The Early Bird: A Business Man's Love StoryChester, George Randolph
General
The Early Bird: A Business Man's Love Story
Chester, George Randolph
Businessmen -- Fiction; Love stories
Jack's first opportunity for a quiet talk with his brother did not
occur for an hour after the game.
"I don't like to worry you while you're resting, Sam," he began, "but
I'll have to tell you that the Flatbush deal seems likely to drop
through. It reaches a head to-morrow, you know."
[Illustration: "I don't like to worry you, Sam"]
Sam Turner grabbed for his watch.
"It can't drop through!" he vigorously declared. "I'll go right up
there to-night and look after it."
"But you're on your vacation," protested Jack. "That's no way to rest."
"On my vacation!" snorted Sam. "Of course I am. I'm not losing a
minute of my vacation. The proper way to have a vacation is to do the
thing you enjoy most. Don't you suppose I'll enjoy closing that
Flatbush deal?"
"Certainly," admitted his brother, "and I'll enjoy seeing you do it. I
know you can."
"Of course I can. But you're to stay here."
"It's not my turn for an outing," protested Jack. "I haven't earned
one yet."
"You're to work," explained Sam. "You see, Jack, in one week I can't
become a bowling or golf expert enough to beat Princeman, nor a tennis
or dancing expert enough to outshine Billy Westlake, nor a horseback or
croquet expert enough to make a deuce out of Hollis. You can do all
these things, and I want you to give this crowd of distinguished
amateurs a showing up. Jack, if you ever worked for athletic honors in
your life now is the time to do it; and in between time stick to Miss
Stevens like glue. Monopolize her. Don't give these three or any
other contenders any of her time. Keep her busy. Let me know every
day what progress you're making; don't stop to write; wire! For
remember, Jack, I'm going to marry her. I've got to."
"Well, then you'll marry her," Jack sagely concluded. "Does she know
it yet?"
"I don't think she's quite sure of it," returned Sam with careful
analysis. "Of course she's thought about it. Sometimes she thinks she
won't, and sometimes she thinks she will, and sometimes she isn't quite
sure whether she will or not. Don't you worry about that part, though,
and don't bother to boost me. Just quietly you take the shine out of
these summer champions and leave the rest to your brother Sam."
"Fine," agreed Jack. "Run right along and sell your papers, Sammy, and
I'll wire you every time I put over a point."
Sam hunted and found Miss Josephine.
"I'm sorry I have to take a run back to New York for two or three
days," he said.
She bent upon him a glance of amusement; the old glance of mingled
amusement and mischief.
"I thought you were on your vacation," she observed.
"And I am," he insisted. "I've been having a bully time, and I'll come
back here to finish up the couple of days I have left."
"Then the drive which didn't count this morning, and which was
postponed again until to-morrow morning, will have to be put off once
more," she reminded him with a gay laugh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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