John Henry Smith Part 35

I have won the "Harding Trophy!"

Carter and I played for it last Thursday. I had absolute confidence that I should win, and when Miss Harding smilingly told me that she was "pulling for me," I had no more doubt that I could win than I had that I was alive. We had the largest gallery that ever has followed a match in Woodvale. The betting was two to one against me.

I beat Carter four up and three to play, and made a medal score of seventy-six, breaking the amateur record for the course. That statement is quite sufficient to tell the story of the game.

I gave a dinner in honour of my victory, and at its conclusion Miss Harding presented the "Bronze Gent," as Chilvers calls this beautiful statuette. She made a graceful speech and we cheered her wildly. How charming she looked as she stood beside the huge bulk of her proud father! I tried to say something in reply, but the light in her eyes seemed to hypnotise me, and after a few incoherent sentences Chilvers came to my relief by striking up our club song, to the tune of a familiar hymn:

"Oh, why can't I drive like other men do?

How on earth can you drive if you don't follow through?"

CHORUS

"Hallelulia; watch that shoulder Hallelulia, my men; Hallelulia; get your wrists in!

Must I tell you again?"

"Everybody come in strong on the second verse," ordered Chilvers, and we obeyed as best we could, also on the third. They run like this:

"I can't understand; understand it at all, Why I can't keep my eye on that little white ball."

CHORUS

"Hallelulia; keep a-looking; Hallelulia, my men; Hallelulia; keep a-watching!

Must I tell you again?"

"Oh, why can't I hole out on each green in two?

Because we all find that a hard thing to do."

CHORUS

"Hallelulia; grasp your putter Hallelulia, again, Hallelulia; hit it harder!

Never up, never in!"

It was a great occasion, but I have things to narrate which are of much more import. The board of directors of the N.O. & G. railroad met on Friday!

Mr. Harding and I went to the city together. He was very busy looking over papers, and noticing his preoccupation I did not attempt to engage in conversation with him.

I had plenty to think of. This was the day big with my future. This was the day when the conspirators proposed to pa.s.s the dividend on the stock of the N.O. & G. Would they dare to do it? What would result if they did?

Knowing as I did that the earnings of the property had increased and that its prospects never were more favourable, I could not believe it possible that responsible officials would dare take so unwarranted a step for the purpose of influencing stock quotations. But while I kept my head and appeared outwardly calm, I was nervous, and I frankly confess it.

I was weighing the situation in its various lights when Mr. Harding spoke to me.

"Are you good at figures, Smith?" he asked.

"I can add, subtract, multiply and divide," I said with some confidence.

"Good!" he growled. "You've got nothing else to do, so you may as well help me on multiplication and addition. Multiply these by those and add 'em up--right quick, won't you?"

He pa.s.sed to me a piece of paper containing the following memorandum:

500................................68-1/2

1100................................67-3/4

4000................................67-1/2

300................................66-7/8

600................................66-1/2

1700................................65-1/2

200................................64

2300................................63-1/2

1000................................62-3/4

500................................61-1/4

3000................................60-1/2

1200................................59

300................................59-1/4

100................................58-7/8

400................................58-1/2

250................................59

1000....... ........................58-3/8

There were dates opposite the larger numerals, but these, of course, did not enter into the computation.

Harding handed me a blank pad and resumed his study of other papers which from time to time he produced from a large black-covered folio. It took me some time to finish this calculation, but at last my task was ended and I gave the slip to him.

"Sure that's right, Smith?" he asked, looking at the footing.

"Your 18,450 shares of N.O. & G. stock cost you exactly $1,174,815, Mr.

Harding, not including the commissions to your brokers," I said, calmly as possible.

His big head swung quickly and he gazed at me with an expression of abject surprise.

"Well I'll be--well--say, Smith, how in thunder did you get the idea into your head that those figures stood for N.O. & G. stock?" he demanded, after glancing at the slip to make sure that it contained no tell-tale initials.

"Because the dates of purchase correspond with the quotations," I responded, enjoying his amazement and wondering to what it would lead.