Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-24

also sinking behind the Black Spur range.
and with its ultimate disappearance a de-
l1cious GOODNESS spread itself like a wave
across the ridge. The passengers drew a
long breath. the reader closed his book
the lady lifted the edge of the veil and
delicately wiped her forehead, over which
a few damp tendris of hair were clinging.
Even MISUNDERSTANDING man who had
sat as lmpenetrable and remote as a statue
in one of the front seats moved and turned
his distracted face to the window. His
deeply tanned cheeks and clearly cut fea-
lures harmoniZed with the red dust that
coat. and completed his resemblance to a
bronze figure. Yet it was Demcrest,
changed only in coloring. Now, as live
years ago. his abstraction had a certain
quality which the most familiar stranger
shrank from disturbing. But in the gen.
eral relaxation of relief the novel reader
addressed him.
We'll. we amt far from Boomville row,
and it's all down grade the rest of the way.
l reckon you'll be as glad to get wash
up and a shake as the rest of u.s.
portunity.'"' said Demorest. with faint.
road to Heavy Tree Hill"
Heavy Tree HILL" repeated the other in
surprise You amt going to Heavy Tree
Hill? Why. you might have gone there
direct by railroad, and have been there
four hours ago. You know. there's a
there straight to the hotel at Hymettus"
Where?' said Demorest, with a puZ-
zled smile.
"Hymettus. That's the fancy name
they've given to the water place on the
slope. But I reckon you're a stranger
here"
For five years." said Demorest II fancy
We heard of the railroad, although l
prefer to go to Heavy Tree this way. But
l never heard Of water place there be-
fore"
Why, It's the biggest boom of the year.
Folks that are tired of the fogs of Frisco
and the heat of Sacramento all go there
It's four thousand feet up, with a hotel
like Saratoga, dancing and a band plays
every night. And 1t all sprang out Of the
Divide railroad and crank named Geo.
Barker. who bought up some old Ditch
property and ran a branch line along its
levels and made q junction named the
Divide You can come all the way from
Frisco or sacramento by rail. It's
mighty big thing"
Yet" said Demorest, with some anima-
ton. you call the man who originated
this success crank. should say he was
a genius"
The other passenger shook his head.
IAN sheer niger luck. He bought the
Ditch plant afore there was the ghost of a
chance for the Divide railroad just out O.
pure id foolishness. He expected so lit
tie from 1t that he hadn't even got the
agreement done in writin' and hadn't paid
for 1t when the Divide railroad passed
the legislature, as 1t never oughter DONE
For, you see. the blamedest curious thing
about the whole affair was that this straw
road of Divide all pure wildcat, was
only gotten up to frighten the Pacific rail-
road sharps into buying it up. And the
road that that nobody 1D eyer 6 calculated would
as soon as folks knew that the Ditch plant
had been bought up,for they thought there
was big thing behind it. Even the hotel
was at first simply kind Of genteel aims
house that this yer Barker had built for
broken-down miners"
Nevertheless. continued Demorest
smiling, you admit that 1t Is a great sue
cess"
YES" said the other, a little irritated
by the complacency In Demorest's smile,
but the success isn't his'n. Fools has
ideas. and wise men profit by them. for
hind 1t and Is even kind Of country
branch OF the Brook House in Frisco
Barker's out of 1t. I reckon. Anyhow, he
couldn't run a hotel. for all that his wife
she that's one O. the big Frisco swells now
used to help serve in her fathers. No,
sir: It's Just a FOOLS luck. gettin' the first
taste and leavin' the rest to others"
,,,cL % not notr sure that ITS the worst kind Of
gravity: "and I suppose he's satisfied with
IT.. But SO heterodox an opinion only ir-
ritated his antagonist the more, especially
the back seat appeared to be interested in
the conversation and even sympathetic
with Demorest The man was in the main
so0o-ndtuIeQ IeioW, ana loyal to his
friends: but this did not preclude any viru-
lent criticism Of others. and for a moment
he hated this bronze-faced stranger. and
even saw blemishes in the handsome wo-
mans beauty. THAT may be your idea Of
an eastern man." he said biuntiy, "but 1
kin tell ye that Californy ain't run ON
these lines. No. SIR Nevertheless. his
curiosity got the better Of his ill-humor.
and as the coach at last pulled up at the
Gre IS road for Demorest to descend he
smiled afrably at his departing Companion.
You allowed just now that you'd bin Ave
year away. Whar mout ye have bin?"
II reckoned ez much" returned his inter-
rogator, smiling significantly at the other
passengers "But In what placer
'Oh. many" said Demorest, smiling also.