Evening star., 1923-02-25

ALL RIGHT, SAYS |. But |
Club. and proceeded to lead about as
lively an existence as a mummy in a
museum"
"One Of the unburied dead, eh?" I
suggests.
NEXACTLY," says G. Hanson. He'd
II been doing that for several years
when I first saw him. perfectly. con-
tented. He was thirty-odd, and If it
had ever occurred to him to get mar
ried he hadn't energy enough to find
wife. l ran across him by accident
1 was lunching at his club with an
acquaintance. some one I was trying
to interest in one Of my enterprises.
In fact. l was drumming up capital
I had tho drag net out. But the man
l was wasting my breath on was SIM
ply 4 social four-ffusher who kept up
front on an allowance from a rich
aunt. When I cornered him he ad
mitted as much. But why don't you
tackle Pressy Bates. over there?' he
asked me. He's got oodles of
CASH Bring him over and 1 will
says /. And 1 did. Somehow or
other I brought him out Of his
trance; at least for the time being.
Anyway, at the end of half an hour
he seemed almost wide awake. He
promised to come down to my Office
and let me show him details. Well.
you can guess how I went at it. 1
know how to present that sort Of
thing. It's my job-selling my ideas
to the other fellow. And I'm not one
to spare adjectives or to paint prof.
ect in dull colors. l don't believe.
however, it was the big profits I
pl omised Preston Bates that caught
him. No. His income was enough to
meet all his wants. But he must
have caught some Of my enthusiasm
for the new enterprise. got a touch
OF the excitement Of starting some
thing big. Anyway he came in, not
so strong at first; but by the end of
the second year he was one of our
heaviest shareholders.'
Then you wouldn't call him simple
in the head, exactly, eh, Mr.. Parks?"
knew a good thing when he saw it?
G. Hanson shook his head. 81
could have sold him wildcat oils just
as easily" says he. He was simply
dattered into believing himself to be
a man OF affairs. You see, every time
he bought into a new company made
him a director or vice president or
something Of the kind. He never
missed a board meeting. Seemed to
enjoy them hugely, as old ladies do
funerals and weddings. Not that he
ever took any active part. but he
would sit around, looking solemn and
important, and voting whichever way
I gave him the cue. He did that for
years. and then-well, suddenly he
quit, s though he'd soured on US
ALL"
You're sure he isn't peeved about
somsthing?" I asked.
ut isn't at all like him TO take
offense or to imagine he's been slight
ed said Mr.. Parks. Hes not the
sensitive kind. No. there's something
else behind all this, something deep
and subtle, some influence that I can't
put my finger on. None Of US can.
It's an affair that needs woman's
wit, a woman's intuition. And you're
the woman, Trilby May"
= !: x 4
"nUT I'm no psycho-analyzer," says
ID I. What have you got for me
to work on---a lock Of his hair and his
thumb print?'
"I want you to see Preston Bates
in his home" says Mr..Parks
"How?" says I. "Disguised as a
new parlor maid?"
1T can arrange that" says he. "I
know his habits. Let's see, this is
Wednesday. Preston dimes at home
tonight, for he takes his dinners at
the club only twice a week. Mondays
and Saturdays. At $3.50 this evening
he will be drinking his second demi-
/, tasse and lighting his first cigar in
his library. He will be alone. Never
entertains, you know; nor has friends
who drop in. During all the time I've
known him he has never asked me
up there"
"Yet you seem to have fairly good
Hne on him." suggested.
IT make IL my business to know
as much as possible about every per-
son who Is important to any Of my
enterprises" says G. Hanson. IF you
don't know the men you have about
you you're walking In the dark. I
thought I had Preston Bates checked
and aro9sdudaxsd But there's hsen a