Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-12
THE IRON LORD
By S. r. CROCKETT
8. Resr
By S. r. CROCKETT.
Copyright 1907 by 8. K. Crockett Rights Reserved

barring his brow. Morris started at
sight of Phil Calmont and for mo-
ment that youth thought he was going
to deny all knowledge of him. The
next he nodded, brnsquely. but kindly
That's right, you are on time. he
said there is much to be done. See
that Ale OF books, these are Patent
Specifications. Run through all OF
them for the last fourteen years and
mark the places of everything that
deals with the ventilation of mines.
am going below. So long; shall see
you in the afternoon. You viii find
pens and paper about"
And Vic Morris without further in
structions to his new aid, was gone.
Phil found it very lonely. left to HIM
self in that small wooden house: the
German stove in one corner scrupu.
lousy clean. and the stoVepipe only
used to hang oiled paper copies OF
plans upon the walls three deep in
sections" geological and topograph-
ical. colored with the most death
deal 'ng reds and farreachng blues.
But Phil soon found paper and a
blotter He had fountain pen in his
pocket. He took a rapid glance
through the volumes to get the scale
Of his work. and then lost himself for
many hors. Phil Calmont had nat
i ural quickness Of understanding and
instead of merely marking the places
in the volumes Of reports he added a
brief reference, "a brief resume of the
special features of The invention, so
far as he was able to understand
them. He had a ready talent for
| sketching roughly. but with sufficient
correctness to convey an idea. He ad-
ded therefore many jottings OF ap-
paratus. and when Vic Morris returned
at three o'clock he found his new hand
| still at his work, quite solid pile OF
notes skewered on the desk. and the
last volume Of Patents series In
course of being digested.
He stood moment in establishment.
Truly il seemed that there were
many things that he must take back.
He did not speak at once, but, while
Phil continued his eager search. his
eager finger scrambling up one page
and down another his fountain pen
scribbling feverishly, and his mind
happier and more content than ever
he had known it Vic Norris picked up
page after page. All was in order, ev-
cry pertinent case numbered and anal
yzed, the technical words, a. the
meaning of which Phil could only
have the vaguest guess, written very
plain; especially when Vic glanced
at the unpretending drawings, each OF
which told tits tale to his experienced
eye, he could not refrain from clap
Z ping his pupil on the back with a
hearty. you'll do, you'll do" which
was the best reward he could have
made the worker at the close of his
first day of business life.
''All that cried Vic Morris heart
lily Il will wager that you did not
take long over your dinner"
Phil as aghast. 1t seemed that he
had neglected a part Of his duty
81 forgot all about It," he said pen
itently
Great Stephenson cried the en-
gineer, have you not had bite? You
must take it now.
81 forgot to bring any" said Phi
with shame deeper on his face. "Yor
see, | was so keen to get out of the
: house"
Vic nodded. He understood that. H
understood, also. how he had mis-
judged his rival But he was by nj
means man to waste his time II
mere sympathy. He banged the door
and took score of strides to tn
foremen's canteen. from which pres
emily he burst in with an armful o
potted dainties. half chicken. suffi
cient good bread and pat of butter
There he said, Il never saw sucl
fellow = to go without his dinner!
/, And as the lad ate and drank. VII
: looked over the notes he had order
ed him to make. more, perhaps, as al
exercise than anything else, and muI
INJURED softly to himself: There will
not be such an engineers draughts
man and assistant anywhere when
2 have done with him! No. not in Brit
: ain Perhaps even an engineer som
!, day"
2 AnG he watched him eat wit
2 something like smile of pleasure O
! his hard face
t Yes. | will make man of him." b
g said and II possible. All engineer
y So that if the beast beats me with :
:. with - he Kissed out the nam
n "she will al least get man, i
s spite Of her i'll taste!"