Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-02-24
Business Is Business
By FREDERICK HART

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GO 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
II can't figure what's happening in
r, & X.." said Philip Gibney, senior
partner of Gibney & Hadman, brokers.
"We can't seem TO get a majority Of
stock; some ones holding out on us.
Have you had our tracers on the jobT'
Il should say haver' Roger Had
mans voice was weary. "For the past
three months Jevons and Harrod have
been ON thu read. They've combed the
country, nearly but they can't account
for the three thousand shares we need.
That block"
But surely there's a record Of its
original sale" snapped Gibney.
"Of course! We traced it to little
town in Pennsylvania funny old
chap with chin-whiskers-far
held the whole block. Jevons got wind
of IL and flew down TO get it at any
price, but he was too late. Somebody
beat him to II by less than three hours.
The old duffer didn't know who it was
simply said man came along and
offered him twice what the stock was
worth, and he sold for spot cash.
Jevons even went so far as to put
detectives on the job, but they couldn't
get any trace except that the fellow
was slim and good-looking, wore a
light suit, and bought a ticket for
Philadelphia at the local station. The
train went right up in air then, and
there's absolutely no further trace"
"Well-" Gibney's voice was thought
full. ''we've got to get that stock some
how. wonder If whoever bought 1t
is holding out for big price? He
must know what we're planning. and
what control of r. & Y. will mean to
US. suppose he thinks he can get
whatever price he asks"
"The worst of 1t is that he's pretty
nearly right. at that" rejoined Had
man. s''When our deal comes off it's
absolutely necessary to have the con-
trol, and we can't have it without
those three thousand shares, and this
fellow knows it--and that's all there
is to 1t. We pay
q
1--WE do, suppose-and-yet--"
"And yet--what?"
1T strikes me as being rather queer
that this chap, whoever he is, hasn't
tried to make dicker. We are going
to pull our stunt at the end of the
week, and he must know that we want
the stock as soon as we can get it.
He has inside information, that's sure.
Well, the result would naturally be
that he would come around here and
point his block of stock at our heads
and say Stand and deliver' But he
hasn't made mOve-and tOday's
Wednesday. / don't understand it."
Gibney was sadly worried man
when he went home that night, and his
pretty wife, who was waiting for him
with her usual smile, received scan
| ty greeting. During the evening meal
she tried to make conversation, but
failed dismally. Once she asked what
was worrying him.
Nothing you'd understand" replied
Gibney shortly. Alice opened her
mouth as though to reply. but thought
better of II and confined her attentions
to the salad. The evening passed ST
lently for both.
Next morning the day before Glib
ney & Hadman's big coup was slated
TO come off, Gibney was informed by
the gill at the door that young man
wanted to see him. On inquiring his
business, he was informed that the
visitor would make no statement,
merely saying that he wanted to see
the head of the firm at once. Gibney
told the girl to show him in, and called
Hadman from his Office.
Dollars to collar-buttons it's the
chap with the r. 4 X. stock, JIM" he
said. II want you here-we'll meet
him together. Maybe the two of us
can get Reasonable figures out of him.
But oh, how he has u.s."
The man who entered the office
seemed hardly more than a boy. Gle
was dressed In light-colored suit.
and wore derby hat which he did
not remove. A white bandage COW
cred most of his right cheek and
curved well under the chin.
"Good morning, gentlemen" he said
In voice that betrayed cold in the
head. "rm sorry to come around
looking such wreck. but the fact is
I've met with an accident-automobil
and I'm little smashed as to the
face" A one-sided grin accompanied
this information. ''The doctor tells
me to keep my hat on. too. And now,
II you've quite done staring at the
bandage and things, we might as well
get down to business. l have here
-" he tapped his breast-pocket-"a
block of three thousand shares of r. &
Y. stock. which represents the balance
Of power-the amount needed for con-
troll of the road. You want it'll have
1t. What do you say?"
"You young scoundrel." roared Had
man. "This Is blackmail !"
Hardly, Mr.. Hadman. This is
business. You were too slow to get
what you wanted--I succeeded by my
AMT linn TRAPS HIS PREY