Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

THE AMERICAN SYNDICATE. here at two this afternoon, and 1f he cannot come then, to name some defi- nite hour after that.” “ T understand, senor.” They left the office together, the sec- retary to look up the landlord of the unused shop, affd Joe to invade one café after another, where he offered in each instance to buy all the ice cream freezers in the place at double the mar- ket price, and allow the owners free use of them for one week. The proposition was so extraordi- nary that many a caterer hesitated be- fore committing himself to it, but the calm assurance of the manager of the American Syndicate, and the apparent prospect of making a profit out of noth- ing, convinced all of them save one or two, whose stock of freezers was so small that the profit in the transaction would hardly cover the expense of the journey to St. Thomas. To such men Joe simply offered treble the cost of their freezers, and he did not cease his negotiations until he had prospectively under his control every ice cream freezer in Ponce that he could hear of. “There may be some in the suburban districts, if they have any such things as roadside taverns here,” he thought, “and if there is time after engaging the shop on the Plaza, I must take a run into the country and investigate.” His negotiations with the various café proprietors carried him well past the usual luncheon hour, and he had to hurry his midday meal in order to be at his office again at two o’clock. Mike had accomplished his mission successfulty, and shortly after Joe’s re- turn, the owner of the building in which the unused shop was located, called. He, also, appeared to be properly im- pressed with the magnificence of the syndicate’s office. One evidence of his impression lay in his attempt to fix an absurdly high price for rent. Joe was equal to this emergency, and m short order had reduced the land- lord to subjection. A satisfactory ar- 83 rangement was made, therefore, ac- cording to which the landlord agreed to have the premises put in readiness for the new occupant well within a week from the date of signing the lease. He was too highly pleased at the pros- pect of having such a tenant as the great American Syndicate to think of demanding a month’s rent in advance, or even so much as a deposit. The incurring of this new obligation, to meet which there was no money whatever in sight, did not drive Joe to his back room. He was getting used to it. The plunge was now so deep that it seemed a sheer waste of emo- tional force to censider the affair in any other aspect than that of an undertak- ing assured of success. After the landlord had gone, it proved to be necessary for Joe to re- main in the office to receive the various petty dealers with whom he had made verbal contracts for the purchase of freezers. They came one after another to sign and carry away their contracts, and before the last had gone, the busi- ness day was at an end. It was altogether too late to think of a trip of exploration to the suburbs. Moreover, Joe felt that it would be ad- visable to rest until evening, for he fore- saw the necessity of calling upon all of his nervous force when he should meet the friends of Don Octavio. The don himself had called for a mo- ment during the afternoon, apparently for the mere courteous purpose of re- minding Joe of his engagement, and of assuring him that the proper parties would be present during the evening. At the time of his call Joe was deep in his negotiations with one café pro- prietor, while another sat waiting his turn in a corner. Joe wondered whether the don knew the men. It didn’t matter, one way or the other, for the don was too polite to inquire what business the American Syndicate had with café proprietors, and the general aspect of soni e was _ eco one of energetic industry