Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-05-21

worth something after Il while. That
Colorado irrigation scheme ought to pan
out in time. and l believe it Will; but
you've got TO nurse all these things. Make
your principals let you alone, those
fellows get in n hurry at the wrong time
that's my experience with Eastern in
vcStors. Tell them TO go to Europe-gct
rid of them for a while, and make them
give you a chance to work for them.
They're not the only pebbles. I'll send
the combination of the safe up by the
boy. and you can get a birds-eye view OF
the situation before lunch. Mr.. Wheaton,
our cashier. is away to-day, but he's ia
miliar with these matters and will be
glad to help YOU when he gets home.
When you get stuck call on us. And drop
dcwn about II &c and go up to the club
for lunch. Take it easy you can't do it
all in one day
Il hope | shan't be a nuisance to YOU
said tnc younger man. I'm going to
fight it ont on the best lines | know now
if it takes several
well, it'll take thcm all right said
Porter. scntentiously.
Left to himself SaXton examined his
new quarters. found a feather buster
hanging in a corner and brushed tn" rirt
from the scanty furniture. This doHc he
yat doUr by the open window. through
which the hrrezp came cool out OF the
great valley and here he could see, far
over Che roofs and spires of the town.
the bluffs that marked the broad bed of
tine taNny Missouri. lie was not AZ
b~uo}art rs his last woroS to the banker
Implied. Here he was. he reflected. a
mIrn If good education, as such things
go. who had lost his patrimony in n sin
gle venIu:r. lie had been sent, partly
or Of compassion, he felt. to take charge
Of investments that were admitted to b."
li.aost lopclcSSly bad. Til" salary prom
iSel would provide for him comfortably.
and that vas about all anything fur
Their would depend upon himself. the sec
rotary of the Ncponsct Trust Company
had told him: it would. he felt, depend
much more particularly on the making
oveI by benign powers of the consider
able part of the earth's surface in which
his principals money lay hidden. As his
eyes wandered to one of the office walls,
the black train of a great transcOntlnen-
tai railroad caught and held his attention.
On one of its northern prongs lay the re-
gion Il his first defeat.
''Threc years of life are up there" he
uleulLateu, anu all my Soou uotldI are
scattered along the right of way" Many
things came back to him vividly-how
the wind used to how around the little
ranch house, and how he rode through the
snow among his dying cattle in the great
storm that had been his undoing. With
his eyes still resting on the map, he re-
CURED to his early school days and to
his four years at Harvard. There was
- b,rJop Of hon rtacba in those rpco11ep- |
tons. None of the professions had ap-
pealcd to him, and he had not needed
his fathers wish that he enter the law. |
The elder Saxton, who was himself a
Ii lawyer of moderate success, died before
Johns graduation he had lost his moth
err in his youth, and his only remaining
relative was a sister who married before
he left college.
A review of these brief and discouras-
ing annals did not heartcn him; but he
fell back upon the better mood with
which he had begun the morning; he had
a new chance, and he proposed to make
the best Of it. He put aside his coat and
hat. and opened his desk. The banker
had sent up the combination of the safe
and Saxton began inspecting its contents
and putting his Office in order.
The books and papers began to inter-
est him, and he was soon classifying
the properties that had fallen to his
care. He was so deeply occupied that
he did not mark the flight of time and
was surprised when a boy came with n
message from Porter that he was ready
to go to luncheon. ...-
You mustn't overdo the thing, young
man. said the banker, amiably, as he
closed his desk. Don't you adopt our
method of working all the hours
there are. I do it now because my neigh
oors and customers would talk about me
If I didn't, and say that I had lost my
grip in my old age
The Ciarksou Club stood at the edge
the commercial district, and it's brick
walls rose hot and staring in the July
sun as Porter and Saxton approached.
Here we are" said Porter, leading
the way into the wide hall. "We'll ar
ransea about your business relations later.
There's a very bad lunch ready upstairs,
we'll go against that first"
There were only a few men in the din
seated at a round table. Por-
he passed on to a small table at the end
the room, Those who were of his
own age called Porter, Billy" md he
included them all in the careless nod of
Did acquaintance. ..
They went from the table for an in
s%pection of the club, and arranged with
he clerk in the Office for a room on the
third floor. They stopped in the ioung-
ing room. where the men from the round
table were now talking or looking at
newspapers. Porter introduced Saxton
TO all of them. Several of the men who
hands with Saxton were railroad
officials, but nearly every line of bust
ness was represented.
IF you're going with me-" said Por-
ter, you'd better get a nov on you
The whole group went out together, Por-
ter leaving Saxton to the others, with
that confidence in human %friendliness
which is peculiar to the social intercourse
Of men. They made him feel their honest
wish to consider him one of themselves,
making a point of saying to him, as they
dropped out one by one, hat they hoped
to csc him often. Porter led the way
down Varney street, carrying his
hat in his hand. He said at the bank
door "Now you make them give you
what you want at the club. I've got 4
house up here on Varney street-come
up for dinner tomorrow night and well
see if we can't raise a breeze for you.
It's hotter than Suez here, and you'd bet
ter take my advice about starting in
slow"
He went into the bank and Saxton
took the elevator for his own Office.
CHAPTER III.