The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-06-25
CHAPTER XXI-Continued.


~
When Bayard opened the door Clay
swept in like March gale. He flung
himself at Bayard and clenched his
elbows in his hands and roared:
"Bayard! Bayard! It's come
We're rich! We're made! Eureka
Uneeda! Munitions! Wow! Listen
The other night while I was trailing
Job in darkest New Jersey I ran
across little clue, and a little man
who told me little secret. The Ger
mans have been getting ready for this
war for years, piling up guns and am
munition for Der Tag. The other
countries were caught only half ready.
They have stopped the Germans ON
the Marine, but they've been using
their shells at such q rate that the
famine Is near. Their only hope Is to
buy supplies of US. They're going to
dump enough contracts on this coun-
try to furnish about a million dollars
to every citizen. Their agents are
pussy-footing round to distribute con-
tracts quietly.
1.-THE Bethlehem Steel company has
gathered in q big lot of them, and l
had a tip that the stock was going
to boom; so are lot of other stocks.
I'd sell my right arm for little cash.
But there's no market for detached
right arms, so I used mine to sign up
a few little contracts for placing con-
tracts, and I've plucked them and
brought them to you" He broke into
dance and whirled Bayard off his feet
Bayard tried to be patient. ''That's
all very interesting, Clay, but take
your decisions down to Bellevue,
where they'll put you in the right cell
What can you or do with ammuni-
ton contracts"
accept 'em, you blamed hit! Open
up your old shut-up factory and get
busy"
1--WE have no machinery for making
ammunition"
Get it, then, or adapt your ma
chinery! They need millions of each
article, for there are millions of men
in the field using up what they've got
so fast that it's only a matter Of
weeks before they'll be desperate"
Bayard began to see the scheme
also the obstacles. "But it takes
money to make those things. Where
will we get the cash for the pay rolls
and the raw materials"
"From the banks! The banks are
bursting open with idle money; it's
rotting on their hands!"
Bayard went aglow with the realiza-
ton Of the opportunity. He began to
tremble at the vision of the sudden
avalanches of wealth pouring down
the bleak mountains Of despair. He
could hear the roar Of the Niagaras
of gold.
Daphne and Leila came rushing
from concealment. Clay's beatitude
was so complete that he forgot his re-
sentiments and kissed them both.
Bayard was frantic to be at work
He resolved to telephone the presi.
dent of his company at once and lay
the matter before him. Leila cannily
advised Bayard to grasp the whip
hand Of the situation and keep it. She
began to dance about the room like
a Miriam celebrating the passage OF
the Red sea.
"The first thing we'll d." she said
twill be to get my jewelry out of the
pawnshop and the second will be to
buy some more. And, oh, the dresses
and the hats!"
This asserted SOLDERING effect or
Bayard. "No," he announced. "We'vt
gone through hades once because
gambled away my reserves. This time
I'm going to get big reserve before
spend a cent. I'll never risk another
ordeal like the one we've beer
through. No more fractures Of tn
Thirteenth for mel"
Leila laughed.
Bayard went to the telephone t
start the wheels of the factory in mo
ton by summoning the president t
council. He paused to ask: "He'l
want to know who the foreign agen
Is you are dealing with? Or are Their
several? Who shall I say2"
"Wetherell," said Clay.
The great Skoda gun that suddenl,
one day dropped monster shell IL
Dunkirk twenty miles off could hardl,
have caused more stupefaction thai
the name Of Wetherell decorating Il
that room.
Daphne snatched her hand fror
Clay's. Bayard sprang up so sharpl
that he almost threw Leila forwar
on her face. Instinctively he caugh
her by the arm and saved her fror
falling. But instantly he flung he
arm from him in a gush of DISCUS,
Clay gaped at the tableau in bewi
derment. He had not dreamed tina
any of the three had ever heard O
Wetherell. He could not imagine tn
bitterness the name involved.
"Will some kind friend please te
me what all the excitement is about ?
This was not easy, Who wanted t
tell Clay that i.eila had just been AZ
cused of neglecting ner husband an
, her own duties for the society of thl
very Wetterell? Leila herself wa