Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

WHERE ‘“ Splendid’s not the word for it—not the word for it!” Jones said. “Well, magnificent might be a little bet- ter, Joe,” Mr. Bennett beamed. “ However, we won’t waste time hunting adjectives; I think we all feel more adjectives just now than can be expressed. But it seems to me a fitting moment to express our apprecia- tion of Thomas Berford, just once more and just a little more strongly than usual; and with your permission, gentlemen, I shall try to do that!” They applauded; Mr. Bennett bowed and cleared his throat. “Thomas,” he went on solemly, to Mr. Berford, “‘ we knew you, most of us, as a boy—the worthy son of your incomparable father. We felt, all of us, no slightest trace of hesitation in asking you, five years ago and young as you were, to take the place he once occupied in our company. Yet not one of us, I am very certain, felt that an- other man quite like your father could exist —and there is not one of us to-day, Thomas, unconscious of some slight amaze- ment that another such man not only can and does exist, but that we have the rare sood fortune to own him as our chief ex- ecutive!” They applauded some more and this time Mr. Berford bowed and smiled. “T am a man of few words, Thomas,” the speaker continued, “and to those few I cannot give sufficient strength. We have known you for many years as a man whose spotless private life was far, far beyond the faintest breath of criticism——-whose en- ergy in our service has been so tireless, whose executive capacity has been so broad, as to be almost astounding. No, no, my dear boy! Don’t protest! This is not flattery, but simple, happy truth. And to- day, after hearing your report and realizing all that lies behind it, I want to go just a little bit farther. I want to tell you, Thomas, that it is my firm conviction, as it is the sense of all this gathering, that in you we possess the perfect man, the perfect president!” And again they clapped their hands, even to Craven, who actually smiled as he did it; Mr. Berford shrugged his shoulders and looked a little bored and foolish. -_ ‘Thanks, but it isn’t necessary to lay it on as thick as all that!” he said. ‘““] think it is, Tom,” Macpherson said unexpectedly. “ There’s none other just like you in the whole world; there’s never been but one—your father.” “And when he names you ‘ perfect,’ Tom, he says no more than we all feel!” Mr. Moreland contributed very earnestly. “And now, having said very badly what I wished to say so emphatically,” Mr. Ben- nett concluded, with the same beaming smile, “may I make a single prophecy? Within one year, gentlemen, within one year { vénture to predict, Thomas Berford will have the Storm Manufacturing Company it- self eating out of his capable hand!” He sat down and they stared hard at him because that, surely, was putting things pretty strongly. Jones gave one or two du- bious nods, as if he’d have liked to be op- timistic about it, but found that impossible. Macpherson just sighed; Craven pulled down one corner of his mouth with the fam- iliar, sneering effect that passed for a smile. But Mr. Bennett leaned forward, pounding the table with his clenched fist, and glared at them. ‘““Why dammit! He’s capable of it! He'll do it, sooner or later! Ill bet any man present a thousand dollars that Tom has from oné to a dozen tentative schemes in his head at this minute for bringing Storm into camp! Well?” They didn’t take the bet—and just then I happened to look at Mr. Berford, and I kept on looking, harder and harder, for that smile of his was distinctly peculiar. It be- gan as the faintest little flush; it grew broader and broader; then it seemed to sink into him again, and he chuckled for a sec- ond or two. He looked around the table and rubbed his chin meditatively, as he does when his mind isn’t quite made up. After that he gave a small grunt and rose to his feet. And, Standing there and looking at them, he made quite a picture. More than anything else, it seemed as if Mr. Berford was hyp- notizing them. He was just oozing domin- ation over those five old gentlemen, as he did about every so often when sor.ething important was afoot; and. they were Jaoking WAS I?