The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-02-18
Warren Lends Some Money Much
Against His Will and Then
Regrets If

Miss Burns read back falteringly.
"As Mr.. Shafer expects to sail the
18th 1t IS necessary In order TO have
his signature that the papers be
drawn up before that date"
Make that Mr.. Shafer sails. not
expects to SAIL" corrected Warren.
He paused moment and then went
! on:
at is also necessary that there be
a full release from the old contract
This can only be done under the con-
/ dItlons stated IN my letter. have To
| have a final interview with Mr..
| Mathews Thursday at IL. And it
will be imperative that he send me
the other papers before them.
Very truly yours
| "Now make two carbons of that
| letter and enclose one in the letter
to Davis & Shafer. That's all. Get
those letters out as quickly as you
can"
Miss Burns took her notebook to
the typewriter and began rapidly
Strengthened up the papers on his
| desk and frowningly made some
| memoranda on his calendar.
Everything had gone wrong that
morning. There had been a tie-up in
| the subway which had made him a
half an hour late getting down. Sew
eral annoying letters awaited him In
his mail. A great deal that he con-
sidered practically closed had fallen
| through and an expected check had
not come.
The office door opened and tall,
well set man about thirty entered.
| Warren turned and greeted him cor
! daily, glad of the interruption to his
not too cheerful trend of thought.
! II say Curtis, l want you to do me
a favor-and I'll consider it a mighty
big favor just now
! Fire away" said Warren, but
with slightly lessening note of
cordially.
! Il want hundred and fifty until
! the twentieth. I've got five hundred
coming in then, but I'm up against
! it hard just now"
/ He knew that he was under slight
! obligations to Osborne for some bus
mess switched his way and that he
was in a position to influence other
! business in the future. But he knew
| too that Osborne was always in debt
and that his reputation for prompt
| payment was anything but the best.
You've strAck me in devlish bad
| time, Osborne: I'm not any too flush
myself just now" Warren answered
.evasively.
81 wouldn't ask you, Curtis, but
I've a note for two hundred falling
due toorrow and I've only eighty-five
in the bank TO meet it with. I'll be
on easy street the twentieth-if
You'll Just tid.e me over until then"
Reluctantly Warren took out his
check book from a drawer of the
desk, and wrote out a check for a
hundred and fifty.
81 appreciate this, old man." as
Osborne put the check in his wal
let, "and if there's anything l can
do for you-just call on me-"
"Oh' that's all right" said Warren
lamely.
When Osborne had gone, Warren
walked up and down his office frown-
ing savagely He'd been a fool to
loan that money He had known it
at the time, yet felt that he couldn't
get out of it. But now he thought
of half dozen different ways of
evasion. A man can always refuse
to loan money and can do it tactfully,
he told himself, if he's prepared for
it in advance. But Osborne had
taken him unawares. He hadn't had
time to think and couldn't afford to
offend him. And now-well 1t was
mighty doubtful about the hundred
and fifty.
Miss Burns who had finished the
letters, now laid them down on the
desk for him to sign. He sat down
and read them over.
"Here, how 40 you spell 'inconven-
ience?' And this should not be a
separate paragraph. What's this
specifications I never said that"
Miss Burns referred to her note
book
That's what / have, sir"
"Well, | never said it. 1t doesn't
mean anything here. oh, 'particu-
lars, that's the word" crossing out
and writing it in with his pen.
"Shail | copy it over, sir z"
mo, we haven't time to recopy
letters. Learn to get them correct; |
Now where's that carbon that l told
you to enclose in this one ?"
az put it in the envelope
Warren read over and signed the
other letters, making several curt |
corrections, then pushed back his
chair with a brief:
"You can finish copying that re-
port. If anybody calls say I'll be
back at half past one" Il
In a few moments Warren had
shrugged into his overcoat and was |
striding down the corridor toward |
the elevator.
He pushed his way through the
crowded streets to the restaurant;
where he usually lunched. Without |
looking at the bill of fare he gave |
his order. FLASHED chicken and corn
fritters. piece of custard pie and a |
large cup of coffee-and be quick
about it"
"Hello, Curtisr' A man hung his |
coat on the peg next to Warren's |
and took the seat beside him. "Or-
dered YETI"
Warren nodded.
WHAT"
"Oh. just chicken and corn frit-
ters. | didn't feel like eating much
today"