Broken to the Plow

ng in money. But it was heartbreaking work. The people who had yielded up their consent so smilingly to Fred for personal accident policies, or automobile insurance, passed him furtively on

he premiums on March business were not due until the end of May and i

from Kendrick reached Fred's ears. One day a close friend of Fre

pe… I hope you're not giving Kendrick the chance to have you cal

told you again and aga

a cent on the H

s better than to stir up a situation he's help

w at once to Brauer. He decided not to say anything to his

his test. The first man he called on produced a receipt from Brauer for the premium paid on the very day the policy was issued. The second man protested that he had paid Brauer only the day before. The third man stated br

he man said. "He promised

tomer was eve

ome off the premium," h

ce-he went and took him to lunch instead, where he

oke out suddenly, once they were seated at

rauer's face c

ms and holding them back from the offi

you been doing … bothering my people? I'll trouble you to let me attend to my own clients in

things due me… My name is on every one of those policies. Therefore I ought to know when they are paid and anything else about the business that concerns me. You know as w

folks in March for money that isn't due until May,

ny justification. It seems Kendrick is after us. He's going to try and get us on a rebating charge. I saw six of your

rauer broke out,

What's done is done. But I don't want any more of it. I'm playing a square g

to me, I suppose!

steadily. "Precis

ut hardly his good temper. At the close of the meal they parted politely. Fred could see that Brauer was

e a workmen's compensation policy. It covered the entire force of

Brauer announced, defiantly. "That's legitimat

t I'm not keen for it. However,

nd almost immediately he came back with a check fo

k and drew out his check book. "I guess I might as well settle up fo

or their full amount, plus the workmen's compensation premium

o Brauer was for a full premium without any 5-per-cent reduction, and that Brauer, himself, was withhold

"Kendrick's doing some gum-shoe work,

fice rent and the telephone… April showed up better, but May, of course, held great promise. At the end of May the Hilmer premiums would be due and the firm of Starratt & Co. on its feet, with over two thousand dollars in commissions actually in hand. On the strength of these prospects Helen began to order a new outfit. Fred Starratt did not have the heart to complain. Helen had earned every stitch of clothing that she was buying-there was no doubt about that; still, he would have liked to be less hasty in her expenditures. He had been too long in business to

ed to say to Fred. "And

minine frivolity to which she was unaccustomed. After a while he looked for outward changes in Mrs. Hilmer's make-up. He figured that the shopping tours with Helen might be reflected in a sprightlier bonnet or a narrower skirt or a higher heel on her shoe. B

Helen would exclaim, rushing upon

ll, she did look sweet, in a motherly, bovine way, Fred admitt

roval, and Fred stood back in a corner while Helen went into ecstasies over it. Even a man could not escape the fact that it was unbecoming. So

f your taste, old gir

ously. "Of course it

of many deceits, but he knew now that Helen's insincerities

Underwriters, he had discovered that they had failed to give Hilmer credit in the rating for certain fire protection. On the strength of Starratt's application for a change a new rate was publish

our policies,"

te for you and I want

ear to be moved by

rewrite the bunch,"

e present policies would be due and payable at the end of the month

is reduction applies from the original date of the policies

ter cancel," he announced, dryly. "It's a good excuse, and I'm

e must wait then until July for an easy financial road. And would July see him? out of the woods? Suppose Hilm

anxieties to Helen. Sh

ent into business that

rved, with a sugg

confess that appearances were against him. Scarcely anyone believed the Hilmer myth. And underneath the surface was Brauer. Fred felt sure that Brauer's ethical lapses were still in progress. At intervals Brauer always contrived to place an insurance line other than fire and insist that he was compelled to grant a discount. These premiums were always settled promptly and, in their wake, a list of fire premiums paid in full were turned in by Brauer. It w

ly fail, or strut upon the boards of an empty playhouse and still succeed. He began to realize just what was meant by the term self-esteem-how hard and uncompromising and exacting it was. To disappoint another was a humiliation; to disappoint oneself was a tragedy. And the tragedy became deep in proportion to the

His broker friend had been right-the payment of any premiums but fire premiums dragged on "till the cows came home." Many of the policies that had seemed so easy to write up came back for total cancellation. This man

esk, but the cashier received him blandly. Yes, they were ready to pay, in fact the check was drawn and only awaited Hilmer's sig

llway he

with you," Brauer began

out if Fred were in a position to square things. His demands were extraordinarily fair-he asked to have the notes for any advan

d the Hilmer premiums," he

25. Well, his profits on the Hilmer insurance would be in the neighborhood of $1,900 under the new rate. To-morrow he would be in possession of this sum. It was too easy! He drew out his

ok hands heartily. B

old man… I hope

o, nothing like that! If it had to come I

down the hall Starratt

check through the bank until

uiescence and disappeared

he said to Helen, as he let out a

tell me how tightly you let him sew us up. With signed notes and that agreement he could have been nasty… It's stra

Helen's shrewdn

ed him a note. He broke the seal and read a summons to appear before the executive committee on the follow

rong? Any

swiftly. "Oh no … j

ge to-

t into his coat pocket he began to have a su