The Ely miner., 1924-04-18
CHAPTER VlIl-Continued.


been getting an idea the last day oI
two that these different people I've
been talking to are in cahoots."
John stared at him. Great Scott,
mani" he said. "Of course they are,
Most of the industries that are admin
istered from New Yor.. are pretty well
tied together inside themselves. But
the textiles"
"Well, l don't know anything about
that" Joe grumbled. That's out OF
my beat, guess. 1t looked like per-
fectly straight merchandising PROPOSE
ton to me. L had something good
that they wanted But this inside
stuff Look here, Williamson, don't
see why this shouldn't be put up TO
you. Why don't you stay on for two
or three dayS-and earn your dNi-
dends?" He managed TO throw in a
smile with this, but it didn't take Of
much of the edge of his words. .'You
can play this pussyfoot game. You
know all the inside stuff"
I'm afraid 1 can't take it on" John
said. 1--WE got to be home Monday
morning for an important meeting"
The Iightness combined with the
finality of his tone stung Joe to a
flare of temper. Look here, William
son." he said, leaning suddenly for
ward, half across the table, this Is
serious. We've got thirty million
pounds of that stuff coming in that
we've got to buy at an agreed price.
It's beginning to come in now. We've
got to sell 1t or we're swamped."
John moved his chair a few inches
back from the table and leaned back
in it. "Do you mean to say" he asked,
quietly, that you've committed your
self as deep as that without having
made any arrangement whatever in
advance for turning the stuff over or
for carrying it7 You're in very seri-
Gus position If that's the case"
you've known that that was the
case from the beginning" Joe said. He
was as quiet now as John, and very
alert. you made no criticism of that
plan at the April meeting"
II certainly assumed that your pro-
gram involved taking care of your
commitments" John assured him,
steadily. After a moment he went on.
"Times have changed lot since April.
That was the end of a boom. This
thing that's on us now Is the begin
ming Of panic, / think. That's the
general expectation here in New York,
anyhow. very much doubt II you
can sell that fax here before the first
of the year-and not then unless times
change for the better"
well, IL you are right about that"
''why, 1t takes US over into your de-
partment."
my Department.
81 mean Wen have to be carried.
Up TO now have carried my end of
the load. I've made thirty million
pounds of raw linen out of stuff that
farmers were burning in the fields.
There 1t is. It's good, u rul stuff.
It's got value. There's no argument
about that. And now ! say it's your
turn. That's plain enough, isn't it?
We're all In the same boat"
"If that's your position" john an
swered mildly, "of course we'll have
to take some action on it. It's much
too important matter for me to deal
with offhand. Come up to my otI.ce-
say Wednesday afternoon-oh, about
four o'clock-and Wen have something
in the way of program to offer. I've
got TO run along. I'm taking the Gen.
fury this afternoon. You aren't TAX
ing that train, are your"
Joe shook his head. Waiting over
till Monday, I think" he said. "All
right. Wednesday afternoon at four,
then"
Joe went back to his hotel, modest
little one in the upper Twenties, with
drew TO his own room, where already
he had passed the morning, drank the
whisky he needed. telegraphed his ad-
dress 10 Jennie Macarthur, and said
she could look for him Tuesday, and
then spent most of the afternoon writ
ing a letter to Violet.
1t was the only balm he could apply
TO the burning pain of his disappoint-
ment. The letter began stiffly-it was
the first love-letter he had ever writ
ten TO Violet, or to any woman for
that matter-but after the first few
sentences he ceased to be conscious of
it as thing that must go through the
post office In an envelope, to be read
at Lake Forest on Monday morning
along with the rest of Violet's mail.
1t became simple, unmeditated re-
lease Of colled spring of emotions
which had been wound up by W: ting
past the breaking point He re-
preached her with ha ing spoiled his
plan by not coming TO New York. and
then reproached himself with having
perhaps, spoiled hers by not having
come TO Chicago. He told her crudelv
how he wanted her and how unbear.
ably too hard the waiting had become.
He didn't want her by crumbs and
bits, John Williamson's leavings. He
might come to Chicago early in the
week, or he might not. but in no ise
would he come to her until she sent
for him. She must know her mind by
now
There were sheets and sheets OF
this
The utter recklessness of Dispatch
ing a missive of this sort to a woman
who was living upon any sort of terms
with her husband was apparent
enough to him, hut it suited his mood.
a.
sheets iuto an envelope. addressed and