Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-26
An Unwilling Host.

Standing in the Pacific portal of Plug
in midsummer. never entirely disappears
at altitude ten thousand feet, they could
look away westward over a billowing sea
of mountain and mesa and valley break
ing in far-distant, crystalline space
against the mighty rampant of the Wa
satch range, two hundred and other miles
nearer the sunset.
1t was an outlook both inspiring and
Christening: with the scenic grandeurs to
give the exalted uplift, and the STILL gray
green face of the vast mountainous des-
ert to shrink the beholder to microscopic
littleness in the face of its stupendous
heights and depths. its immea surable
bulks and interspaces. Miss Alicia said
something like this to Ford. in broken ex-
carnations. when she had taken her first
quailing eye plunge from the lofty view
point.
"Yes. quite So" Ford acquiesced, in the
unresponsive tone of one who says what
he must rather than what he would like
to say. ut Is all tho things you have
been saying. and more-when one has the
time and the mind to be enthusiastic
about it."
Miss Adair stood up very straight. and
her chin was a protest in Praxitelean
harmones. She knew very we'll how re-
luctantly her companion was doing the
honOrs of the mountain vastnesses; how
full of wrath he was because President
Cobrth had seen fit to precipitate the
Nadia and a private-car party into the
midst of the strenuous building battle on
the western extension. But she argued
that this was no reason why he should
be crustily impossible with her. Where
fore she said, merely to see him boil over:
Il should think you would come up here
often for this glorious view, Mr.. Ford
You do. don't yOu?"
Come up here for the view? oh, yes;
l presume l have climbed up here a hum
dred times. first and last, and always for
the sake of the view. I began 1t the first
winter l spent in Saints Rest, when the
snow-shoeing was at its best. Really to
appreciate the scenery you should take
three hours for the approach from the
basin down yonder. dragging a pair of
Canadian raquettes by the toe straps"
The young woman laughed inwardly at
the broadsword slash of his sarcasm. 1t
was so like the man; big and vigorous
and energetic. and quite without regard
for consequences or for the inSigIliticance
of the thing to be obliterated But she
would not spare him.
How enthusiastic you are!" she COM
mented. Il don't believe 1 should be
equal to "a hundred times first and last
or to the snow shoes. But 1 can admire
such zeal in other people immensely"
do you really think so small of
mans work in the world, Miss Adair?'
he demanded. not very coherently. I'm
not saying that the scenery doesn't move
me. 1t does; and the first time / stood
here on this summit l presume l felt just
you do now. But my comings and 60
ings have been chiefly concerned with
ths"-kicking the rail of the new track
which threaded the shallow valley of the
pass II am trying to build a railroad;
to build it quickly and well as l can.
When l get it finished l may have time to
admire the scenery"
1t was little appeal for sympathy. APP
parent enough in spite of its indirectness;
but Miss Adair was still mindful of Ford's
hind at the deserted grading camp half
way down to Saints Rest. where the
Nadia was temporarily sidetracked.
Another ideal gone she lamented. in
toilings up this magnificent mountain
merely to prepare for the laying of some
logs of wood in a row. with two strands
of iron to fasten them together"
He smiled at her definition of his rail-
road. and, the keen edge of his annoyance
was little blunted. He had been telling
himself that she might be twenty-four,
or possibly twenty-five: but evidently she
was only a child with a child's appre-
citation of a very considerable industrial
triumph. Old engineers one of them an
assistant on his own staff, had shaken
their heads and declared that the running
of standard-gauge railroad over Plug
pass was sheer impossibility. Yet he
had done it!
Il suspect 1 owe you an apology" he
said. yielding a little to the love which
was fighting with encouragement and
righteous anger for the first place in his
heart. I'm afraid l have been taking
you too seriously all along
Her laugh was delicious little ripple
of eXultation. She had succeeded in
avenging herself.
II can forgive you now she said. and
the blue eyes were dancing. But you
must admit that you were the aggressor.
l have never been made so pointedly I'M
welcome in all my life. 1 believe you
were going to refuse to let me walk up
here with you IL Uncle Sidney had not
commanded you to-
This time his smile was a grin. but it
was not ill-natured.
Il should indeed" he confessed. quite
frankly. ITO be brutally candid. | had a
decided attack of the 'unwelcomes' when
/ received Mr.. Colbrith's wire announcing
his intention of bringing his picnic party
out here into the midst Of things. We