The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-07-28
CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII.
Saxton dined alone at the Clarkson
Club, as he usually did, and went after
ward to his Office, which he still main
tanned In the Clarkson National Build
ing. He had been studying the report of
an engineering expert on Colorado ir-
rigation scheme and he was trying to
master and correct its weaknesses. AS
he hung over the blue-prints and the
pages of figures that lay before him, the
flashing red wheels of Mabel Margrave's
trap kept interfering. He thought he
understood why his friend Wary had
been so occupied in his Office Of late ;
but whether Wary and Evelyn Porter
were engaged or not, Wary ought to
find better use for his talents than in
amusing Mabel Margrave The elevator
outside discharged passenger; he heard
the click Of the wire door as the cage
receded, followed by Raridan's quick step
in the hall, and Wary broke in on him.
"Well, you're the limit I'd like to
know what you mean by roosting up here
and not staying in your room where a
white man can find you" He stood with
his hands thrust into the pockets Of his
top-coat, and glared at Saxton, who lay
back in his chair. II wish l could rattle
you once and shake you out Of your
Harvard aplomb!"
That's very pretty coat you have
on, Mr.. Raridan. 1t must be nice to be
plutocrat and wear clothes like that"
''The beastly thing doesn't fit" growled
Raridan, throwing himself into a chair.
II don't fit, and my clothes don't fit, and
"And you're having fit. You'd better
see nerve specialist"
81 say, Saxton," he said, calmly.
"Well Has Vesuvius subsided?" Sax
ton sat up in his chair.
What merry-go-round of a fool I
make of myself AS I'm living man.
l had no more intention of driving with
that girl than had of going up in bal.
loon and walking back. You know !
never knew her well; l don't want to
know her, for that matter; not ON your
| life !"
is this guessing contest? l suppose
I'm the goat. Well, you didn't care fol
Miss Margrave's society; Is that what
| you're driving at? She shan't hear this
from me I'm as safe as tomb. More.
over, don't enjoy her acquaintance. &C
ahead now, full speed.'
And it was just my luck that l got
| caught this afternoon" continued Wary
| Ignoring him. Sometimes II seems tC
me that I'm predestned and foreordained
| to do fool things. I've been working or
a washerwomap's suit against the Trans
ontinental-running their switch through
her back yard-and l had put away al
kinds of temptation and was feeling par
| ticularly virtuous; but here came tn,
Margrave niger with that girls note
and l went up the street in long jump!
| to meet her, and let her drive me al
over town and all over the country.
wish you'd do something to me hit m,
with a club, or throw me down the ele
vator, or do something equally brutal ant
coarse that would jar little Of the foil!
of me. Why" he continued, with ute
self-contempt, through which his hume
glimmered, II ought to have turned dow
| Mabel's invitation as soon as l saw tn
| monogram on her note paper. Thre
colors, and letters as big as your hand
My instructive good taste falters, oil
man. it needs restoring and Christening.
81 quite agree with you, sir. But it
more gallant to abuse yourself than Mis-
Margraves stationery-that is, IL l ar
correctly gathering up the crumbs O
your thought"
"See here, John, she means a whole 10
to me. You know whom l mean" Sax
ton knew he did not mean Mabel Maj
grave. 'You know" Raridan went or
I'VE were kids together up there on thos
hills. We both had our dancing lesson
at her house, and did such stunts as tha
together"
EYES, said Saxton.
81 want to work and show that In
some good. | want to make myself VOL
thy of her." He got up and walked tn
floor, while Saxton sat and watched hin
81 can't talk about it; you understan
what | want to do. 1t has seemed to IN
lately that | have more to overcome tha
/ can ever manage" He stood at tn
window playing with the cord Of tn
shade and looking out over the towr
Saxton walked to the window and stoo
by him, saying nothing; and after a me
ment he put his hand on Raridan's shou
der and turned him round and graspe
Warry's slender fingers in his broat
strong hand.
~ understand how 1t is, old man.
isn't SO bad as you think 1t Is, I'm sur,
1t will all come out right"