The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-06
TONY'S SACRIFICE.
IFrom the Argonaut.l

Lambert, of the Original Oil Oil
garchy tucked his telegram into his
vest pocket with a loving little pat
This was the moment he had been
working and living for all these long
months. veterinary daffodil jinks,' it
read, and, translated by his private
cipher code, it meant he was to go
ahead. buy the whole tract. and draw
on the company for the first payment.
The burning August sun beat relent-
lessly upon his unaccustomed head, his
collar took on the hue of the road. his
face was blistered and his eyeballs
scorched by the heat, but so absorbed
was he in the schemes that unroled
themselves before him that he forgot
to fune because of his discomfort. He
| chuckled gleefully to him self, notwith-
standing the act involved the breathing
of a mouthful of Kern county dust,
for this was the climax he had almost
| despaired of reaching Although he had
never for a moment lost faith in the
richness of this little strip of foothilI
| country, the company had never until
now been willing to raise the money
/ for the first payment and the erection
of the works necessary for it's develop
ment, and he had come to realize that
of a verify. faith without works is
dead"
His company was not rich; Lambert,
its heaviest stockholder, was worse
than poor. being heels over head in
debt. There were plenty of people he
did not dare to meet because of over
due notes. several clubs he could not
go near on account of delinquent dues,
ana numberless underbred tradesmen
who made his life a burden. But in the
success of this deal he saw the end OF
all his troubles.
The loungers around the little hotel
eyed him curiously as he drove UP,
and followed at his heels as he made
his way into the Office, for such
turnout was not often seen in that part
of the country. Lambert pushed his
way through the crowd without seeing
them, and drank champagne to his
rising fortunes as the uncooled beer
triclxled down his dusty throat. The
name Of Johnson, Of the Mammoth
Mineral Monopoly, on the register
made him open his eyes a trifle wider.
OF course. there was no reason why
johnson should not be there if he
chose. but there was a GOODNESS be-
tween the members of the two COM
panies. especially between Johnson and
himself
The county records showed the title
of the land to be vested in one Antonla
Maria Lopez, so early the next morning
Lambert started off to find her But
once out on the country ROADS, IN tne
wastes of brown stubblehelds. the d.
rections he had received at the hotel
became confused No one seemed TO
know anything about the distance, anu
If had been variOusly estimated from
bout fifteen mile" to twenty AFTER
following for several hours a road that
seemed to have no turning, he looked
about for some one OF Wnoin he II ls le
inquire the way, and the first sign OF
life that came in sight was the ngufe
of woman walking toward him But
when he was almost near enough TO
address her she stopped, drew her sun
bonnet over her eyes, tucked her skirts
into one hand, and scaled the four
rallied fence as neatly as a boy might
have done. Then, looking over her
i shoulder toward the dust cloud down
the road she slipped behind a boWlder
and waited for the wheels TO pass. AS
the dust enVelOped her in a binding
cloud the smart trap was brought up
short with clank1ng OF chalhS anu
silver mountings.
could YOU tell me whether or not
this is the road to the Lopez placer
The sunbonnet jerked forward in an
affirmative nod
ssThen perhaps you will be SO good
as to direct me to it," Lambert con-
yep" answered the girl, its right
here"
a pause followed. while the man in
the cart looked over the girls head at
the abomination of desolation epitom-
lied in the prospect before him-the
tu1nbledown fences, the implanted half
finished house, the rickety outbuildings,
then at the forlorn little figure beside
the bowlder. His eyes sought hers for
further information, but the bonnet
had closed down over her features like
the shell of an oyster.
Then, perhaps you are Miss Lopez.
he ventured, the heiress to the es-
tate?"
Nope" returned the bonnet. TIN
Tony Lopez; my folks are dead. and
this here ranch won't be mine till I'm
of age, that's all''
1t was evident Lambert told himself,
as he followed the girl to the house.
that the purchase would be an easy
matter, for she certainly had no idea
of the value of her scrawny acres. Lam
bert's reputation was that he had "a
way with women" whatever that may
mean; but certain it is that when his
gray eyes looked straight out from
their black lashes the object they rest
ed upon, providing it was of the femin-
inc gender felt herself for the moment
the center of the universe, and many
wiser girl than Tony might tell you SO
Perhaps that was the reason she STAN
mered and blushed, slipping her chinela
on and off at the heel in embarrassment
when he said: Have you ever thought
of selling your property, Miss lopez"
Miss Lopez, to his surprise, he found
non committal to the last degree. All
his questioning ELECTED nothing
more than laconic" Nope" Then Lam
bert deliberately trained his gray eyes
/ upon her and smiled down into her lit
| tie frecl1led face, with the result that
| she told him the whole story.
'Ye gods!" he CALCULATED inward1y. as
she explained that johnson, of the
Mammoth Mineral Monopoly had made
her an offer at a figure that the Origi-