The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-04-15

Ee had only had timc to settle his
wife and baby in the best house no
could find for them. look oyer his
mail and get his affairs Strengthened
out He had cooked breakfast that
morning. that his wife might get a
second nap, turning the breakfast
cakes with swift wrist movement
that bespoke experience He had. in
fact. done tho same thing many times
in the four years OF his married life.
rs he and his wife had helped build one
Western town after another on the Pa
cific slope; they had never stayed long
enough in any one place for II to
reach the servant stage of social evo-
luton Indeed, most OF the towns
that Harden had built were of the
card-house order. and collapsed soon
after his withdrawal; bat fortunately
he had always managed to sell most
of the land he held. generally Ito
parties in the East" and he had never
been so well of as this morning,
when he sat amid his blue prints.
figuring closely on the margin OF
plat of Edensport-
The door OF his ONCE opened,
large, clumsily-built man OF robust
appearance. who looked rs though
born for a policeman, entered. speak
ing as he came in full voice and
with decisive vigor
We'll. Harden. declare. / didn't
think you'd be such fool As to plat
the blUn. Why, man. you cant sell
that land, the hill stands on edge. |
doubJ IL YOU can even get the timber
slashed of
lie stepped back to the door and
stood looking down tho main street.
where it ran up agains; a PERCEPTIONS
hill thicbly covered with dense over
greens, The hill literally stood on
edge, and was so narrow across its
high razor top that thcre was only
foothold along the ridge for thin
veil Of cvergrcens against the SKY
Harden went too. and looked ont the
door
Il thinS. 10 said. in hi, pleasant,
suavo way. II can place ii with par
ties in the East "
..Well. perhaps you can, said the
other. with . laugh; ''but you must
be careful they dem; come out so
look up their property. hut that
isn't what ! came for. How do you
stand ON our new electric light plant
Wha; are you going TO subscribe
TO it?r
Ono thousand. 1 guess
well, YOU'RE the right sort, Har-
den.
Harden smiled no5cstly; he hai
suspected a. much himself
lie sauniercd ont or the Office To-
ward the corner where tho new Har
den business block was getting IT,
finishing coat Of paint i; was
prcfcuiious twO-story building that
he was building to let; Il vas an ex-
ccllcn; Investment The carpenters
were still at work IN tho inside, max
ing a resounding din Ia The empty
building; outside tho painters climbed
about on tho hanging scafolding.
with brushes bristlinE from the
backs Of their pain,-g umncd oyeralls
Harden bad lispcnsci with the I'M
necessary expense Of an ''arch-i-tcc'.
and had planned and directed tho
building himself As he came mp
two painters were standing talk
ing emphaticaliy in tho doorway.
Onc Of thorn. the boss. stepped for
ward as Harden came up.
i've let IL for tho lst-~ Harden
said Have you u big enough force
On 20 ln!sh il by the lsig7
I've got the men al right enough,
but. yuu see. we've got the lover
part painted. Tho las; fellow that
went up to work on the cornish
kicked. and ihis fellow spear- that be
won't 20 mp that tho hanging SCAT
fold won't hold ans more.
Harden glanced up a, the seanold.
which hung like j b.-n,td-scatcd swim,
IRON graphing hooks above. Tho
long board bent slightly under the
weight Of The painters az work on the
cornish.
There's no danger in the world. 81"
ne said; then turning with his bright.
conciliatory smile To the painter.
'-Of course. don't want YOU to take
any risk I'll take all responsibility
myself You see. this must b. done
by the Isl"
The man turned about swearing
grumblinEiy. IL was his last oath.
An hour later, in the middle Of gay
time. the creaking rope near which
he stood parted and the over-burlencd
scaiold shot its load downward. The
meu behind him chung to the swing
Ing platform and frayed rope end.
but nc lay in the sand and lime OF the
plaster pit with his face TO the sky
I. Il q