The Boss of Wind River

ossible. Around them flourished a mass of acrid correspondence-complaints and threats from the consignees, tart rejoinders from Kent. In other quarters sales

th his usual verbose solemnity. Done into plain English it amounted to this: The directors insis

he had already made tentative arrangements. New notes were signed, the Commercial paid o

tradition, more willing to take a chance, and in closer touch with the exigencies of modern business. But for all that he never lost sight of his bank's interests, and his impartial and cool advice was of inestimable benefit to Jo

and the mortgagees had threatened legal proceedings. And he was able, also, to accompany his tender for th

failing, deputed Locke to handle the matter for them. Locke went straight to headquarters, as was his custom. Henry

e said, "there never was a frei

one," Locke replied.

rate. We have the usual number of complaints, but no

?" Locke interru

e have letters from several large lumber

d the letters produced,

back. "You couldn't have worded them bette

ey are not genuine?" aske

e. "They're inspired, every one of them. The signatories w

eemer, recovering

e you?" Loc

e witness box,

. "Then we'll thresh out the letters and the reba

"We don't seem to be getting ah

ients-or one of them-made co

r. "Good heavens! You, as a lawyer,

e how the new r

has just gone into effect. We must see how it works. I won

untly. "I shall advise my clients to file a

loaded with work. Taken in its order of priority the complain

he said in

cke. "Give me a list

you want

many or which of them will benefi

"that's another insinuation. It amount

cke ironically. "Will you give me the

ose owners were more or less connected with lumber interests, though just how they benefited by

His business is over on the O. & N. The rise won

an. I know he's mixed up in about everything, b

is business into a stock company, and

n we may assume his in

blazoned forth to the world. He was more prominent in finance than in comme

t a drawer of his desk, burrowing among the papers. "Yes, here we are. Huh!" He laid two papers side by side and ran his eye down them.

see the connection. "He's

hold his mortgages and threatened foreclosure for an instalment of interest not much overdue. The railway makes a rate that lo

mpressed itself int

nge before the new rate was promulgated. The contract which they tried to obtain would have been absolutely ruinous to Kent. T

salient points emerged: Some person or persons were hammering the lumber interests along the Peninsular R

onths before. He was learning in a hard school, and hardening in the process. And his brief and pointed reference

college education upon the voc

y're all that and then some,"

should have chosen this juncture for a second call upon the so

ct, when Mr. Ackerman's accurately engraved card was handed to him. Followed Mr. Ackerman, perfectly dressed, bland, and smiling. His mann

he said shortly, "wh

d Mr. Ackerman. "I promised myself that the first time I was in Falls C

Joe in a tone which should h

ce of one who has-hem!-a certain amount of business experience may no

"is doing about as well as can be

. Ackerman's, and as he recognized the huge, sprawling signature of that e

imism, expansion; over-expansion, falling trade, pessimism. We are on the down grade now, and have not nearly reached the lowest point. It may be one ye

all right, if that's wh

ntioned in a certain quarter-no matter where-the possibility of your being willing to stock your business or sell it, and

oe. "I told you once I wasn't

"It would allow you to retain practical control of the busi

s will get hold of the pieces of my busines

pained. At least his face assumed an e

ear b

. You and your fellow directors of the bank tried to close me out when my security was ample. You and your fellow directors of the loan company wouldn't give me an ordinary extension of time for an interest paym

" Mr. Ackerman

upted curtly. "I wo

smile, tolerant and forgiving, illuminating a cou

the hand. His tone was so thoroughly contemptuo

me. And in future you need expect no consideration from any institution with which

htened i

elling the truth for once," he said cheerfu

mantle. He brushed past Wright in the hall, and the latter whistled his astonishment, for the highly respectable and usually unperturbed twin brother