Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-07-19
CHAPTER l

deep satisfaction mingled with relief.
swell. it's all over but their John
Henry on the dotted line" he MUIR
INJURED as his wiry brown hand closed
over the door knob. cts been pref
ty hard pull, but with this contract
in the bag"
A wide smile lighting his face, lean
and brown, with high cheek bones,
Peter Houghton swung the door to
face a pretty girl at the informa
ton desk.
"Nice mornin', Mr.. Houghton. To
see Mr.. Bradley?"
The engineer nodded, suddenly con-
scious of his worn gray suit, for the
girls eyes were travelling with frank
admiration over his broad shouldered,
narrow hipped figure.
"Justaminute." The girl flashed him
a carmine smile and plugged in. "Mr.
Bradley? Mr.. Houghton is waiting.
You can go right in, Mr.. Houghton,"
she announced. "And-and-I'm aw-
fully glad you got the contract for the
dam. We've all been hoping you would
Thanks" the engineer flashed be-
meath his clear, bronzed skin. $50 am
l. You see it means great deal to
me-"
Swinging a battered felt hat in his
hand, Peter strobe joyously through
the busy offices of the Patuxent Dam
Corporation, where countless type
writer's and adding machines with me-
tallic clickings seemed to cry: "Suc-
suc-success. Suc-suc-suc-success!"
Outside door marked "E. NJ. Brad
ley, President" he paused an instant
to collect himself, for at this great
moment his heart was thudding as it
had not since certain day in the
Bots de Belleau. "At last" he grin
ned to himself. at means civil engi-
neer's degree for Jeff-and Jerry can
have that nerve grated! Good old
jerry the big engineers face soften
ed momentarily. Yes, Jerry certainly
did deserve the best. 1t had been long
years since that German IT had re-
arranged the base of his spine.
TREMBLING OF HAND
BETRAYS HIS EMOTION
Peters hand trembled little as it
closed over the cool, brass knob and
drawing a deep breath he swung the
door open. He checked his greeting
for the great Edwin Bradley sat at an
enormous desk, busted with the mass
of blue prints, estimates and calcula-
tions stacked before him. Finally the
president looked up briefly and drop
ped his eyes again.
"Oh, that you, Houghten? Come in"
At the others manner sharp sense
of anxiety shook the tall, brown young
man with the tired gray eyes-evi-
IDENTIFY some detail had gone wrong.
Sobsred and desperately intent, he laid
his hat on a chair to sit on the edge
of a deep red leather armchair
which Bradley indicated. During an
excruciating ten minutes the engineer
waited while the president of the Pa
tuxent Dam Corporation thumbed
some blue prints, squirting over them
caref lily through eyeglasses perched
on the bridge of lean, hooked nose.
"Well, Mr.. Bradley" demanded Pc
ter suddenly. whats wrong? 1 I'M
derstood my, company's plans and es-
Inmates were entirely satisfactory"
Slowly, and with the mechanical mo-
ton of a clockwork toy, Edwin Brad
ley's semi-bald head inclined several
times.
"And so they were he muttered
without looking up.
"Were?" Blood rushed into Peter
Houghton's face while the oak paneled
office wavered and swayed about him.
eyes. until this lower bid came in.
It's too bad, Houghton, but you're un-
derbid at the last moment"
A cold constructing steel band SEEM
ed to press erushingly against the
back of Peters brain. "Underbid!" The
world burned like flares in his mind.
"Underbid!" he stammered, half ris-
ing to his feet. "Why-why Mr.. Brad
Fey, that's impossible! Nobody could
better my bid and give the same quail
ity of work"
BRADLEY INTERRUPTS
TO REPORT BAD NEWS
Sorry" cut in Mr.. Bradley, his pink
scalp glinting with sidewise motion
Is he looked up, blue eyes bright be-
hind the eyeglasses. II know it's a
blow, but your company was underbid.
I'm sorry to tel you that my personal