.
slip me the good one" be begged
81 need laugh worse than l evel
needed a drink ON the 4th of Janu
ary."
We've stung Moodson" snorted Boz.
yum. For that matter, we all gel
stung, but I'm willing to lose my enc
of it in order to see that inhuman CHOU
get his
Timbers grinned to his full capacity
which was much.
Il didn't know you hated Old Gloon
as bad as I do. Where did he go te
die?"
Have a look" offered Bozzam
pointing to the frosted glass partition
In corner of one Of the panes there
was little clear space made by tht
scaling Of the glass, and to this Tim
bers applied his eye. Moodsons face
had turned a sallow yellow and hai
taken on an expression as IL he hai
just swallowed quinine, but beyond
this he had not moved, and neither
gentleman had said a word-Sledge
sitting in comfortable enjoyment, wait
ing, and Moodson suffering intense
contraction of all his vital organs.
Timbers leaned against the wood
work to chuckle. Bozzam drew hin
kindly away.
Let me look" he requested BE
sides, you're shaking the partition
In quiet joy he watched the wordles.
duel within for a moment. and theI
he suddenly turned to the meek littl,
stenographer, who was placidiy read
ing, and asked her to call up Marley.
What do you want with the fluff il
this pathetic hour:" inquired Timbers
Hand him his" snickered Bozzam
why does anybody get fussy will
Sledge? He turns one little trick ant
. LII, .ici-c h.