Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-11

OBrien had remarked that Smith had been the
most silent member of the party. 1t was
silence that bore an easy-an altogether too
easy-explanation.
NOV, as he sat there on his bed watching
him dress, O'Brien's face wore a troubled
expression. Finally he rose with a bruskness
found it, boy!" he said Take an old mans
advice and give it up. You've done your best
God knows! Your job was to manage this
plantation, and you've done it. You're not
Beaumont's keeper, and if he has found some
way of getting it without paying for 1t, 1t S not
your affair
The manager smiled mirthlessly What
would you think of me, you and the rest OF the
boys, if l should take your advice?" he asked.
But what can you hope to do! " ren
were helpless from the first His daughter pro.
tects him; she would protect worse man
The manager looked thoughtfully into his
big Eeutenant's face for a moment, and then
he smiled. "OBrien," said he. for ways that
are dark and tricks that are vain. I'd match an
1rishman against heather Chlnee any day
You know that l am not going to sell out to
Beaumont. You know that you'd think me
contemplate sneak if did it. The only object
that you had in making all these dark sug-
gestions was to tempt me into telling you what
/ mean to do"
Il expected you to take it like that" said
OBrien, unabashed; but l thought that for
once your natural generosity might prevail
over your equally natural prudence.
Smith made no reply at once. refractory
collar button occupied a moment OF silence
When he spoke it was to ask question: DO
you think of anybody that is likely to drop IN
on us during the next week? We are safe from
the Archdeacon,- gone to London.-and
the Bishop has the govt.
There's Judge Mcneil on the circuit, sug..
gested O'Br11en. 1t is nearly time for him:
f. ~. Il
Smith; he told me SO himself day before yes
terday. No, we are quite safe from him..
"Of course there is always chance of the
Governor himself" said O'Brien.
No, heard that they were expecting the
Pheasant to call at Georgetown. We're safe
from him. So, if anything should happen to
the wireless, and l had sailed away IN the
tug
O'Brien's face turned perfectly wooden. Il
don't understand in the least" he said;
After ALL Smith went on, II don't think
matters will come to that. Beaumont IS
human being It's possible to appeal to him
on the human side. He has been our guest to-
day; he has seen all we had to show him; he
knows that We are human beings, too
And | think he likes us"
A look of troubled concern clouded the Irish
mans face. Don't do that, my boy, whatever
you do! Don't make the mistake Of thinking
that you can reach that human side OF his on
business proposition Fight him surrender
to him; but don't make the mistake of trusting
him. You talked the other day about fighting
the devil with fire He is just as big devil
now as he was that other day. And the fact
that he has pretty daughter and nice smile
will be found to have very little to do with it
when you begin to talk business with him.
You may be right" said Smith. though
don't think So But it can't make any differ
ence with what | shall do as the last resort
whether the thing | mean to try first fails or
not / owe it to myself to offer him the other
chance first. l invited him over here; he's my
guest mean to dissolve that relation ex-
plicitly."
A S he finished speaking, Smith braced him
= self mentally for the torrent of protest,
ridcule, and expostulaton that he felt sure
O'Brien would turn him. But to his sur
prise the voluble, impulsive lrishman did
nothing of the sort.
If you will, You will, l suppose" was all he
said But he took to pacing up and down the
ROOM and presently, with some appearance OF
difficulty, preached a new subject. Smith,
he said, do | really have to go to that dinner?"
"Of course you do" said the manager
promptly why mott"
We'll" said O'Brien, Il am getting to
point where have to be careful what do,
that's all. don't mind the smell of the wine;
it's those Internal cocktails l am afraid of.
When get Whit of one of them can feel
the dry tang of it all the way down my throat,