Palisadian., 1925-02-06
Roped by
Telephone
By HERBERT L. McNARY

1t did not actually turn into one of
disappointment still it faded. He was
looking into the countenance of his
friend, Roscoe Blake.
Those features were usually illu-
minated by a smile, but Roscoe was
not smiling now. Maybe that meant
trouble, and maybe that meant cil-
ent-even Roscoe might be embroiled
in legal difficulties.
Something wrong" asked Cyril.
"You said it," grunted Roscoe.
That's why I'm here
"You want legal advice" declared
Cyril confidently.
'No l don't either. I'd have to pay
for that. l want sympathy. Besides
it's too late for advice"
What happenedT
~ got hooked for $780,"
"Cards or horses?"
"Neither-the stock market"
Haven't you comebackT
-"Now, you're looking for case"
laughed Roscoe. Nothing doing, I'm
not a poor loser. I'll take my licking
but Just the same l like to pour my
tale of woe out on somebody. l could
use that $500.
"What was the stock?"
"Secco Copper"
"Never heard Of it," declared Cyrii
with finality.
"And you never will. 1t was never
listed"
what? You mean to tell me, Ros-
coe, that you bought an unlisted
stock?'
"Worse. l bought it over the tele-
phone from someone l never saw
"Well, of all the fool stunts. l
thought you"
"Wait minute" interrupted Ros-
coe, rising from his seat and crossing
to the window. 81 said 1 wanted SYM
pathy, not a lecture. You never lis
tened to this bird who talked to me.
He was an artist and deserved all he
got, including my $780,"
well, no artist would get me over
the telephone"
"You seem confident. I'd like to
get this chap to rig you and make
bet on it, He owes me that much at
least after roping me-"
"Go ahead" taunted the lawyer.
Roscoe looked out at the dreary
buildings and then he frightened.
"All right it's bet. How much?'
"How much do you want to make
it?" asked the lawyer.
MAKE it the $500 l lost"
"You want to lose an even thou,
sand. l see."
Roscoe smiled. did you ever hear
that saying about he who smiles
last?"
A week or two elapsed before Cyril
Tinkham picked up his desk phone to
answer p voice that Immediately in
] t'"''"H him. There was something
ria-netic about the tone, some inde-
Unable personality. -
"Mr. Tinkham? Mr.. Barrier speak
ing on the recommendations of some
very prominent people who have Sc
lected you as an enterpYising young
lawyer to interest in a new invention
We need representative men to en-
dorse it and get it started. You might
naturally expect that l would call per
sonally with such proposition rather
than talk to you over the phone; but
it happens that only by this method
can | give you demonstration. This
invention is something that will rev
olutionize the telephone industry as
you will readily understand when
tell you thai while l have been talk.
ing to you, you have been scribbling
on a red blotter with a yellow pencil. II
Cyril gasped and snapped his head
away from the mouth-piece, which ht
inspected in amazement.
L. II don't wonder you sprang away
\ continued the voice, laughing pleas
antly. "And now let's have a further
demonstration. Do something and I'll
tell you what it is. You have just put
the pencil in your right hand vest
pocket-now you place 1t in your
left-you shifted the receiver tc
| your right ear-yOu are now standing
up - now you are at the desk -
you are dancing - now you are
waving your arms. Does that satisfy
you, Mr.. Tinkham?"
ut certainly does." beamed the
cocky lawyer. "And you want me to
take an interest in itT'
mot exactly. We just want you to
vouch for it in our advertisements"
But don't l get chance to come
in on it," protested the lawyer.
WELL" hesitated the voice. THE
issue is small and about taken up. l
might be able to procure you a thou
sand shares. Would you take that?"
Certainly. How much do | pay?"
You pay $500 to your friend Ros-
coe Blake in accordance with the
terms of bet you recently made. And
now, If you will glance out your win
dow TO the story above of the build
ing running at right angles to yours,
you will see where Roscoe has been
watching Won make a darn fool of