Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-08

and then some, if can compass It. Now
let's talk about something else. I've been
boring you with this dcspicabie business
affair ever since YOU gave me leave on
that foot race down Plug mountain Tues
day afternoon
What shall it be- she inquired galy.
And then: ''Oli. l know. One day last
summer-iust as we were leaving Chicago
in the Nad.a-you Lad begun to tell me
about certain young woman who had
money. and who was-who was
who was without her peer in all
this world" he finished for her. Yes, I
remember
DO you still remember her as you do
the conversational" she went on teasingly.
II have never lost day since 1 first
met her..
Good Sir Galahad." she Knocked "And
is she still worth all those sacrifices you
said you would be willing to make for
her?''
"All and several more"
Silence for a little time. while the hoof
beats of horse foNtrotting behind them
drew nearer. 1t was the sinisterfaced
Mexican who ambled into view, and when
he overlook the rearmost of the buck
boards he was a long time in passing.
THAT dreadful man. murmured Alicia.
and she did not go back to the suspended
subject until he had trotted on past the
caravan. Then she said. slowly. taking
her companions complete understanding
for granted: ''1t must be delicious to be
away out over ones depth, like that"
''It is. said Ford. solemnly. ITS like
well. I've never been sick day In
my life since ! can remember, but l
should think it might be like "a sort of
beneficent fever. you know. Haven't you
ever had touch of it,
"Possbly-without recognizing it. Can
you describe the symptoms?''
Accurately. One day I awoke sudden
ly to the realization that there was one
woman in the world: before that, you
know. there had always been good
many. but never just one. Then I began
to discover that this one woman was the
embodiment of an ideal-my ideal. She
said and did and looked all the things I'd
been missing in the others. 1 wanted to
drop everything and run after her.
How absolutely idyllic: she MUIR
INJURED. "And them
''Then had to come down to cart with
dull. stunning swat. of course. There
were a lot of commonplace. material
things waiting to be done. and it was up
to me to do them. Before l saw her. 1
time with a mans work: that there
wouldn't be any time to divide. After
ward I found out my mistake. Sleeping
CT waking. every day and all day, she was
there-and the work went on just the
same. or rather q whole lot better
The long drive was in its final third,
and the wagon track. which had trans
ferre0 itself to the top of the level rail-
road grade. admitted speed. BY degrees
the caravan became elongated. with the
presiden. still in the lead. the man on
horseback indifferently ahead or behind,
and the other two vehicles wide apart
and we'll to the rear. Their isolation was
complete when she said:
DO you want me to say that l don't
recognize any of the symptoms, Mr..
Ford?"
do mo. Yes.-that is. L Heavens!
that is terrible way TO put it! OF course
l hope-I hope you are in love-with the
right person. II you're not. l.
She was weeping silently: weeping be-
cause it would have been a sin to laugh.
'You-called it comedy little while
ago" she faltered. I'm another minute
it will be a tragedy. Don't you think we
are getting too far behind the others?"
He whipped up obediently. but the
horses were in no hurry. At the rounding
of the next shouldering hill the railroad
grade entered high, broad valley. the
the dumps and tunnel openings of the
Copah gold diggers. Ford had not been
through the upper part OF the district
since the previous summer OF pathf1nd-
ings. and at that time it was like a dozen
other outlying and hardly accessible
fields. scantily manned and languishing
under the dry rot of isolation. But
He was looking curiously across at the
opposing hillsides. Black dots, dozens of
them. were moving from ledge to ledge.
pausing here and there to ply pick and
shovel. Now and then from some one Of
the dry arroyos came the echoes of a sur
face shot; dynamite cartridges thrust into
the earth to clear away the drift to bed
rock. Ford called his companions atten-
ton to the activities.
See what it does to mining country
when a railroad comes within shouting
distance" he said. THE last time l was
over here this valley was like grave
yard. Now you'd think the entire popu-
lation of Copah was up here prospecting
for gold
.'Is that what they are doing?" she
asked. Then suddenly: Where is your
mine ?-the mine with my name?"
He laughed.
II told you the simple truth. I don't
know where it is: though ! suppose it is
up this way somewhere. Yes I remem-
Der. Grigsby said it was on Cow noun
TAIN
The hill on their side of the valley threw
out n long, low spur. and the railroad
grade driving track swept in long curve
around the spur and crossed over to the
foot of a slope dotted with the digging
manikins.
BY Jove." said Ford. still wondering.
"There are twice as many prcspcc;or
Copah the last time I was over. The
camp ought to vote bonds and give the
railroad company bonus
Farther along the grade Rugged the
hillside. skirtin;s The activity where the
shafthouses OF some OF TIE older nlires
of the district were perched on little
hilfocks formed by their own dumps.
within easy tramm!ng distance OF the
railroad. Opposite and directly below the
nearest of these shafthouses the two
leading buckboards had stopped. ard the
president was once more standing up and
reckoning vigorously to the laggards in
the single seated vehicle.
Ford spoke to his horses and grimaced
as one who swallows bitter herbs.
Il wonder what I've been doing now
or leaving undone?" he queried.
He was not kept long in suspense. When
they drove up the president was still
standing. balancing himself with hand
face was working nervously and the ag-
gressve chin .whiskers moved up and
down like an accusing finger.
Dear me-. said Alicia under her
breath. Uncle Sidney is really angry
this time! What could have hap
She glanced up at the mine buildings
perched above the roadway and smooth
cred a little cry. Fords eyes followed
hers. All across the slab-built shaft
house and the lean-to ore sheds was
stretched a huge canvas sign. And in
letters of bright blue, freshly painted and
| two feet high. ran TIE boastful legend:
THE LITTLE ALICIA Nile.
The Only Paying Producer in the District.
Stuart Ford and John Grigsby. Props.
The white-haired old man standing in