Sherwood Mayo sat back and folded his arms. He looked about the group, as though expecting some other person to take up the cudgels. One of the other men spoke.
"We can't give you this account, Delmuth," said a sharp-faced individual. "There's two reasons why. One is, Mayo won't let us. The other is, the account's already placed.
"But I have a proposition to make. I have interests in the Grandoso Cigar Co. I'll swing you that account if you will keep away from concerns who are in the lotion business."
"When do I get the Grandoso account?" asked Delmuth.
"This week," was the reply.
"Fair enough," said Delmuth, rising and staring from one person to another. "I'll wait to the end of the week!"
"All right," said the man who had spoken before. "That settles it. You get the Grandoso account. I'll see you in your office, and we can go over the details. We'll line it up so that if you sign with any lotion concern, that will be the end of the Grandoso job."
Delmuth bowed and left the room.
"Now," said Mayo ironically, "we have finished with bribery. We can attend to business."
"I think he'll play fair on that basis," said the sharp-faced man.