The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-07-07
CHAPTER IL

CHAPTER II.
Saxton was not over-sensitive, but the
stiffness and hardness of the club house
were not without their disagreeable i'm
preston on him as he sat at dinner to-
ward the close of his first day in Clark
son. Two of the men to whom Porter
had introduced him at noon proved to be
fellow dodgers, and they exchanged greet
ings with him from the table where they
sat together. They unsociably read their
evening papers as they ate, and left be-
fore he finished. He was watching the
fading colors of a brilliant sunset when
young man appeared at the door, and
after a brief inspection of Saxton's back
walked over to him.
Aren't you Mr.. Saxton? thought
you must be he. My name is Raridan.
Don't let me break in on your medita-
tions," he added, taking the chair which
the waiter drew out for him. II met Mr..
Porter while ago, and he adjured me
to be good to you. don't know whether
this Is obeying orders'-he broke off in
laugh-"that depends on the point Of
view"
You are guilty Of very Christian
act" Saxton said. II was just wonder
Ing whether, after the sun had gone down
behind that ridge over there, the world
would still be going round"
The world never stops entirely here"
returned Raridan, 'but the motion some
times gets very slow. Mr.. Porter tells
me that you're to be one Of us. Let me
congratulate us-and you"
Warrick Raridan was, socially speak
ing, the most available man in the Clark
son Blue Book. He was a graduate in
law who did not practice, for he had,
unfortunately, been left alone In the
world at 20, with an income that seemed
wholly adequate for his immediate or fu-
ture needs. He maintained an Office,
which was fairly well equipped with the
literature Of his profession, but this was
merely to take away the reproach Of his
buster fellow citizens Raridans Office
was the rendezvous for a variety of COM
mittees to which he was appointed by
such unrelated bodies as the Clarkson
Dramatic Club and the Diocesan Board
Of Missions Of the Episcopal Church. He
appeared every Sunday at the cathedral,
which was the fashionable church In
Clarkson, where he passed the plate fol-
the aims and oblations of the weil-dressed
congregation.
He was capable of quixotism Of the
most whimsical sort. He had, for year,
taken his meals at a cheap boarding.
house In order that he might maintain
two Indian boys in school, He was not
at all aggrieved when, at the end of the
first year, they ran away and resumed
tribal relations with their brethren. He
chaffed himself about it to his friends.
1t was not enough to say that Wary
Rarldan could lead german or tie an
Ascot tie better than any other man on
the Missouri River; for he was also tho
best Informed man in that same strenu.
GUS valley concerning the traditions OF
the English stage, and was fairly
good actor himself, as amateurs 90. He
had slight literary gift, which he cul-
tivated for his own amusement His hu.
NOR was fine and keen, and he occasion
ally wrote screeds for the local papers
or mailed pleasant jngles to his intimate
friends.
iii wager that if you stay here a
year you'll never leave" said Raridau.
as they went downstairs together. "Pvs
been about good DEAL and know that
we who live here miss a lot of comfort
and amusement which 90 as a matter of
course In older towns. But there's n
roominess and expansiveness about things
out here that l like, and l believe most
men who strike 1t early enough like 1t,
and are lonesome for 1t If they 20 away.
Il think l understand how you feel
about It," said Saxton svTbara 49,.
times In Wyoming when Western life
seemed pretty arid, but when went
back to Boston I was homesick for Chey.
enne."
Ito be continued