Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-21
CHAPTER XIX.
EARNING A LIVING.
AT, you're a genius!"

n
W. man. | declare, Sam, when / look
back, and then around me, the last
few weeks seem like dream. Ii it wasn't
for thinking and wondering about 10 Morris,
I'd be pleased enough with our prospects"
The prospects" Nat Davis alluded to were,
indeed, glowing ones.
The weeks following the accident on the
railroad and the acceptance of the care OF
the tract of land had been replete with inci-
dent. excitement and progress.
Nat could not have fallen into better hands
than those of Sam Taylor. The farmboy' 8
interest in the work that had been given them
was absorbing.
He reused Mats ambition by showing how
industry and energy might lead to their soon
becoming landed proprietors. and his quiet,
persuasive manner won Mats complete CON
idence.
Two of the ten dollars were spent. the day
they were paid over by Mr.. Vesay to Sam, for
attention to Mats injured limb.
HE klnd-hearted doctor summoned pro-
nounced 1t bad sprain. There was no real
fracture, as Nat had feared when he first dis
covered that he could not use his leg at all,
and the pain it caused was almost unbeara-
BILE.
The doctor left careful instructions with
Sam, and told him that his patient had bare
iy escaped becoming cripple for life. :.
:, With care, you'll be all right iIfsa month"
Tor week or two just now, though. complete
But Nat did not rest. He had not the pa
thence to lie in the little office shanty, with
the tantalizlng echo of Sans busy hammer
ringing. on the sweet, clear outside air.
His longing to be out doors led to Sans
making a broad, low wagon ON four light
wheels for him, and this was Mats invalid
all over the vacant lots, following Sam at
work, and becoming so deft in manipulating
the-vehicle that he brought Sam many piece
of board, and drove stakes, and even laid
the stringers for the new sidewalk
When Mr.. Vesay came to see the boys at
the end of the first week, he could not help
but be pleased at what his new employees had
already accomplished He had sent paint,
glass, lumber nails and tools, and the shanty
windows were glazed. the. outside painted. the
tree-guards about the place Strengthened or
replaced, the trees pruned, and all the side
walk repairing DONE
What had been done, had been done well,
too. Nat had gathered up all loose bits Of
shavings and blocks, and the place had "some
style about 1T again" laughed Mr.. Vesay,
Sam showed the agent paper on which he
had blocked out future work. He. had the
number and location of new trees to be set out
designated. the new sidewalk area estimated,
new lot stakes cut and tipped with white
paint, and calculation of time for going over
the main front of the sidewalked lots with
a lawn-mower. which Mr.. Vesay was to pro-
vide.
'ewhy,. we're almost, ready for customers"
small city here, if you keep on making the
property so attractive. There you are boys
lot TWENTY-FIVE, block seven. I'll just put a
blue pencilmark around that lot"
And Mr. Vesay marked plot of the place
lacked on the wall of the office.
""rhat's the lot we've reserved for you. It's
an inside one but it's full size; and while it
costs us only sixty dollars, it is listed at three
hundred and fifty dollars We have to make
= large margin. you know expect you to
earn that by spring, boys, and make only one
restriction"
ssWhat is that, sir?" asked Sam. all business
and earnestness.
SYou must build only with brick ON 1t when