The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-06-17

breath. HIS eyes. now sflgntiy ulihteu,
sought for billiards., found them
darted away again.
That's tough mighty tough -.
I. :. came up here thinking ! might
do something about II. Save the sit
uation, you know. Too late. Is 1T"
"A good deal too late"
Harmon exhaled lengthlly, and FUN
bled for his lnvariable cigarette; Hi.
lard observed. without particular de-
duction. that his hands lacked GER
tainty.
THAT does sort of burst the bubble,
doesn't It? Well l suppose
the next step you want TO take is TO
get out Of town."
mo" said billiard. "I'n stay till us
over with"
Harmon gasped.
"Stay? Stay here after the news
is out? What for?"
81 hardly think you'd understand
what I'm staying for. Mr.. Harmon"
The fat broker shook his head In
vigorous protest.
"Now, look here!" His voice was
paternally kind. you've beer fine
sport through tl.ls whole business, eE-
cept once. and we won't let that bother
US now. AS salesman you've been
a holy wonder. You've done all ! eY.
pected you'd do. or could do, and then
some. And your .fare-up last time /
was here don't hurt you with me one
little bit. But here we are at the fin.
lsh. My suggestion to you Is to pack
your buds and get out. Call II day
and quit. There's better business
somewhere else. And II you'd like to
plant yourself in some other good
town. say. Detroit, and"
mo, thanks" billiards smile waa
out of genuine humor.
"Well, aren't you open to convic-
tion?"
mo, don't think I an. Please
don't argue-that's final.
"Well, you're sure you can't do any
more here, aren't your"
mot nickel's worth-even II !
wanted to. And would you mind get.
ting down to brass tacks? Otherwise
/ can't see any benefit to either of US
from prolonglng this interview; can
your"
Harmon inspected him carefully and
seemed to be struck with an inspira-
ton.
'Tm not sure Of 1t, at that. Look
here now! I've got an ideal Let's
try to get some benefit out of It. Sup
pose you got clear of this mess. Sup
pose we straighten II out from top to
bottom. Everybody satisfied. Sup
pose you got out of II absolutely clean;
edo you think you could take your ex-
perience and your front and youe en-
ergy and cash In on some better busi-
nessT
billiard exclaimed aloud; he cousd
hardly credit his ears.
whats that?" he managed. II
don't understand !"
The brokers' eyes frightened. "It's
easy enough II you put your mind to II.
I've told you before" he said impress
sively. "I'm out for results. That's my
middle name-R-E-sults And not re-
suits from minute to minute, but re-
suits In the long run. Now IL does
seem to me like an awful shame to
have you come I'D here and spend all
this time and money flub-dubbing
around. and then have II all over
with, and nothing to show for 1t but
lot of bellyaching customers. OF
course we've made little money, but
when we let this scheme wind up In a
big howl from everybody we've got
into 1t we're losing the cumulative
value Of you. And It's you that was
the backbone Of the whole idea. Now
this is only passing thought, but let's
consider it-which way would be the
best for us In the long run, to close
up this deal and get out from under,
and take little profit and be In dutch
here forever, or to be couple of phil.
anthropists and play strong for the
future?"
"How do you mean7" billiard wac
afire with hope.
The brokers' smile was every mo
ment more broadly ingratiating.
"Why, suppose I should hand You
bQck every cent you've collected and
paid in. This is just suggestion-I
want your opinion on II. You go
round to your subscribers; tell 'em
the mine isn't as promising as you
thought 1t was; you're going to make
good; give 'em their money back.
Now-if you did that and left first
class impression everywhere, could you
start from scratch all over again and
sell enough honest-to-goodness conser
vative stuff-municipals, or like that
to those Same people to make up the
difference7 He was studying bis
companion keenly.
&c nrrr.rA lid