The Argosy, Vol. 82, No. 3 — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

TWELVE A WEEK SHORT. Which, Arthur reflected, seemed to have been exactly the preference on which Morrison had acted. “But, Mr. Morrison,” he suggested fur- ther, ‘ I’ve thought of several little ways in which the factory output could be vast- ly increased. Perhaps you could raise your capital enough to let in my little invest- ment.” “How could it be increased?” Morrison demanded suspiciously. Morrison believed that a gasoline engine or an engine factory should be let alone so long as it is running well. “That Number Two boring machine could be eliminated entirely, with the man that runs it, or it could double its present capacity by—”’ But the technical details he went into would not interest the reader. They inter- ested Morrison. “Let’s see about that,” he said, getting from his chair and leading the way from the office into the factory proper. His manner showed a little of the fear of being convinced, but at the same time an unwillingness to let a real opportunity pass. But the fear had dropped from him fif- teen minutes later, as Arthur led him to other machines to point out improvements he had never before felt the interest to hint at, since Morrison had appeared rather more likely to resent suggestions than to act upon them. Only the big gift of this morning had convinced Arthur that his boss respected him enough to listen to him. “Say, Bannock,” Morrison was urging eagerly, “how soon could you get the stuff and rig those improvements?” ‘“‘We could make all we need to finish the improvements with our own plant,” Arthur assured him. “And it would cost about five thousand dollars.” “But how soon?” Morrison repeated im- patiently. “Two weeks—three at the longest.” “For the Lord’s sake get at them. Why —why—young man, you've certainly squared for your little present already. I don’t mind telling you that I had made up my mind to turn down a two hundred thousand dollar foreign order to-morrow because we hadn’t equipment and couldn’t get equipment in time to take it.” If Eleanor still retained any misgivings about Arthur’s liberality they must have vanished that evening. He took her to the best restaurant in 463 town for a dinner that made the waiter’s eyes bulge. And he had box seats for the - best show. ‘They went in a taxicab. “So Morrison’s admitted that he gave you the money?” Eleanor asked him. ‘““ Oh, he didn’t say it in so many words, but he virtually admitted it. And, better than that, he told me I’d already squared for it. He’s tickled to death with the im- provements I suggested. I’m afraid they’re going to keep me away from home a bit for the next three weeks. I hope you'll understand now, though.” “T understand,” she answered, pressing his hand under the tablecover. ‘And it’s going to be my real honeymoon, too, whether you’re hereshalf the time or not.” VI. THE WAR BABIES, fF LEANOR was quite right. It was the beginning of their honeymoon. Un- derstanding makes a wonderful difference in honeymoons. Arthur understood how he was going to make a living now. His wife, his home had ceased to be millstones around his neck. And Eleanor understood that he was succeeding, show- ‘ing himself a better man than she had thought him capable of being. He was very busy. The improvements required some designing and much chang- ing after they had been designed and completed. <A lot of things look better on paper than they do in cold steel. Yet Arthur made the machines come right at last. And then there was the big order Morrison had taken, and a night force as well as a day force. And Arthur was more a factory manager than ever before, for he had a head-foreman under him at night. He had to be around enough to keep track of both gangs of mechanics. Undoubtedly that was just as well. Had he not been so busy he might not have en- dured so calmly that which took place with the three thousand dollars he had invested with Uncle Charlie for the time being. Heatproof Steel reached two hundred and ten. Eleanor’s uncle sold Arthur’s shares then, and telephoned the happy pair that their three thousand had grown to thirty. A man must needs be busy to keep his head when such a growth takes place in Gomichdooks (C@