Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-25

"'O'N " fttCT FuHt.
7 DIDN'T tell you about the long chat
Graham and ] had coming back from
Farmdalc last Sunday night. did I?
We had to take an accommodation
train from Farmdale to Providence. and
from Providence we took the express
about o'clock In the morning. we
didn't bother to get a sleeper. but sat IN
the day coach. which was fairly empty
don't know just how the conrer-
sation started, for We had Travelled from
Farmdale to Providence with hardy
a word to say, excepting for Grahams
occasional comments about Lucy. We
were on the Providence train but
very few minutes before Questions name
was mentioned
II wonder If you know that Question
is the foreign agent for the Consolidated
Machine Company" Graham asked
OF course I had heard of the Con-
solidated Machine Company. concern
selling engineering equipment and ma
chinery all over the world
And Pillsbury is the general man
ager and chairman OF the board OF
directors" he continued.
That Pillsbury." | exclaimed. had
never associated him with the Pillsbury
they say can put a man down and out
with wag of his finger. Pillsbury
The man | supposed to be as hard as
nails and in spite of his being many
times millionaire. a regular grind at
getting money,
II suppose" said Francis quietly.
you will wonder why two such i'm
portant business men spend their time
calling at a cheap Thirteenth street
boarding house"
We'll. yes. did, but"
But WHAT"
Il remembered" I said. that my
shoelace might he coming united
He smiled at my sly dig at the pet
phrase he used whenever | asked ques-
tions which were no concern of mine.
Il am going to tell you just little
Of the reason for that"
"Why?" said J. Il don't mind what
you were. or what YOU did l only know
that you are bully good friend Cf
mine and that is enough for me. l have
made too many bulls myself TO kick
about any other fellow having made a
mistake" I had an idea that he had
gotten into a bad mess with the Con-
solidated. in some way or other.
don't mean | thought he had swiped any
money, but I felt that they had some
thing on him.
II surmised you would think some
think ofsthat kind" said Graham in that
wonderfully quiet. even, deep voice OF
his. That's why I am going to tell
you just enough to correct that impress
sion. You see. Peter, | hope that you
and | will be even better friends-l
would like to be a friend Of the family
Who knows? Perhaps some time I may
be able to he of some real practical
help. for | have fair knowledge Of
business
knew he referred to the rundown
condition of the stvre and dads Ill
health.
hand on my shoulder and started to
tell me his story
Il have been around the world two
or three times, Peter. That is why I
have such good knowledge OF for
eign languages. | remember your ask
ing me where I mastered them all"
And I was reminded I Clipped In.
that my shoe lacing was coming down.
Il was always of a mechanical bent
of mind. and one day while travelling in
Sweden I saw machine for the manu-
facture of small brass article-never
mind what ] secured the American
rights for the Consolidated and we in
stalled the machine in one Of our ex-
perimental stations. There | conceived
an idea of improving the machine. I
asked permission of the Consolidated to
They agreed on condition that IL ] per-
fected the, improvement. they were to
have the first chance to buy it.
81 knew that II I could perfect this
improvement it would put every other
machine of similar nature out of
business, for the Improvement would
reduce the cost of production 60 per
cent.
"The Consolidated secured a two-year
option on the Swedish patents. and. as
the time for the renewal of the option
drew near, l had perfected the i'm
provement.
II had been using a little workshop ad-
joining the big plant which I carefully
locked every night when I left. One
day. on entering my shop, I noticed
that a hammer which I had left on a
table in the shop was on the floor. As
you have probably noticed. am really
very observing, and at once / wondered
how that hammer could have fallen
from the table to the floor. for the door
was locked with my own paddock and
there was no chance Of any jarring from
the big plant strong enough to throw
It off. Somehow I became suspicious,
and the next night I put in my pocket
two small but vital attachments of
my machine, without which 1t would be
absolutely useless, and I felt (and as It
turns out was righD that no one
wdAld be able to replace them without
knowing fully my plans.
"As / left the workshop that night /
fixed a horsehair with two bits of wax
on the bottom of the door. " any one
entered the door that hair would be
broken.
Il need hardly tell yoG with what
mixed feelings | hurried toward my
workshop the next night"
Just at this point the conductor came
around to collect tickets. and SO Ora:
ham talked on trivial subjects until he
had passed through our car. while /
was burning with impatience to know
whether or not the horsehair remained
intact.