Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-06-08
to find yourself on an island or even

under water"
"a moderate Mediterranean would
satisfy me-" the general said ST
wouldn't exchange the certainty of it
for the treasures OF Montezuma."
"The thirst for gold and for water
are synonymous in your case?"
"Give this section moist climate,
and needn't tell you that the Great
American Desert would literally bios
som as the rose. Even as it is, expect
great deal Of it with be redeemed by
scientific irrigation. The soil only
needs water to become inexhaustibly
productive. Our desert, as you know,
Is not sand, like parts of the Sahara; it
has all the ingredients that go to nour-
ish plants, only their present powdery
condition makes them unavailable.
Now, L can, to-day, buy hundred
square miles of desert for few dollars.
You see the point, don't you?"
''And al You want is expert opinion
as to the likelihood of finding water?''
'The man who solves that question
for me in the affirmative is welcome to
half my share of the results that would
ensue from it,
why don't you engage some expert
20 investigator
Zone can't always trust an expert. 1
don't mean as to his expertness only,
but as to his good faith. He might pre-
fer to sell the idea TO somebody who
could pay cash-which cannot"
"Why, you seem to have given this
thing good deal of thought, Tired
Ioke-''
"Well, yes; it has been my hobby for
year past; and I have made some in
vestigations myself. But this is the
first time 1 have spoken of it to any
one"
81 understand. And what of the in
vestigations?''
81 can say that found enough to in
terest me. I'll tell you about it some
time. l should be glad to leave Miriam
something to make her Independent"
81 should say that her Creator had al
ready done thatv said Meschines. '.By
the way, know young fellow-if he
were only here-who is just the man
you want, and can be trusted. lie is
civil engineer,-Harvey Frecman; tho
Lord only knows in what part of the
world he is at this speaking. He has
made special stndy of these subter-
ranean matters
Don't you remember, papa, Cole
ridges poem of Kubla Khan?-
Where Alph, the sacred river ran
Though caverns mcasureless to man
Down to sunless seai''
'Our sacred river, when we find it,
shall be named Miriam
/ ''It ought to be Knmaiakan,'' she re-
joined; ''for, if anybody finds it, it will
be he.''
81 think 1 hear the wings of the
angel of whom we have been speak
ing," said the General. eyes, here he
is; and he has got the letters. Let us
see! One for you, Meschines. And
this, see, is from our friend Miss Pars-
loe, pastmarlSed Santa Barbara. Why,
she'll be here tomorrow, at that rate.
"Iere's queer coincidencer' ex-
claimed the professor, who had mean
while opened his envelope and glanced
through the contents. 1.-The very maj
was speaking of,-Harvey Freeman!
Say he is in this neighborhood, has
heard I'm here, and is coming down to
pay me visit. Methinlzs 1 hear the
| rolling Of the sacred riverl''
'But you won't mention it to him,
| until
''Bless me! of course not. I'll bring
him over here, in the course of human
events, and you can take n look at him,
and act on your own intuitions. 1
won't say on Princess Miriam's, for
Harvey is very fne-looking fellow,
and her intuitions might get confused
ga civil engineerr' said Miriam, with
an intonation worthy of the daughter
of West-Pointer and the descendant
of an Aztec prince.
Kamaiallan (yvho spoke only Spanish)
had been gathering up some cushions
that had fallen out of the hammock.
Having replaced them, and cast quick
glance at Meschines. he withdrew.