The Argosy for May — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

290 Clyde reached his store at five-thirty Monday morning, to get it in readiness for the rush he anticipated. However, early as it was, he found the president of the Acme Air-Brake Company already there and waiting for him. : “How long have you been here?” asked Clyde, noting the tired expression on the other’s face. “Since midnight,”’ answered the presi- dent. ‘I was determined to get the first crack at this guessing contest.” Clyde opened the store, and the presi- dent promptly made a purchase of one thousand four hundred and forty tops, and registered his guesses, one for each minute of the twenty-four hours. “There,” he remarked, as he finished. ‘““T’ll bet I’ve got that place cinched now, and at a mighty cheap price, too. I offered Brooks thirty-five thousand for it, less than a year ago, and he refused.” ‘Of course, you understand that there is a five-thousand-dollar mortgage on the place,” Clyde reminded him. “\T don’t care anything about that. I'll have it lifted within twenty-four hours after the clock stops, and will be moved into the house inside of a week. “Tt was a rather mean trick to play on you, though,” he added kindly to Clyde. “The sale of the tops won't bring you a third of what the home is worth. Of course, it’s easy to see what your uncle’s scheme was; he -was very angry because we refused to advance him money to finance his tops, and he thinks he is get- ting even by makng us buy them. Well, I’m perfectly willing to do so, with the inducements he offers.” At this point, the president of the New Process Brass Company . arrived. ‘The first president greeted him deri- sively. ‘“Vou’re too late, Jones,” he laughed. ‘“T’ve got this game cinched already.” “Oh, I don’t know,” answered Jones. ‘“ How’d you guess? ”’ ee “T began at twelve, noon, and made a guess for every minute of the twenty- four hours.” “Well, that don’t necesarily win the contest,’ grunted Jones, turning to Clyde, and pulling out his check-book. “Vou can send fourteen hundred and forty tops around to my house, and put Why, THE ARGOSY. me down for an equal number of guesses, starting at one half minute past twelve, and putting in the half minutes for the full twenty-four hours. The. seconds count, I presume? ”’ ‘Certainly,’ answered Clyde. More top customers began to arrive, and the two presidents returned to their homes. By noon the trade had grown so brisk that Clyde had to call in help to assist him in passing out the packages. When he closed the store for the night, he found that he had disposed of nearly five thousand tops. Most of these had gone to the wealthy manufacturers of the town, who had bought them up. in lots of five hundred or more. Tl next day the trade was not so brisk. The heavy guessing of the weal- thier class had frightened off many of the poorer people, who saw that they had little chance of winning. However, Clyde disposed of nearly one thousand tops, and registered an equal number of guesses. By the end of the week he had less than five hundred tops on hand. Then Lawyer Patterson, who had been an interested but silent watcher of the proceedings, handed Clyde a letter, ad- dressed to him in his uncle’s handwriting. ‘“A week from to-day I will hand you another and last letter of instruction from your uncle,” he informed the young man. Clyde opened the letter, and read the following: My Dear NEPHEW: I presume you have, by now, disposed of the bulk of my beloved tops; and, if I guessed right when I thought out this scheme for getting rid of them, most of them have been gobbled up by the scalawags who have become rich through my inventions, and turned me down when I most needed their help. Now, my boy, the farst thing I want you to do is to wind up the clock, and, if any of the guessers object, inform them that you have wound it for the last time. Next, take as much as is necessary from the proceeds from the sale of the tops and pay off the mortgage on the house. Be sure to have that clear, first of all. Then I want you to send a draft for MICLOOO© SS (C@