CHAPTER XXII
THE RIVAL BOOK AGENT
As ill luck would have it the firm Grant Deems represented published a health book, a cattle and poultry book and a set of famous novels, similar, in many respects, to those issued by Mr. Vincent. As said before, the works were inferior in every way to those put out by the New York publisher, yet a hasty glance would give one the opinion that one line of works was about as good as the other.
On Tuesday Frank did not see or hear much of the rival book agent, but on Wednesday morning he heard that Grant Deems had visited several houses and said the Vincent publications were far inferior to those he was selling. Many believed him and as a consequence our hero took but few orders.
“Mr. Deems, I hear you have been talking strongly against my books,” said Frank, when he met the rival agent that evening.
“Business is business,” was the cold reply, and Grant Deems puffed away calmly at a cigar he was smoking.
“But you have been telling people things about my books that are not true.”
“I don’t see it.”
“You know that our books are better than yours in every way.”
“Rot! It is just the other way around, Hardy. And I am getting the orders, too,” and Grant Deems chuckled.
“It is not a fair way of doing business, Mr. Deems, and if you keep on you’ll be sorry for it.”