The Boss of Wind River

orning and slapped an open letter down

he demanded. The communicatio

ER &

ctors-

k, Jun

umber Co.,

y, we would say that we will not require same from you, having been quoted a more favo

uly, Barke

and the contract had been all but closed; in fact, he was not sure that it had not been closed. After consultation with Wrigh

aid, trying to hide his disappoint

"We figured our margin down to a hair-line. I'll bet a h

goes," said Joe wearily. "Hang it,

't," said Wright. "They practically

to Locke then, and see wh

em back to Wright. "No good," he said. "What's here doesn't

rs run up the spur and started to load,

they don't amount to an agreement. They're simply a series of proposals, rejections, and requests for other proposals, though you

ted 'em rock bottom," Wright persiste

Locke. "That may be an excuse, or it may not

lot of lumber, and they're not in business to lose money. I say nobody could underbid us. They lie

"Your quotations were f.o.b. Falls City. It's just poss

ks and compared the rate from Falls City to Oshkook with

soliloquized. "They can't lay down any

ckened brier and pondered the

e through it. I think I'll take a run over to

usiness. We quoted 'em a good rate. If they don't want our stuff at that let 'em go to

lder man

It isn't a case of soliciting business; it's a case of finding out why we don't get what's coming to us, and that's a mighty vital question to any concern. We've sold

he argument. "I was wrong. Go

ropped into Barker & Smith's office

mber we quoted you a p

plainly uneasy. "Yes. Let's see!

how any one could give a lower quotation. In fact, I wouldn't have believed it possible if your lette

ether the other people lose money or not, that's th

lling me who they

appeared to e

e replied. "We got a number of quotations, of course

ion in the office, would

s all about it. I don't. Sorry to leave you, but I've got an a

surprise at seeing Wright was so much overdone t

about this. We got a dozen quotations and picked out the one that suited us. That's all the

d that's my business," said Wr

-class indignation, "amounts t

then we did; I know that. And I know that transportation charges cut no figure, either. I'm not kicking, understand, but I do want to know why we didn't land the contract. We've done business

ill I ask you,

y price you choose to pay. That's all right. You needn't have given any reason at all. But the reason you did give was not th

ires in our business, and we have to stand in with the people who pull them, see? Sometimes we have to buy where we're told, no matt

g end of the concern. The limits, the camps, and the drives were his field. What logs he did not sell he handed over to Wright and thought no more about, knowing that they would be worked up into everything from rough boards to matc

d," he fumed. "Nice free country we inhabit! I never took much stock in

fane comment, but offered no advice. When Kent had gone h

boy think about

han because he can't sell to them. Same thing in one way, of course. But he's looking at it from w

y, "if we may go a step further? I won

!" exclaim

Locke. "It may not be es

mers myself without reason. I can stand it, but Joe c

u suspect anyway?" ask

any ring to boost prices; but I have been asked to sell out. So

nk somebody is fo

told the truth he'd have said he'd

" said Locke. "Take your medicine till you can get hold of one definite illegal