OCR Text |
Show Acting Alone Page 91 too, by the grace of the God of the Israelites. Elder Cicerone listened to him yell a while. Then he got his boy calmed down - convinced him that he, Elder Cicerone, was no regular member of the business department, but just a distinguished guest lecturer from the real world of business. The Elder conversed with him, mapped out the recesses of his soul, and uncovered pertinent information that no mere intelligence dossier could ever provide. And, as soon as the boy had said enough, the Elder started talking to him in earnest, working up a quiet head of steam, drawing forth all the soft magnetism of his own Lake Como Italian accent, which he'd deliberately half-concealed under a serene, almost self-effacing Intermountsin Western twang. The Elder found himself fauceting on some extra charm and magnetism - as much out of nostalgia 'for Utah and his son Streckfus as out of any need to take care of business. The Elder had known and heard tell of polygamist patriarchs with long silver beards who possessed in abundance the skill he himself was plying now; but they usually were visited by it in sporadic bursts, and then only among certain classes of unfortunate, unattractive, unwanted young women. Elder Cicerone himself was the only person he knew who could turn his animal magnetism on and off at will, to greater or lesser effect, of course, depending upon the class of person or persons he aimed it at. In any case, one could simply plan on one hundred percent effectiveness if one had received ample advance information on the subject and knew his deep susceptibilities, as Elder Cicerone knew this boy's. The Elder stood close, loomed over, burned his pale blue eyes domi- |