The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-05-01


 well, that's pretty good logic," Norman agreed with a significant glance at Millicent. "That'll keep the proprietor from being bothered with them again."
 Yeah" Johnson said wearily. People don't realize that it takes lot of energy for man to get up and walk clear to the front of the store and then come back again when there ain't no profit in connection with a sale. It's just a dead loss of valuable time and effort-leastwise," he amended af. ter moment, tits loss of effort. Time ain't so valuable. Business isl pretty poor these days and there ain't much use figuring times as being an asset. In fact, nothing's an asset when man gets to losing money In his business. Every day he keeps the place open makes the loss that much bigger, so it's kind of job trying to figure just what time is worth. Maybe time ain't an asset after all-just a liability"
 Norman laughed, Millicent smiled.
 T mean it." Johnson said. 'T'm talking facts. The trouble with this country is there's too much competition. Now, I've got too many competitors in the stationery business. What the government should do is to set up sort of code by which every man in the stationery business would be guar anteed a certain net income, re- gardless of how much stuff he sold. Then competition wouldn't be so keen and people wouldn't have to cut prices in order to get business. That would mean there'd be more sales made, which would mean that the guaranty wouldn't cost the government anything"
 He nodded his head sagely. then yawned and said, "Oh, we'll, ain't going to bother my head trying to solve the country's economic prob. lens unless get paid for 1t, and it don't look like anyone's going to pay me-"
 He stretched his arms above his, head, yawned a couple of times, said drowsily, T can hear if any one comes in and you folks won't mind if close my eyes little bit. My eyes ain't strong; the light hurts them"
 He closed his eyes and almost instantly started to snore.
 Norman and Millicent sat there silent and waiting, afraid to talk for fear Johnson had not told them the truth about his conversation with Cynthia Happ and Bob Caise. His transition from drawling con- versation to gentle snores seemed too rapid to be genuine and Nor man placed a forefinger to his lips. signaling Millicent to silence.
 After some 10 or 15 minutes the electric bell gave warning of cus- toner. Johnson strengthened from the cot, yawned, rubbed his eyes. shuffled sleepily into the main part of the store, sold an order amount ing to almost $10, returned, grim ned socially, then closed his eyes again and was almost immediate ly asleep.
 They had been waiting nearly half an hour when the proprietor returned. He beckoned Millicent and Norman to one side and said. "rm sorry, folks, but it's a bum steer"
 What do you mean?" Norman asked.
 That ain't the woman"
 You saw Phyllis Faulconer?"
 "Yes."
 "She wasn't the woman who bought the whiskey?"
 "Nope. never saw her before in my life"
 "She was in Apartment 309?"
 That's right. I asked her was her name Phyllis Faulconer, and she said 1t was. I told her I was soliciting business for a laundry route and she said she didn't have no laundry"
 "No laundry?" Millicent inquir- ed.
 That's what she said. She said she only stayed at the apartment off and on, and she didn't have any laundry, and, what was more, she thought I had crust ringing her bell at that hour of the night to solicit laundry. She said there wasn't any peddlers allowed in the place and she was going to report me If I didn't clear out"
 "So you cleared out?" Millicent asked.
 That's right. I figured you just wanted me to take a look at her, so I cleared out"
 She's there now?" Norman in quired.
 "Was a few minutes ago." the man said.
 Norman's face showed sudden