Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-04-16
By HOLWoRTHY HALL

# #
Well enough to know how to approach
'em? Know Cullen? Know the Du-
rants? Know Embree and McEachern
and Cooke? Know"
"At one time" said billiard, with
sudden tragedy In his eyes, sall those
people you've just named were about
the closest friends l had in the
wOrld.''
''Well, If you've got nerve enough to
try to pass yourself off as stranger,
why"
"Just moment!" The young mans
gesture, although calm, was never
theless commanding. "Now listen!
lived in Syracuse twenty-six years
If ever had any friends there I've
lost 'em now. Il"
Whose fault was it?'
"Whose fault? Don't make me
laugh! The point is that my friends
and I aren't on speaking terms
go ahead" said Harmon, satisfied.
do they know you went to France?'
"They don't know anything. / left
between two days, I've never written
anybody so much as line to tell
where / was, or what / was doing. |
went over. on tramp. A French lieu
tenant got me into the army, and |
didn't give d-n whether | got
killed or not-and then got this"
His hand was on his cheek, where a
long scar crossed it. "And for over a
year I've been hoping that somehow,
some time, could get back at few
of those men principally Gull
len and Durant and McEachern. Get
back hard-you understand! Perhaps
this suggestion of yours will give me
the opening. Perhaps it will. That's
what I'm wondering. I'm thinking it
over. That's ALL"
Harmon controlled himself; his
voice, when it came, was low and
seductive.
SWELL" he said, "could you get back
any harder at people who haven't
treated you right than by going back
up there and making good? By put
ting something over on em-somethlng
big, you Understandable making
those fellows look cheap? That's bet
ter than using a club on 'em, isn't it?
Goals of fire, man, Goals of fire! Show
'em what you can dO-and take your
satisfaction In that. Don't fight your
enemies-you don't have to! Make
profit out of 'em! And then :.
oh well, 1 don't care what you do after
that-come out in the open and give
'em the ha-ha or not, just as you like.
Could anything be neater little come
back than that? More sort of Biblical
and thorough? Poetic justice? Could
it,"
Hf1liSad was still alert and rigid.
There's a good selling argument?
And something good to sell?"
"As straight as shoestring, and as
sure as you're a foot, high. And if
you can't do business on this basis,
you couldn't sell gold eagles for a
dollar apiece That's f1at!"
$50 1 could go back-and honestly
make good? All the way? Prove what
can do? And not have any back
fire in it2'
"And have a chance" said Harmon,
.nodding, ito put yourself In right
again. That's what my whole idea
was. If you're going to cash in on
your hard luck, boy, you've got to
speak up. That's my policy. Cash in
on this thing the doctors did for you!
Let's play it together, son. If it's a
sort of wbltewashing you want, I'll
help you. / don't care a continental
what you did to get in wrong in SYRIA
cuse success that counts. Moth
ing else but success. Is it bar
gain?"
billiard shut his teeth tight; re-
fected; yielded abruptly.
IT'S bargainl" he said. I'm with
you'll"
"Goodi Now"
"One moment! Let's be frank with
each other. Don't get any impression
that I've done anything that's"
'Mr. billiard, you don't have to talk
like that to mel I've had you sized
up from the start, haven't II"
Eyes, but I wanted you to know"
"But I do know, SON! Wild OATS
sort of. Am l right, or am wrong?
That's why I'm banking on you. Peo-