The Ordway new era., 1920-09-24
CHAPTER xiIi-continued


billiards eyes blszed; the audacity
Of the suggestion was obscured by the
possibility OF honor that ii contained.
Yes! 60 he said thickly. "Yesl You
bet couldr'
"And you wouldn't be afraid to keep
on working for mel That is. II we got
this Sllverbow scheme all laundered
cienn before we started something
eiser'
Not II you"
Then listen!' The brokers' voice
was soft and homiletical. you've
thought some hard things about me.
Maybe you had some cause: I'm not
disputlng that. But guess you've for
gotten something. Something l told
you when we first got together. I told
you II you got me what 1 wanted I'd
help you get whnt you want. Well
you've done your best. l got to give
you credit. And maybe you've changed
some of my ideas too. Maybe you've
sort OF worked me around to believing
! haven't given you a square deal.
We,i-iet the past bury Its dead. I've
got more than one string to my bow;
Tn sort of tired of the old line of
stuff: I'm thinking seriously of cut
ting It all out and going In for the safe
and same. 1t isn't so juicy. but It's
snfe. Am right or nm I wrong? All
the cards on the tnhle-Tm no fool.
Hiilinrd-nnd the bottoms falling out
of this promotion game. So II you
think you can blossom out into leGit-
innate salesman of igh-grade bonds
of cSsirse there wouldn't he nearly M
rU-,rf In 1t for you've got more than
1alf a mind to give you the chance.
It's n risk. hut guess I owe II to you"
lie slid his pudGy hand across the
table and smiled pacIficnlly. "rve
taken strong fancy to you. son-let's
he respectable together. What do you
Sny to thnt?"
In his fcverish joy Hiliiard wns Will
ing TO lgnore the obvious fact that the
brokers repentance was considerably
overdue. and that It was founded on
s,xpediency and not on principle. The
thought OF working longer for Elar-
mo1-even If the securities he had TO
sell IN future were most conservative
fiiled him with nausea: but II that
were the only way to save the situ-
alton how could Hllliard decline? How
In his duty to himself, could he refuse
90 work again for Harmon, If this were
the only means to save his friends
their money already lost? He felt his
veins throbblng to his agitation.
"ls Is that n bona tde of
fer?" he faltered. Harmon's hand
slapped the table for emphasis.
"Strnight as string. To tell the
truth you're sort of on my conscience.
You're with me? All right! Then as
far as I'm concerned the contracts
Cancelled here and now. Got 1t with
your
The brokers' face darkened. "where
is it?"
Hillirrd wns dislnclined to tell how
and why he had lntrusted 1t to Cullen.
Its safe" he said. d He could hardly
contain himself: he looked and looked
nt Harmon, trying faithfully TO recon-
cile the man and his appearance and
his principles, and he failed-but here
was the great reality confronting
him-nnd the mIllionth chance had
inagicaliy come true. 1t was warped
honesty hut 1t was honesty no less.
Harmon licked his lips.
-Weli. we'll clean up the whole
transaction today and start with new
deal. That's settled. Oh. don't carry
on like that. Hllliard.-Now about this
chap. Waring-"
"Oh. you still want to see him, do
you?'
him II little surprise. eh? If he's the
It'll
spike his guns first.-What?" He
laughed noisily and Hilliard was al
most too excited to dislike the laugh
Don't bother to telephone the Onon-
dnga: well just walk over"
But thought you wanted to stay
away from there?" Hilllard was dis
playing many of the symptoms of In
;oxication.
"Oh. not when everythlng's going
along 80 smooth and nicei We can
20 up IN your room and have Wnring
up there and be just as private as
anywhere else"
Accordingly. and TO the chnsrin of
u hovering waiter. they quilted their
booth and went out to the open air
They renched the OnondaGa; they ar
rived at the mezznnlne floor; they
we're safe in billiards. apartment
-Myr" said Harmon JOcosely. ~
,HIsi, could afford to Hive like this !!
Rut you've got a rich hacker. and
haven't" He rubbed his hands in
yreat good nature; his eyes were spar
king and his fat body was n-quiver
with vanity. well, the first thing to
do Where did you say you
keep that contract of ours hldden?'
"Is there any hurry about that now?'
HIlIiard was fairly beside himself with
Joy.
well" The sudden whirr of the