beginning you'd
make a salesman, and you've made good. You'll make good in this. If you
don't it isn't for lack of vision--and nerve."

"Nerve," he chuckled over the word. "You know it isn't good business for
me. I'll be losing a valuable man off my staff, and I'll be taking
longer chances than it has ever been my policy to take. Your only real
asset is--yourself. That isn't a negotiable security."

"Not exactly," Thompson returned. "Still in your business you are
compelled--every big business is compelled--to place implicit trust in
certain men. From a commercial point of view this move of mine should
prove even more profitable to you than if I remain on your staff as a
salesman--provided your estimate of me, and my own estimate of myself,
is approximately correct. You must have an outlet for your product. I
will still be making money for you. In addition I shall be developing a
market that will, perhaps before so very long, absorb a tremendous
number of cars."

"Oh, there's no argument. I'm committed to the enterprise," Henderson
declared. "I believe in _you_, Thompson. Otherwise I couldn't see your
proposition with a microscope. Well, I'll embody the various points in a
contract. Come in this afternoon and sign up."

As easily as that. Thompson went down the half-flight of stairs still a
trifle incredible over the ease with which he had accomplished a stroke
that meant--oh, well, to his sanguine vision there was no limit.

He felt pretty much as he had felt when he sold his first Groya to an
apparently hopeless prospect, elated, a little astonished at his
success, brimful of confidence to cope with the next problem.

The ego in him clamored to be about this bigger business. But that was
not possible. He came back to earth presently with the recollection that
the Summits would not be ready for distribution before late October--and
for the next five months the more Groyas he sold the better position he
would be in when he went on his own.

So when he finally had in his hands a dealer's contract covering the
Province of British Columbia he put the matter out of his mind--except
for occasional day-dreamings upon it in idle moments--and gave himself
whole-heartedly to serving the house of Henderson.

Time passed uneventfully enough. June went its way with its brides and
flowers. July drove folk upon vacations to the seaside resorts.

And in August there burst upon an incredulous world the jagged
lightnings and c