The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-26

We know nothing about them and We care
less. When their work is done We ride over
the road in an observation car and look
: down thousands and thousands OF feet into
the depths they have bridged, and we never
give them q thought. They are the bravest
soldiers OF the present day. and they are
the least recognized. I have forgotten their
namos. and YOU never heard them But
it seems to me the civil engineer. for all
that, Is the chief c~ivilizer OF our century"
Miss Langham was looking ahead Of her
with her eyes half closed. as though she
were going over in her mind the situation
King had described.
Il never thought OF that" she said. at
sounds very fine. As you say. the reward l.
50 inglorious. But that is what makes 1t
nne.
The cowboy was looking down at the ia
bic and pulling at a flower in the center
ham turned on him somewhat sharply. re-
sonting his silence. and said. with a slight
challenge In her voice:
DO you agree. Mr.. Clay" she asked.
or DO you prefer the chocolate-cream sol
diers, in red coats and gold laceT'
oh. ! don't know" the young man On
sWered. with some slight hesitation. IT'S a
trade for each 81 them. Tho engine
work is all the more absorbing. l imIgiAe.
when the difficulties are greatest. lie has
the fun II overcoming them
You see pothing in It. then" she asked.
but q source Of amusement
"Oh. yes. q good dal more: he replied.
"A livelihood. for one thing. II hava been
an engineer all my life I built that road
Mr.. King f. talking about
An hour later. when Mrs. Porter made the
move 10 go. Miss LRngham rose with a pro-
teFting sigh. u am so sorry, she sait; 1T
has been most Interesting. I never met Two
men who had visited sn many inaccss=ihl1
places and come out whole. You have quite
inspired Mr.. King: he was never so anus
ing. But ] should like 10 hear the end "f
that adventure. Won't YOU tel IL to NE in
the other ROOM
Clay bowed III I haven't Thought II
something mere interesting in the mean-
time he said.
.what I can't understand" said King as
he moved up'nio Miss Laugham's place. is
how you had time 20 learn $50 much 90 ile
res; OF the world. You don't act Ike a man
who had spent his lie in the brush
How do you mean asked Clay. SMILING
&-thnt / don't us, The wrong 10 Es:
No. laughed King. but you told rs t'lt
/ thus was YOUR arst Whit East. and yet you're
talking about England and Vienna ash Vol
sins. How T. IL you've been there, whsle
You have never been in New York
Wen. that's partly due 20 accident ar1
partly 10 design" Clay answered You sec
l I've worked for English and German AMI
| French companies. AZ we'll as for those In
the States. and I so abroad to make reports
and TO receive instructions. And thPn I'm
what YOU call a self-mRde man; that Is,
I've never bsen to college. I've nlwaNs had
20 educate myself. and whenever ! did get
a holiday Il seemed 10 me that 7 ought 10
nut Il to the best advantage. and 20 opcnd
il whsre civilization vas the furthest ad-
van~ced-advanCed, at least. In years When
! settle down and become an expert, and
! demand large sums for lust looking n the
work other fellows have done. then I hope
10 live is New York; but Until then ] 20
whore the art galleries are biz
rest and where they have got
the science Of enjoying themselves DOWN 70
the very finest point. l have enooEh ronsh
work eight months Of the wear 10 make
me APPRECIATE that So whenever ! Get a
few months to myself I take the Royal
Mail to London. and from there 10 Paris or
Vienna. I think I like Vienna the best
The directors are generally important pco-
ME IN their own cities. and they ask one
Z about. and so. though l hope l am n good
: American. II happens that I've more f-ienis
! on the Continent than in the United
: States"
: King. with a movement OF his shoulder to-
ward the men about the cismantied table.
'tOh. dent know" laughed Clay You've
lived abroad Yourself: how does Il strike
your
I Clay was the first man to enter the draw
inE-room. He walked directly away from
the others and over TO Miss LanEham, and,
I taking her fan out OF her hands as though
TO assure himself Of some hold upon her.
seated himself with his back TO every one
else.
You have come to finish that story she
said smiling.
Miss Lanshsm was n careful young per
/ son. and would not have encouraged a man
she knew even as well as she knew King.
to talk to her through dinner. and after u
as well She fully recognized that be-
cause che was conspicuous certain innocent
pleasures were denied her which other girls
could enjoy without attracting attention
or But Clay Interested her be
yond her usual self. and the look IN his
eyes was q tribute which she had no wish
to put away from her.
I've thought Of something more inter
esting TO talk about said Clay. I'm go
ing to talk about YOU. You sec I've known
you a long time
Since S o'ciock?" asked Miss Langham.
"Oh. no. since your coming out. four
years ago
IT'S not polite to remember so far back"
she said. Were you one of those who as
sisted at that important Junction. There
were so many there I don't remember
No. ] only read about IL. I remember II
very we'll; / had ridden over twelve miles
FOR the mail that day. and I stopped half
way back 20 the ranch and camped out
In the shade OF q rock and read all the pa
pers and magazines through at one sit
ting. until the sun went down and I couldn't
see the print One OF the papers had an
account Of your coming out In II. and a
picture Of you, and I wrote East 10 the pho
tographer for the original II knocked
about the West FOR three months and then
reached me at Laredo. on the border be-
tween Texas and Mexico. and 1 have had IL
with me ever since"
Miss Langham looked at Clay. for a mo-
ment. a silent dismay and with a per
picked smile.
Where is il newZ' she asked a; last.
In my trunk at the hotel"
Oh" she said. slowly. She was sim In
doubt as how TO treat this act OF uucon-
ventionality- Not In your watch-' she
said. 10 cover up the pause. THAT would
havz been more in keeping with the rest OF
the story"
The young man smiled grizzly. and. pull
Ing out his watch. pried back tho I'd and
turned II 10 her so she could see 4 photo
graph inside The face in the watch was
that OF a young girl in the dress OF a fash
ion OF several years ago. Il was a lovely.
frank facs, looking out Of the picture INFO
the world kindly and Questioningiy. ana
without fear.
Was I once Ike that?' she said. Light
~. We'll. so on"
We'll" he said. with n little SIGH OF re-
lief. 4 became greatly Interested in Miss
LanEham, and In hsr comiacs out and go
irgs IN. and in her gowns. Thanks 10 our
having = press In the States that makes n
speciality OF personalities. ! was able TO fol-
low you pretty closely. FOR. wherever / rn.
I have my papers sent after me. can ct
along without a compass or a meilc n
chest. but 1 can't do without the newspa-