The citizen., 1920-09-02


some. And your rare-up last time !
was here don't hurt you with me one
little bit. But here we are at the fin-
Ish. My suggestion 20 you Il TO pack
your duds and get out. Call II day
and quit. There's better business
somewhere else. And n you'd like to
plant yourself in some other good
town. say. Detroit and"
"No. thanks" HilllarGs smile was
out of genuine humor.
"well, aren't you open to convic-
tion1"
mo. don't think am. Please
don't argue-that's final.
swell, you're sure you can't do any
more here. aren't your
"Not a nickel's worth--even II I
wanted TO. And would you mind get
ting down 70 brass tacksl Otherwise
I can't see any benefit 10 either Of US
from prolonging this Interview; can
your"
Harmon inspected him carefully and
seemed to be struck with an insplra-
tion.
"rm not sure Of II. at that. Look
here nowl I've got an idea! Let's
try TO get some benefit out OF It. Sup
pose you got clear OF this mess. Sup
pose we strnighten II out from top TO
bottom. Everybody satisfied. Sup
pose you got out Of II absolutely clean;
do you think you could take your ex-
perience and your front and your en-
ergy and cash In on some better busi-
nessT
Hnllard exclaimed aloud; he could
hardly credit his ears.
"what's thatT" he managed. 81
don't understand"
The brokers' eyes frightened. "ft's
easy enough II you put your mind TO II.
I've told you before" he said impress
sively "Tm 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 II does
seem TO me like an awful shame to
have you come up here and spend all
this time and money fiub-dubbing
around. and then have II all over
with. and nothing 10 show for II but a
LOT OF bellyachlng customers. OF
course we've made q lktle money. but
when we let this scheme wind up In a
big howl from everybody we've got
into II 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-whlch way would be the
best for us In the long run. to close
up this deal and get out from under.
and take a little profit and be in dutch
here forever. or to be a couple OF phil
anthropists and play strong for the
futureY"
"How do you meanf" Hllllard was
afre with hope.
The brokers smile was every mo
ment more broadly ingratiating.
"Why. suppose | should hand you
back every cent you've collected AMI
paid in. This is Just suggestion-i
want your opinion on II. You go
round 10 your subscribers; tell EN-
the mine isn't as promising as you
thought II was; you're going to make
| good: give 'em their money back.
Now-if you did that and left a first
class impression everywhere, could you
start from scratch all over again and
sell enough honest-to- goodness conser-
vative stun-munlclpals, or like that
to those same people TO make up the
differenceT He was studying his
companion keenly.
Hilllard's eyes blazed; the audacity
| OF the suggestion was obscured by the
possibility OF honor that It contained.
Yes" he said thickly. "Yesl You
bet ! could!"
"And you wouldn't be afraid to keep
on working for mel That is. II we got
this Silverbow scheme all laundered
clean before we started something
else3"
"Not II you"
"Then listen," The brokers' voice
was soft and homlletical. you've
thought some hard things about me.
Maybe you had some cause; Tn not
disputlng that. But ! guess you've for
gotten something. Something l told
you when we first got together. told
you II you got me what l wanted I'd
help you get what 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 square deal
Well-let the past bury Its dead. I've
got more than one string 10 my bow
I'm sort OF tired Of the old line OF
stun; Tn thinking seriously OF cut
ting II all out and going In for the safe
and sane. II isn't so Juicy. but It's
safe. Am I right or am wrongl All
the cards on the table-Tm no fool
Hllllard-and the bottoms falling out
OF this promotion game. SO II you
think you can blossom out into legit'
innate salesman Of high-grade bonds
OF course there wouldn't be nearly as
much In II for you've got more than
half a mind 20 give you the chance.
It's a risk. but guess I owe II TO you.
He slid his pudgy hand across the
table and smiled pacl6cally. "fve
taken a strong fancy TO you, son-lets
be respectable together. What do you
saw IN thaf1"