"Evarts, why on earth did you send for me?" demanded Mr. Bascomb, as the
discharged foreman came up.
"Because I knew you'd be here---you don't dare do otherwise," was the
sneering reply.
"Try not to be impudent about it," advised Mr. Bascomb mildly. "As you
may remember, I've had to stand a lot from you."
"And not as much as you might have to stand, either, if I took it into my
head to make matters lively for you," jeered Evarts harshly. "Remember,
man, you'll do as I want you to do."
"I'm willing to do what I can for you," replied the president. "But---"
"Now, don't throw any of your 'buts' at me," broke in the discharged
foreman, roughly. "You failed me in one thing---you didn't make Reade take
me back on the job, as I told you to do."
"I couldn't," pleaded Mr. Bascomb. "Prenter stood with Reade and was
against me."
"You're the president of the company, aren't you?" Evarts demanded
sullenly.
"Yes; but Prenter is a bigger man in the company, and he has more influence
with the board of directors. If Prenter came out against me, and persuaded
the other directors that I was a bad asset for the company, they'd act on
Prenter's suggestion and remove me from the presidency.
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