The Washington herald., 1907-11-11
THE IRON LORD
By S. r. CROCKETT.
Author of "The Stickh Minister Raiders White Plume &C.
y S r. rszvodl
By S. r. CROCKETT.

cried over continually by plover and cur
I lew. into England itself But that goal
was far away. Drove roads. post roads
ancient inns, murderous sloughs OF de-
/ spond. hills Of difficulty. guardian towns
With faded Guilds. and volunteers and po-
/ lice. constabies instead OF fencibles and
/ town watchmen-these all had 10 be
/ passed. but at length and at last there
/ was England
They went that way. The two men.
| successful and unsuccessful youthful
energy and youthful drea-niness. con-
vOying each other, while Phil looked up
ward at the hills. cut black against the
sky, and Vic Morris. honest and AFRO
CANT. tried hard to humble himself lie
would rather have led a forlorn hope than
do II. Indeed. the former would have
been easy 90 him. BY sheer force Of viii
he had been doing as much all his life
! But Vie Morris was very strong man.
I so much so that he could even give IN on
! occasion when ne found himself IN the
wrong. As the pitmen said. He could
own up, but II gave him crick In the
neck 20 do it,
] And indeed. his throat was dry and
| his tongue welI-nigh cleav.ng to the roof
| Of his mouth, when az last he made up
/ his mind 70 apologize-and that 10 the
/ idle lout'' whom he had scorned so
| lately.
Mr.. CalmOnt,' he said, turning square
| ly in front OF the young man. and there
! by stopping him offectually as II by his
art Of engineer he had Blocked the road
from side 20 side. Il am here 10 ask your
pardon. Down there I spoke like a fool.
as no man has the right 20 speak 10 an
other-no. not to his brother"
And II answered as a fool beg
your pardon.
Really, we ought both 10 go back and
beg Miss Vida's." said Mr.. Morris. with
some irresolution, taking half a step in
that direction.
No. said phi, stopping him In his
turn with an outstretched hand, "she
does not want MS"
He had no desire 10 face Vida again
that night. Vic Morris sighed
Il daresay you are right" he said. but.
say. didn't she dress me down, And
didn't ! deserve it,
Phil kept silence.
"Oh, you may speak out, said Vic with
a laugh. which sounded a little hollow.
Il know l did / hope l have enough
sense for ths'"
Phil knew that such knowledge was
good for the soul. and still said no word
There WAS a lengthy silence. They passed
the end of several farm-loanings and came
out on the unfenced moorland. which ran
in dark patches OF heather and dead
bracken blotted on q lighter ground OF
grayish bent-grass up to the black-splin-
tered shale edge OF Caiden Fell
Il wr0nged you-chut,-that Is not
what ] wanted to say; don't let's get
down 10 book talk" said Vic swinging
man, l am another. l am your senior.
and / talked like a fool, ike young.
Jealous ass Don't think I want TO in
trGdc myself. But. If you viii tell me
what you would care TO do In the way OF
work. | will give you my advice as II
you were my brother. No. better than
that-my brother is beast I would
have nothing 10 do with him II ne came
begging to my Office on his bended knees. /
Pshaw,-more book talk. Well, what do
you mean 10 go fOr?'
And. somehow, there was a ring OF
such sincerity in the voice of the young
engineer that Phil was moved by IT, His
ear. keen-set for arrogance or assump- /
ton. could find neither now in the speech |
OF Vic Morris. SO he set himself TO tell
what he had never told to any, save
only 20 little Miss Nunsby in the sum-
mer-house surrounded with prfvet.
His fathers struggle with so large
family, his absorption in his work. his
generosity in the large, his carelessness
and lack of thought in the particular.
had resulted in his (Phil'sl being left to
one side. stranded in early manhood
without career. For the uncle who
had promised to leave him mis- money
had died without a penny, and had to
be buried at the doctors expense.
That's good. anyway" interjected Vic
Morris
1T certainly was not good for me az
the time said Phil quietly. IT had
been carefully brought up to do nothing" /
"A great fortune does not necessarily /
spoil n man. said Vic. with severity /
but a hundred or two a year ruins him I
without failt''
Then, is there in your world no place /
for the thinker" demanded Phil
Certainly great place-tbe first
place. the engineer exclaimed .'if only
he will think useful and helpful thiugsr' |
Salvation by machlnery-the old story /
I know it" cried Phil. Man made
in the image OF God by the explosion of !
a benefcent gasometer by the sun let /
ting drop some argOn. which changes /
chemically the minds OF men-makes 'em 4
greenish. Well. 1t may be hopelesslv
antiquated. but l confess I prefer an
older evangel to that. Love your neigh /
bor' viii oUtliye all the chemistry OF
gases
II don't know what you are talking \
about" said Vic Morris, but was /
wanting an Office assistant, and I offer
YOU tne place. You have a good head |
with plenty OF Prain-space above your