Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 158: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

——-—- — a ; 's 148 “Have you. in mind?” “Oh, I have a ita scheme,” answered Quinn, “but Ill admit-I have my doubts of its success. Anyway, that’s my chief reason for coming to see you today.” “Let’s hear about it,” urged Andy. “It’s just this. We're going to try a little psychology on the steel gangers— going to pay them in cash tomorrow instead of with the usual checks. A bunch of bills in a colored man’s hand looks a lot bigger to him than a little slip of paper, even if the paper is worth as much.” “I see,” said Peck. “You're figuring that, when. a man sees all that ready cash in his fist and realizes that he can get as much more every two weeks if he stays on the job, he’s not going to be so ready to leave right off.” “Exactly,” stated the supervisor. “You can see for yourself, though, that it’s not much to base our hopes on. But we’re going to give it a trial.” “How you going to pay them?” asked Andy. “That’s where you come in,” answered Quinn. ‘We're going tosenda ‘special pay- roll out to you and let you do it.” “But how about the money?” questioned Andy. ‘‘Where’s it to come from?” At this question the attentive Steamboat pricked up his ears. “That'll come with the pay-roll sheets,” replied Quinn. His words reached Steam- boat distinctly. “Sheets and money will be done up in a package and will reach you tonight on No. 73. That'll give you a chance to go over it and get things lined up before the men call tomorrow morning. The money will be in bills— about three thousand dollars.” A sort of gentle sigh escaped Steamboat. Three thousand dollars! Many, many times the amount that would keep him in comfort, in luxury, over Winter. To- morrow he’d draw around forty dollars. That forty dollars, plus seven dollars and thirty cents—the latter amount almost wholly the result of a recent lucky session at craps—represented his total assets. Steamboat sighed deeply again. Three thousand dollars! He hearkened once more to the conversation within the office. “All right,” Agent Peck was saying. “Letitcome. I’lldomy best—even though the old man has given me the can. I hayen’t any safe here, though, to keep rr’. > a fwd Adventure — Quinn ‘ spoke: it some place here in the office. It ought to be safe enough, especially as no one else needs to know it’s here.”’ “Tt ought to be,” assented And puiy “ie way, that's what Till have to do.” “Sure, it'll be all right, He walked toward ae door. A have to be moving along. Hasn’t been any trouble since haat pay-day, has Si Men behaving?”- “No; no trouble since,” replied Andy. “The colored are doing as well as could be expected, I guess last time?” asked “Just what did hap Quinn. “I never did hear precisely, and I’ve been wanting to ask you. Trouble with the —— wasn’t it?” “Yes. A few of the steel gangers a little too much gin and made some cae ment up-town. I wasn’t there myself, but the next day I heard there’d been threats made. Some of the white folks were for coming down here and cleaning out the I heard they claimed they'd do it if the colored men started any ything again.” ‘““That’s the deuce of st ited they get a little booze!’’ said Quinny “Well, let’s trust they'll behave. But, if anything should break loose, you wire to head- quarters, and we’ll get some of our railroad cops out here quick. Aman can’t fool with that sort of thing. No telling.” “All right,” responded Andy. “But I guess there’s not much danger. Mostly hot air, I expect.” y “Hope so,” said the supervisor. “But don’t take any chances. So long. I'll drop in tomorrow and see how things are working out.” == ie Ga eo el roxy Pomicbooks. com Sites — —. + ens | oe oe ee ae