hirds of what's offered to us over the counter."

"What commission would you expect?" Mr. Gunterson inquired.

"Whatever you're paying now is all right with us," McCoy responded
promptly. "And we'll guarantee you a liberal increase in premiums the
first year."

The heart of the Guardian's Vice-President swelled in his breast when
he anticipated O'Connor's chagrin over this development.

"The Spokane's man is in town," Bloom said, as if by an afterthought.
"Put it in the form of a contract, Mr. Gunterson, and I'll notify him
to-day that we're holding his supplies subject to his order."

The contract was promptly drawn, signed, and witnessed, each party
retaining a copy, and Samuel Gunterson, with the sting of defeat
removed by this brilliant achievement, and with his self-esteem and
confidence wholly restored, turned blithely toward the South Station on
his way to New York.

CHAPTER XV

Contemporary historians point out that in Egypt, more than four
thousand years ago, those who bore bad tidings to the reigning monarch
were in the habit of meeting death so swiftly that they could scarcely
have been incommoded by the circumstance. In fact, they had all the
satisfaction of inevitable demise with none of the discomforts
necessarily attendant on lingering annihilation.

Mr. Samuel Gunterson, returning from Boston with the signed contract of
Sternberg, Bloom, and McCoy, presently found himself in the position of
sensing all the restlessness and unhappiness of an expiring frame with
no hope of an early easement by carefree and cheerful decease. For the
news of his first important agency appointment was received by William
Street in a manner not at all calculated to flatter the man who had
made it. Of the numerous opinions expressed or unexpressed, ranging
from polite incredulity to unholy joy or open contempt, the only
quality which all these opinions held in common was their invidiousness.

The appointment received perhaps its most kindly treatment from those
most directly concerned. Mr. Wintermuth did not know anything about
Sternberg, Bloom, and McCoy--in fact, he had never heard of them. And
so, when Mr. Gunterson, in his most convincing rhetoric; explained the
merits of the new agents and the increased income which he felt
confident the Guardian would receive, the President gave his assent,
merely expressing his deep regret at concluding his business relations
with Silas Osgood.

"But Mr. Osgood is