"Would you like to look over the books? I'll have them brought in."

"Don't trouble yourself to do that," said Quincy. "I'll examine them
at the bookkeeper's desk."

"Oh, very well," said Strout. "You'll find them O. K. But now's
you're here there's one thing I want to say. Hiram don't agree with
me, but he ain't progressive. There's no _crescendo_ to him. He wants
to play in one key all the time. He's--"

Quincy interrupted, "What did you wish to say about the business?
We'll drop personalities for the present, at least."

"Well, our business is growing, but we can do ten times as much with
more capital. What I want to do is to start branch stores in
Cottonton, Montrose, and Eastborough Centre. We send our teams to all
these places, but if we had stores there we'd soon cut the other
fellers out, for buying in such large quantities, we could undersell
them every time."

"I'm rather in favour of the branches, but don't go to cutting
prices. The other fellow has the same right to a living that we
have."

"Why not let him have what he's got then and not interfere with him?"
said Mr. Strout, chewing his cigar vigorously.

"For the reason," said Quincy, "that we don't keep store to please
our competitors, but to serve the public. I believe in low prices in
sugar, tea, and coffee, to draw trade. But general cuts in prices are