The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-04-28

The contractor said YES. he'd come.
but wanted explanations. What was
the idea? ....-
III wait till lunch to explain. if
you don't mind" Alfred told him cool.
ly, and went back to his desk.
These tactics, adroit as they were,
were not precalculated at ALL They
were just symptom that Alfred's
mind was once more fully on the job.
His employers curiosity, if unsatisfied.
would be working for him steadily
till lunch-time And the sort of lunch
he would give him-that atmosphere
with which 1.-The club surrounled the
lunclr-would, work for him, too. =
He gave all these influences time TO
do their work-plenty of time. Then
after the lighting with one match Of
two admirable cigars. he made Il fall
con swoop straight to the heart of the
business. ErAr * aIi ~, aX5
"My proposition isl he said, without
preface or explanation, that guar
antee you profit OF twenty thousand
dollars on this contract in considera-
ton of Il half-interest in whatever the
profits turn out to be also in consid-
eration of your putting complete AL
thOrity over everything concerned III
the contract into my hands."tf
Alfred was, himself again.fsnO mis-
take There was the old touch about
these tactics:A The obvious method of
going about the business would have
been to begin by dwelling upon the
contractors plighe-the gristly pros
pect ahead of him if things went on as
they were going now. al opening which
would have given the contractor some.
thing to argue about.
Alfred's omission to say n word
about this starring fact only made its
stare the more sinister. H..
"Your guarantee would be worth Il
hell of lot. wouldn't it," said the
contractor. with the best imitation he
could manage of jovial scOrn.
''Of course" said Alfred. :'the only
guarantee that would be of any value
would he the cash itself put up with a
bank pending the completion Of the
contract" no, Y
Look here!" demanded the con.
tractor. .''AHhO/ in .blaZes. are you. amy
way?" 4 ,s'5
"You, ought to know Alfred said
He didn't answer further. and when
the contractor asked. Are you A. c.
Blair?" he merely nodded.
The contractor blew up at this point
and spoke at length apd at large, the
upshot of his language being n demand
to know his competitors motive i'll
spying around his office.
Not spying.S Alfred said quietly.
you'll see that for yourself In min
ute. Ii I'd been d. spy. instead Of com
ing to you now. I'd be going around
to the councils subcommittee and get
ting a job as their expert. ] am an
expert l know. that line of work as
well as anybody in the United States.
But haven't done that. I've come to
you and offered YOU an absolutely
fair proposition.
'What did you come for. then:'' per
sisted the contractor. did you have
going to butt in?'
Blair hesitated for second, then
told the simple truth.
NO. he Sd1u. 4 nceueu ~ JOD sfy1O 1
answered blind nd. in The Ners.' y
Down and out. Ell ?" commented the
contractor He didn't believe word
Of Alfred's story. Then. with a pounce
'Where did you get this twenty thou
sand dOllars?" SIR
81 haven't it," said Alfred III YOU
take up my proposition. I4l have to
70 and borrow It somewhere"
The contractor stared blankly across
the table. "Ssy!' he demanded rough
ly. What's the idea. bringing me
here and kidding me along with pipe
like that. when you haven't got cent !
Alfred drew a folded paper from
his pocket and handed It across. with
out comment. to the contractor. 1t was
u memorandum Of the bargain he had
proposed. stated almost as simply as
he had stated it few moments before.
There was one paragraph in it. stat
ing that the agreement was Of no eff
feet unless Blair put up the money
whiting forty-eight hours of their sign
ing 1t.
The contractor pondered 1t while
longer without speaking At last
'.Oh. it's all damned kDO1ishnpss. .
he said. you'll never get tie money
"Don't count On that. aid Alfred
'.or you're likely ogset fooled. Here.
do you want q penn
Fifteen minutes later, nth the sfgn.
LED nenosapdun 10 hts pocket, he waik.