The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-06-07
His Price
II Turned Out to Be
His Own, Not the
Other Mans.
By CLARlSSA MACKIE

{: By CLARlSSA MACKlE Il
ssssssssssssssssssesseesss
Skin Babcock was a self made man.
That was his chief boast One day
after he had made this assertion one
Of the persons who heard it said to the
other:
Reckon he did make himself. The
Lord never would have made man
like him."
Ski6 left school when he was nine
years old.
There were two things that Babcock
coveted. The one was the most ex-
pensive automobile he could buy, and
the flashiest. The other was Celia
Hart, young milliner. Celia was of
the same sphere in life us Babcock, but
she must have been made Of different
clay.
He got the automobile, and 1t re-
manned for him to get Celia Hart--if
he could. The only thing in the way
Of his getting her so far as he knew
was Tim Casey. Casey was in Bah
cocks employ, and Babcock considered
that he owned every man he hired. 1t
CALLED him to feel that this common
workman" as he called Casey. should
be in the way Of his getting anything
he wanted. But Casey was far before
him in Celia's affections, and he knew
It But 1t wasn't natural that this
should be so. and he thought up way
to change tia way that only such
man as he would choose.
For three succeeding days Skiff Bah
cock had permitted his brand new red
touring car to crawl along the street In
the hope Of meeting Celia Us she went
to or from the milliner's where she
worked.
Skiff could always pick Celia out OF 4
crowd by the graceful swing Of her
slender. erect figure. but recently she
had identified herself beyond all doubt
by perching a coral colored hat on her
abundant black hair.
All mt once Skiff's beady little eyes
discerncd her. First the coral hat
came into view, then Celia's lovely
laughing face and finally the hulking
form Of none other than Mr.. Babcock's
head truck driver. who held Celia's el-
bow In one big hand with most often
sive air Of proprietorship.
Suddenly Skiff Babcock whlrled his
machine around and dashed into an
other street.
An hour later he sat ut his desk in
the office Of the Skif Rabcock Truck
ing company. At the curbst0ne his
red car painted impatiently. Through
the archway TINT connected the street
with the stables behind his Office his
employees were passing to and fro.
A haze Of tobacco smoke blurred the
little room. for Skiff was smoking CT
gar after cigar in logged. persistent
way. very much as If he knew that
when he reached the end of certain
number of these fragrant smokes he
would find a solution to the problem
that troubled him.
All Mt once he flung half finished
cigar through the window and pounded
the desk heavily with one Dudgy fist.
Every man has his price" he said
slowly. II wonder what is Casey's
price?"
Again he meditated.
"A trnckman," he snorted scornful-
", against me, who can turn every
vote in this ward-me. with that auty.
mobile. and could dress her in dia-
monds, with a fiat in Central Park
West. II she wanted it. The nerve Of
Tim Caseyr'
He rang bell sharply.
"1as Casey come back?' he asked OF
the boy who responded.
"NO, SIR"
"Send him here when he comes"
scowled Skin. and he lighted another
cigar.
BY the time Tim Casey's huge bulk
darkened the Office doorway Skiff Bah
cock had smoked himself into fit Of
cold anger, tempered only by his favor
lite maxim that "Every man has his
price"
That this was true to q degree in
Skiff Babcock's political circle account
ed for his self-conf1dence to settle the
case of Tim Casey of hand.
"YOu wanted me?" grinned Tim
Casey good naturally.
Skiff frowned up at the big. hand
some young lrishman, whose every
muscle was tense with strength and
vitality. Tins blue eyes sparkled and
his white teeth shone. Life was good
sport to the hard working truck driver,
II saw sou on Sixth avenue this
noon." blurted forth Skiff. This was
not the way he had intended to open
the subject
Il guess wasn't breaking no speed
limits" grinned Tim. THAT gray
horse amt got the grit to cart heavy
dry goods. He ought to be put. on the
ostrich feather route"
you wasn't carting that kind of
dry goods up the avenue. What do you
mean by loafing around when you
ought to he on your job, eh?"
i Casey's back stiffened and his blue
eyes narrowed.
| 1T was noon hour" he said sharply.
Where was the truck?"
Here In the stable"
Seems to me you can get around
pretty fast when you've a mind to-
growled Skiff. as he studied the time
card on his desk, which showed the
arrival and departure of the trucks o..
their different assignments.
Casey said nothing. He folded hi:
arms across bis chest and looked down