Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-11-30


his resources of mind and character
III efforts to stimulate the men to con-
tinued endeavor.
He was playing for tremendous
stake. as we know. His career, his
future, oil that he had ever dreamed OF
of ambition, hung upon success or fail
ure In this undertaking, and now at
last-and In spite Of his heroic struggle
failure stared him In the face.
And apart from these considerations
of self interest there were other ana
higher things TO be thought OF. III he
failed now an enterprise must he lost
In which he had labored for year to
induce others to invest millions.
At last this reSolute man whose cour-
age had seemed unconquerable was
discouraged.
might as well give It up" said VIII
Hallam. THE men simply will not
work any longer"
1T isn't Il case of will not, but of
cannot" answered Duncan.
Barbara heard all as she lowered
over the fire of logs and busted herself
with her tasks regardless OF rain and
WEAKNESS, regardless of every cOnsid-
GRAFTON Of self She wore no wraps or
protection Of any kind against the tor
rents of. rain. "Ihey would simply
bother me-" she said when urged to
protect her person. Her face was
flushed by the heat of the fire. but
otherwise she was very pale, and her
tightly compressed lips were llvid as
she Strengthened herself up to answer
Duncan's despairing words.
"You are wrong" she said. "They
can work little longer II they will. 1t
is for us to put will into them. Call
them to the fire, dozen or twenty at
time, for breakfast. I've-something
new and tempting for them-something
that will renew their strength. You
and Captain Hallam and Mr.. Temple
must do the rest"
A dozen Of the men had already come
with their tin cups to drink again OF
the strong coffee that Barbara had
been serving to them at Intervals
throughout the night. She had some
thing more substantial for them now.
She had by her a barrelful Of batter,
and she and the negro boy. Bob, each
with two large frying pans, were max
ing griddlecakes with astonishing ra-
pldity. To each Of the men she gave
one of the tin plates with half a dozen
of the hot cakes upon it. bidding each
help himself to mOlasses from the half
barrel, from which for convenience of
ladling Bob had removed the head.
"This Is breakfast" she said to the
men as they refreshed themselves.
"There'll be dinner, and good one,
ready when the work Is DONE"
The men were too far exhausted to
greet her suggestion with enthusiasm.
The few words they spoke in response
were words of encouragement and
even of despair. They did not tell her
that they had decided to work no
more, but she saw clearly that they
were on the point Of such decision. The
breakfast she was serving comfOrted
them and gave them some small meas
ure of fresh strength, but it did not
give them courage enough to overcome
their WEAKNESS. The girl saw that
something more effective must be done.
She puckered her forehead quizzical-
Iy-after her manner when working out
a problem in arithmetic. After lit
tie the wrinkles passed away, and, lift
ing her eyes for moment from her
frying pans, she called to Captain
Hallam;
"Would you mind coming here a
minute" she asked
Tho man of affairs responded weari-
y, but promptly.
what is IT, Barbara
May spend $1,000 i'll get this job
Zone by noon? That's the last min
ate, Mr.. Duncan tells me-"
''But how can YOU
Never mind how. May l have the
s2.O00,"
"Yes-twenty thousand-any amount
IL only we succeed in pushing that car
on rails across the county line before
the clock strikes r."
every well. I'll see what l can do.
Mr. Duncan, can you cook griddle'
cakesT
Happily, yes" answered he. Tin
ap old soldier, you know"
every well, then. Please come here
and cook for little while-just till !
get back. won't be long,"
Duncan took command of her two
frying pans. A little amused smile ap-
pcared on bis face as he did so In spite
of his discouragement and melancholy.
But to the common sense and sincerity
of the girl there seemed nothing lu-
dicrous In setting him thus to the I'M
dignifled work. Intent upon her
scheme, she darted away to where the
several gangs of men were still max
ing some pretense Of working. To each
gang she said:
"Pve got $1,000 for you men If You
stick to your work and finish 1t before
noon today I'll divide the money
equally among all the men who stick.
1t will be $40 apiece or more. or
course you'll get your triple wages be-
Sides Will you keep it up? It's only
for few hours more"
Her tone was eager and her manner
almost piteously pleading. Without the
responsiveness of her personal appeal
it is doubtful If the men would have |
yielded to the temptation of the extra
earning. Egen with her influence add
ed more than q third Of them-those
who had already cast their tools aside
and surrendered to exhaustion-refus-
ed to go on again with task to which
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