Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-08

"Who have you been considering yourself
responsible tor
We'll, Jim Wheaton, at the Clarkson Ma
tional, hired me, and reckon I'd report to
him if 1 reported to anybody. But If you're
going to run this shebang ard want to be
reported to I guess / can resort to you"
He brought his turret around again and
Saxton this time met his eye.
Il want you to report to me-" said John,
quietly. In the first place. I want the
house and the other buildings cleaned out
After that the fences must be put in shape,
and then we'll see if we can't find some of
our cows. Yon can't tell; we may open up
real ranch here and go into business"
Snyder was sprawling at his ease in a
Morris chair, and had placed his feet on
barrel. He did not seem interested in the
activities limited at
well. If you're the boss I'll do it your
way. got along all right with Wheaton"
He did not say whether he intended to
! submit to authority or not, and Saxton
! dropped the discussion. John rose and
j found a candle, with which he lighted him
self to bed In one of the rooms above. The
whole place was dirty and desolate The
house had never been filled save once and
that was on the occasion Of house warm
ing which Poindexter and his fellows had
given when they first took possession One
of their friends had chartered private
car and had brought out party of young
men and women, who had enlivened the
house for few days; but since then no
woman had entered the place. In the Poin-
dexter days 1t had been carefully kept but
now 1t was In sorry plight. There had
been a whole year Of neglect and vacancy,
in which the house had been used as a
meeting place for the wilder spirits of the
neighborhood, who had not hesitated to
carry OH whatever pleased their fancy and
could be put on the back Of horse. Sax
ton chose for himself the least disorderly
OF the rooms, in which the furniture was
whole. and where there were even a few
books lying about. He determined to leave
for Clarkson the following morning and
formulated in his mind the result of his
journey and plans for the future of the in
congruous combination Of properties that
had been intrusted to him. He sat for an
hour looking out over the mOonIit valley
He followed the long sweep Of the plain,
through which he could see for miles the
bright ribbon Of the river. A train of cars
rumbled far away, on the iron trail between
the two oceans, fntensifying the loneliness
of the strange house.
i seem to find only the lonely places"
he said, aloud, setting his teeth hard into
his pipe.
In the morning he ate the breakfast of
coffee. bareback and bacon which Snyder
prepared.
Il guess you want me to hustle things up
a little.,' said Snyder, more amiably than
on the day before. He turned his one eye
and his grin on Saxton, who merely said
that matters must take a new turn, and
that IL q ranch could be made out of the
place there was no better time to begin
than the present. He had not formulated
plans for the future, and could not do so
without the consent and approval OF his
principals; but he meant to put the prop
erty In as good condition as possible With
out waiting for Instructions Snyder rode
with him to the railway station.
Gave my regards to Mr.. Wheaton" heN