“_You_ won’t be,” said the other softly, “if you don’t take well meant advice.” “Why! that order’s been accepted long ago. I’ve ordered some of the stock. I’ve planned to begin the work this week.” “Change your plans, Jim Mayberry. Change your plans,” said Hammerly in a more threatening voice. “You’re not in power here. Barton may come back any day and polish you off. And this Bogata business is settled--for all time. Don’t make a mistake.” “Why, we can’t----” “You’re right. You can’t fill the order. Pull in your horns. The Bogata Company are going to have a New Year’s present of a receivership. And I’m hanged if I’ll stand by and see them try to bolster up their rotten credit with the credit of the Hapwood-Diller Company. They don’t happen to owe this firm anything, Jim; but they owe everybody else in the world who would give ’em a cent’s worth of credit. You kill their order.” “I tell you it can’t be done,” muttered Mayberry. “If you don’t Barton will come here and do it himself. He’s already wired your supply people to hold that order you sent for correction. You’re not going to run this factory into debt one penny’s worth to aid the Bogata people.” Mayberry sprang up, his heavy face aflame. “If you were a younger man, Mr. Hammerly----” “Forget my age, Jim. I’ve never seen the day yet that I couldn’t handle a chap of your size and shape,” and he let his keen eye run over Mayberry’s obese figure. “You’re as stubborn as a mule. Perhaps that’s all the matter with you. But you’ve got your instructions. All you need to do is to follow them. Write to the Bogata people and tell them this factory can’t fill their order.” “I don’t see by what right----” “None at all. I’m butting in,” said Hammerly turning to the door. “But you’d better think it over.” He went out chuckling, and after a while Mayberry cooled down. He knew well enough Hammerly’s power on the board. He soon grew calm enough to study the thing out. Barton had called on Hammerly for advice again. How had Barton heard of the Bogata matter? Just one answer to that question. Ethel Clayton! Mayberry’s expression when he came to this conclusion boded ill for Ethel. He knew just how he stood personally with her. Not that he cared more for Ethel Clayton in the first place than he did for half a dozen other girls. Only it had piqued him that she should have been so disdainful of his advances. Now he had a real reason, he told himself, for considering Ethel in the light of an enemy. She had thwarted his intention of jamming the Bogata order through the factory before Barton became aware of what he was doing. The success of the scheme meant much in a financial way to the superintendent. Now he could not do it. It was true that he had got his orders from the old grain merchant. Hammerly would surely keep his eye on him hereafter--if he had not already been doing so.