Page:Man's Country (1923).pdf/201

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Chapter XVII

ON the morning after that query of his wife's about the overstayed markets, President Judson sat alone in his office, to brood, to ponder, to read disquieting telegrams, and to digest irritating typewritten pages.

John Williams came in. "Chief," said he, putting a good deal of affection into one of his favorite forms of address for his president. "Chief! Hadn't we better turn back? Now, honestly, hadn't we?"

"Turn back?" snorted George contemptuously. "There's nothing in it in this world for the turn-backs. Suppose Columbus had turned back. Think a minute, John," and George laid a hand cordially upon the shoulder of his general sales manager. "Study the history of every successful enterprise in the world, and you'l! find there came a time when everybody wanted to turn back—everybody saw failure ahead but the leader. Turn back? Not on your life. We're going on, John. We're going on to victory!"

George lifted his hand high as he lifted his voice high, and then he stnote John Williams resoundingly with that uplifted palm, and thereafter waved him out of the room.