Page:Bound to Succeed.djvu/128

120 From two till five o'clock he was busy working on his "patent." From then until six o'clock he wrote several letters, went out and mailed them, and kept thinking and planning on the mail order business.

Markham, dusty and tired, wheeled up to the store about seven o'clock. He had an immense bouquet of wild flowers, which delighted Mrs. Ismond, to whom he gracefully presented it.

"What a day it has been for me," he exclaimed, after a good wash up. "Why, I seem to be free, really free for the first time in my life—the pretty roads, the lovely flowers, the sweet singing birds—"

"And the needles?" suggested practical Frank.

"Oh, I sold them before noon," said Markham, indifferently.

"All of them?"

"Fifteen packages to one little country store. Knocked a cent off my profit, but time counts, you know."

"I sent an order to the city for a gross of those false moustaches," announced Frank.

"You did?" exclaimed Markham. "That's famous! When will they be here?"

"Day after to-morrow, I think. Then I'm going down to Riverton to collect some bills. I