The Irish standard., 1906-11-24
CHAPTER VIII.

| CHAPTER VIII.
Adams said "By Jove!" in his most
cynical drawl when Winton gave him
the dinner-bidding to read; then he
laughed.
Winton recovered tho dainty note,
folding it carefully and putting it in
his pocket. The handwriting was the
same as that of the telegram abstract
ed from Operator Carter's sending
book.
II don't see anything to laugh at"
he objected, in the tone Of one who
does not mean to see.
mo? You must DO in fathoms deep
not to be able to multiply such very
evident twice two. First the Ralah
sends the sheriff's posse packing with
=. out striking a blow, and now he in
vites us to dinner. What's the infer
ence?"
ooh, don't know as there has to
be an inference. Let us say he has
seen tho error Of his way and means
to come down gracefully"
Don't you believe it! Beware OF
tho Greeks bringing gifts. You arc
going to be hit right where you live
this time
Winton growled his disappmval of
any such uncharitablc hypothesis.
You make mo exceedingly tired at
odd moments, Morty. Why can't you
give Mr.. Darrah the credit of being
what he really is at bottom-a right
hao ri nd {p{o re al
school?"
"Yc gods and little minnows!-
worse and more of it! You don't
mean that you are going to accept"
said Adams aghast.
Certainly; and so are you. We
shall have quite enough of Mr.. Man
| talini's 'demnition grind up here in
this God-forsaken wilderness without
scamping our ono little chance to for
get 1t for a few social minutes"
There was no more to be said, and
the technologian held his peace while
Winton scrubbed line Of acceptance
on a leaf of his notebook and sent it.
across to tho Rosemary by the hand
OF the water boy. But in the evening,
as they were setting out from the con-
struction camp to walk up the track to
Argentine, he made final effort to
call halt.
Jack, this is worse than idiotic,"
he protested. ''There is that consign-
ment of steel you were wiring about
to-day; one Of US ought to go down
to the junction to see If 1t is ready to
be showed to the front"
Bother the STEEL" was the impa-
tient rejojinder. "Drayton wired it
would be there. didn't he? Come on,
we shall be late"
Whom The gods would destroy they
first make mau," quoted Adams under
his breath; but he made no more diff
culties.
Their reception at the steps of the
Rosemary was generous proof of the
aptness OF that aphorism which sums
up the status post bellum in tho terhe
phrase: AFTER war. peace" Mr.. OAR
rah met them; was evidently waiting
for them; and was as heartily hos
pitable as a master of men can be
when he puts his entire mind to 1t.
Come in, gentlemen; come in and
be at home"-this with a hand for
each. Virginia allowed you wouldn't
faveh us, but I assured her she didn't
rightly know men of the world; told
her that picayune business affair IN
which we are all acting as corpora
ton proxies needn't spell out anything
like blood feud between gentlemen.
Straight ahead, Misteh Winton; afteh
you, Misteh Adams
Such was the suspicious beginning
of an evening which Winton thought
worthy to be marked in his calendar
with white stone.
The dinner was a astronomical
marvel. considering it's remoteness
from the nearest base of supplies. the
Rajah laid aside his mask of fierce
ness and beamed hospitality; Mrs.
Carteret was innocuously gracious;
Bessie of the flaxen hair and the Rev.
erend William Calvert came in har-
moniously on the cheerful refrain;
and Virginia-but it was Virginia who
allied all ,horlzonS for Wiuton.