Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-09-03
CHAPTER XxI-Continued.

IL
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
Uneedal Munitions! Wow! Listen !
The other night while 1 was trailing
a job in darkest New Jersey I ran
Icross little clue, and a little man
VIZ tesS s=s hetSs 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 a 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
20 every citizen. Their agents are
pussy-footing round to distribute con-
tracts quietly.
1.-THE Bethlehem Steel company has
gathered in a big lot Of them, and
had q 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 ans, so l used mine to sign up
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
gou4 decisions down to Bellevue,
where they'll put you in the right cell.
What can you or do with ammuni-
ton contractsf"
accept 'em. you blamed ijit! Open
up your old shut-up factory and get
busy"
"We have no machinery for making
Ammunition"
Get 1t, then. or adapt your ma
ehineryl They need millions of each
article, for there are millions of men
In the field using up what they've got
30 fast that it's only a matter of
weeks before they'll be desperate"
Bayard began to see the scheme
also the obstacles. "But 1t takes
money to make those things. Where
win we get the cash for the pay rolls
End the raw materialsr'
From the banksl The banks are
bursting open with idle money; it's
hotting on their hands!"
Bayard went aglow with the realiza-
heo Of the opportunity. He began TO
Eemble at the vision Of the sudden
Avalanches Of wealth pouring down
the bleak mountains Of despair. He
could hear the roar Of the Niagaras
ID gold.
Daphne and Leila came rushing
From concealment Clay's beatitude
WAS so complete that he forgot his re-
sentments and kissed them both.
Bayard was frantic to be at work.
do 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 1t. She
began to dance about the room like
Miriam celebrating the passage of
the Red sea.
"The first thing we'll do" 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
ana the hatsl"
This asserted O SOLDERING effect on
Bayard. mo-" he announced. we've
tone through hadss once because l
gsmtSled away my reserves. This time
FIN going to get d big reserve before
spend cent. IT, never risk another
ordeal like the one we've been
through. No mere fractures of the
Thirteenth for met"
Leila laughed.
Bayard went to the telephone to
start the wheels ut the factory in mo-
don by summoning the president to
council. He paused to ask: Hell
want to know who the foreign agent
10 you are dealing within Or are there
ssveralf Who shall 1 say2"
"Wetherell," said Clay.
The great Skoda gun that suddenly
one day dropped a monster shell In
punkirk twenty miles off could hardly
have caused more stupefaction than
the name of Wetherell decorating In
hat room.
Daphne snatched her hand from
aay's. Bayard sprang up so sharply
that he almost threw Leila forward
IN her face. Instinctively he caught
aer by the arm and saved her from
falling. But instantly he flung her
arm from him In gush Of disgust.
Clay gaped at the tableau in bewil-
derment. He had not dreamed that
any of the three had ever heard of
Wetherell. He could not imagine the
bitterness the name involved.
"Will some kind friend please tell
lie what all the excitement Is aboutT'