Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-11

otherwise. he was quite ready to work over
time in this direction.
Therefore it was Jack White who en-
couraged Rfordans doglike devotion to the
youngest son of the house of Fitzgerald
Not that Riordan needed encouragement,
however. Under his rough exterior was a
heart which simply spouted sentiment in
stead OF common blood corpuScles. He had
missed his mother, comfortably established
in one of New Yorks westside tenements.
his sister. who chung tenaciously to the
kitchen OF her first employer, even when
her bank account limited at retirement, and
his brother who patrolled a certain most
dlsreputable section of the mighty metro
polls. With the coming of dainty Jennie
Morris the separation from his own kind
had grown less poignant With the coming
OF Fitzgerald his eontentment was we'll
nigh perfect.
AT first he watched the young fellow with
anxious eyes. and kept a sharp lookout for
anything which resembled a flask But his
anxiety was groundless. For the first time
in years Fitzgerald felt stirring within him
a strong sense of honor. The NJ NJ, whose
mother had been a peasant girl on his
fathers estate. had asked nothing in re-
turn for wealth of devotion and faith
save that he make good" with the com
pany And make good he would.
SO while the giant steam shovel creaked
and belched forth clouds of steam. the
young chap fed his hungry nav. His arms
ached, but his eyes laughed. And most of
an they laughed when Riordan made his
daily rounds and tried in vain to keep a
| certain air of Difference out of his converse
tlon with the fireman, who over all, sweat
er and all was still Fitzgerald of Glen
iagen house, county Mayo
Rlordan had cabin built hastily in
Married Row" and set up housekeening
for himself and Fitzgerald. with a wids
eyed ana even tempered darkey as valet
ana COOK. Each meal Riordan beamed
across the oilcloth covered table at his deb
omar Vis-a-vis He learned to eat with
MS 1Ork and
another change visible to the naked I'M
piuShng curiosity of the camp was Rior-
Dan gradual withdrawal from the race for
Jennie Morris affections 1t was Riordan
who ordered out the engine for the Trims 70
Nlsgsvllle and Boone, but 1t was not Rjor-
Dan who rode by her side in the cab. It was
fitzgerald cr The older man would have it
White. The NJ. M. with his stolid decenot
was pad enough, but this young rake from,
ireland was more than White could stand
Al last he went to Riordan and came out
Dadly worsted in the argument Riordan
had staked his life on FitzgeraIGs honor
ana that was all there was to it.
AS 1or pretty Miss Jennie, neither her
brother, Riordan nor Fitzgerald, knew how
she felt or whether she cared
So came the first breath of snrinp ana
with 1t new significance to the Intimacy
between Jennie and Fitzgerald. The camp
watched curiously The girl seemed Quiet
and depressed. Fitzgerald was by fits sui
SO oitN ASotiSsS. NioFudT, WIN a troubled
look In his eyes that the whole camp
might read fretted over them both FitZ-
gerald had kept his word like man. He
mad let cards and whisky alone Riordan
gioated over this like a mother over newly
developed sturdiness in her first born. vet
he felt that something was lacking. with
the reformation had not come content
ment There were nights when Fitzgerald
would disappear. not in the direction of
JACK whites cabin. And when he came
BACK, clear-eyed and quiet, Riordan Sc
cretiy TUNED. yet dared not speak.
Ihen came the nights when Riordan
watched, white-lipped, far into the cool.
white shadows of morning. and Fitzgerald
returned to throw himself heavily, silently.
upon his cot. Riordan could stand II no
longer He sat down on the edge of the
bed. 100 " e"o
m thinkin' Arthur, we'd best be poin.
down the line next week and see the SUI
perintendent. There'l be openings better
than this durin' the spring. and it's time
you went up higher. construction
camps no place for gentleman"
Fitzgerald sat I'D suddenly.
That's 1t. old chap. I've worn the Mace
out. Do you think the old man will give
me something further down the line-near-
er to civilization? I've got to get out OF
this. don't you seer
Riordan looked at the young fellow. sit
ting with his hands tightly clasped between
his knees. his eyes fixed moodiiy on the