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“Now, General, I can make you satisfactory terms and prices. Every article that leaves our shop is guaranteed; the Orion Arms brands are to-day the standards by which all other firearms are judged. You can't make a mistake by ordering now.” He pushed the pen and the book closer to the general's hand. All the general had to do now was simply to close his fingers.

“Señor, we can hardly go into such details to-night.” The dictator moved back a trifle from the drummer, with a South American's distaste of touching another human being of the same sex. “There is no necessity. You will be here for weeks, waiting for my canoes from Rio. They will bring drafts, some gold, some barter. When all this is arranged I will send you down the Amazon to embark at Rio for New York, but we have a long wait until my flotilla arrives.”

The salesman made a flank attack, almost without thinking. He gently insinuated the book and pen into the general's fingers.

“Now, your Excellency,” he murmured, raising his brows, “you sign the dotted line, just here; see?” He pointed at it absorbedly. “I want you to do it to protect yourself. If the prices happen to advance, you get the benefit of to-day's quotations; see? If they fall—why, countermand and order again; see? I'm trying to protect your interests just the same as if they were mine, General.”

The dictator returned pen and book.

“We will discuss these details later, señor.” He again drew out his watch and seemed struck with the hour. “I am sure you are weary after your long ride, Señor Strawbridge. I myself, unfortunately, have another engagement. Allow me to introduce to you Coronel Saturnino.” He moved with the salesman toward the man at the desk, a moment later presented the colonel, and bowed himself away.

The drummer was discomfited at his prospect's escape;