The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-06-16


David, but all you've made besides. I
keep In touch-it's my business to
keep in touch. You've been buying
bargains and you are holding them
for the simple reason that with the
present slowing-down tendency I'm the
saddle you can't sell and make any
money"
"Well?"
I've got a proposition TO make that
ought TO look good to you. What we
need Just now In this town is n little
more activity-something doing. You
can relieve the situation II you feel
like It."
How"
IF tell you. you mustn't go and use
IL against me. That would be a low
down welcher's trick. But you won't.
See here. your bureau at Washington
is pretty well scared up over the pros
pect here. II is known in the capital
that when congress convenes there is
going TO be dead-open.and-shut fight
TO kill this Buckskin reclamation pro-
ject. Very well; the way for you fel-
lows to win out is 10 hurry-finish
your dam and finish IL quick. before
congress or anybody else can get ac-
ton"
For single instant Brouillard was
puzzled. Then he began TO under
stand.
Go on" he said.
What l was going TO suggest is
this: You prod your people at Wash
ington with hot wire; tell 'em now's
the time to strike and strike hard.
They'll see the point, and II you ask
for an increase of q thousand men
you'll get II. Mako IL two thousand,
Just for the dramatic effect. Wen
work right along with you and make
things hum again. Wen start up the
cement plant, and ! don't know but
what we might give the Buckskin M. a.
NJ. folks small hypodermic that would
keep 'em alive while we are taking a
few snapshot pictures OF Mirapolis
on the Jump again"
LET me get II straight" said Brouil-
lard, putting his back against the door.
"You fully believe you've got us down;
that eventually. and before tho water
is turned on, congress will pass a bill
killing the Niquoia project. But in the
meantime. to make things lively. you'd
like-to have the reclamation service go
ahead and spend another million or 80
in wages that can be turned loose In
Mirapolis. Is that it?"
You've surrounded Il very neatly"
laughed the promoter. "Once. some
little time ago, might have felt the
necessity OF convincing your scruples,
but you've cut away all that foolish
old Uncle Samuel, I'll admit, but it'll
be only a pin.prick or 30 In comparison
to the money that is thrown away
every time congress passes an appro-
piration bill. And, putting II upon the
dead practical basis. Brouillard. It's
your own and only salvation-person-
ally. mean. You've got to unload or
go broke. and you can't unload on a
falling market. You think about II and
then get quick action with the wire.
There is no time TO lose"
Brouillard was looking past Cort-
wright and out through the plate glass
window which commanded a view OF
the great dam and it's network OF forms
and stagings.
1T is a gamblers bet and a rather
H. n ~
stand TO win all or 10 lose all I'm max
ing II, Mr.. Cortwright. The town IL
balancing on the knlfe-edge OF q panic
at this moment Would II go up. or
down, with a sudden resumption OF
work on the dam?"
The careless thinker would say
that 1t would yell Fire! and go up in
TO the air so far that II could never
climb down." was the prompt reply.
But we'll have the medicine dropper
handy. In the first place. everybody
can afford TO stay and boost while
Uncle Sam is spending his million or
so right here In the middle OF things.
Nobody will want TO pull out and leave
that COW unmilked. In the second
place, we've got mighty good anti
dote 10 use In any sure-enough case
OF hydrophobia your quick dam build
Ing may start"
"You could let II leak out that, In
spite OF all the hurrah and rush on
the dam, congress Is really going 20 In
terfere before we are ready TO turn
the water on" said Brouillard musing-
ly and as II II were only his thought
slipping into unconscious speech.
Precisely. We could make that prop
hold II you we're actually putting the
top course on your wall and making
preparations TO drop the stop-gate In
your spillway."
Il see" was the rejoinder. and II
was made In the same half-absent
monotone. But while we are still on
the knife-blade edge little
push Mr.. Cortwright. IL there
were one solitary righteous man left
In MIrapolis-"
There isn't" chuckled the promoter.
turning back to bis desk while the en-
gineer was cropping for the door knob
--"at least, nobody with that particu-