The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-05
The
ValnyAHaiir
By D0NAL HAMILTON HAINES
eorne~r uo, ~ tn. r..ssor PUBLISHING CO.
tcs.tiss,d from y,,fvSst

college with four languages on the UP
of my tongue. aud ii sent me through
the civil service exams and put me
into the diplomatic service. At tho
bottom. | grant you--but there 81 airy
rate. was student interpreter--two
years ago. learned the Japanese Ian
guage-more or less, aud | got what
they told me was romotlon--wbieh
consisted In learning more Of the Ian
guage and getting forty dollars year
more pay And then this man Griggs
down here died and they told me |
might play consul at Valny until they
counted out another man for the job
Bacon dropped his legs from the
desk. walked 10 the door and looked
out over the bleak prospect Of empti'
ness, ornate houses and grim, bare
hills.
"va,ny." he said, without turning
toward the silent clerk, Its a syn
onym for the most gigantic failure
since the tower of Babel Here's the
pity of II, Jones. know what pooi
nothing a little man in the service Is
and my thoughts won't come down 70
the level of my job! | think In the
same big phrases that used to so
through my head before came across.
IL they'd sent me to some live place,
I'd have found a pretty woman, mar.
ried her and fallen into the ways OF
the service But here, my head will
alwavs be running away from me--and
I'll probably 90 mad before Grigg's
successor comes, If something would
only happen
"There's been" Jones commenced
A.. xxr1A fnpn n
again Bacon broke In on him harshly.
DON'T" he commanded sharply.
Then. after an instants pause he con-
tinued with the same almost pathetic
eagerness in his tone. II can't help
thinking about this place and what
miehts be done here! It's the most
magnificent scrap-heap In the world!
Did YOU know Jones, that the Great
Power which puts its soldiers In whfe
coats and goes into newspaper car
toons as a bear-spent seventy-ilve
million roubles on this placer Did you
know that this harbor will take care
OF the shipping of the whole Orient
and that we get three railway steamers
a month"; There are barracks here Tor
so 900 troops--and we have three com
panies! The busiest drosky-driver IN
valny earns dollar in two months!
What a corpse Of town for man TO
live inl Why couldn't the Russians
have seen the war coming-and why
don't see something to be done with
this great wreck?"
He turned and walked back to his
desk seating himself in o disconsolate
huddle. Jones remained motionless ON
his stool.
There's been" ho began for the
third. time. ~
Bacon got to his feet as though a
spring bad snapped oDon inside him,
"If you try to talk shop TO me- he
warned, II swear TIL pitch you into
the street,"
For space OF three minutes the two
men sal silent. The squad OF tired
looking infantry shuffied past the door,
and the silence fell again After
time Jones climbed down from the
stool and walked stIfiiy to the door,
'1'm going he explained, to buy
some new pensl'
Bacon leaned back IN his chair and
laughed shrilly When the laughter
commenced to hurt bis throatT he
caught himself with jerk and wiped
his eyes.
"Pens." he muttered new pens
There's gross of them in the drawer
and Jones writes perhaps a thousand
words a week.,
From the street outside came The
sound Of footsteps unmistakahly
rapid footsteps Bacon Strengthened
himself In his chair
Tourist" he muttered for only
10. Na1v
he comes in here--but he won't.
The figure Of man suddenly stood
between Bacon and the tiresome 10
cade Of the building across the street.
II was a large man, with broad
shoulders well-6tting gray clothes ana
a soft "crusher" hat lie stood blink
ing In the semi-darkness Of the con
sulate
Are you the American consult he
asked in a crisp. pleasant voice.
yes" replied Bacon, getting TO his
feet. Come In and SIT down.
The stranger came in and took the
prorered chair Bacon saw that he
had broad Intelligent face, tight lips.
twinkling eyes. light hair and q Goa
of tan which seemed burned deep into
the flesh
1--WE been here before to-day, OK
planned the stranger Your cler6 s2ia
YOU we're ont and was too lazy to has
an idea of whore | might find you
He's not very prepossessing--that ciefN
of yours"
bacon smiled. "The germ Of ne
place has bitten into hlm-as i WIZ
into me. We're dead here"
The stranger raised his eyohro.'s.
"As bad as that?" he queried, then fi1
long fingers pried into his pocl e Ell
he pulled out couple Of cigars. Bacon
looked at his intenily, rolled Il fe-
tween his fingers and thrust 1t helTee1
his ilps without biting the cNa o.
breaking the gay band. The stranger
nodded almost inpereeptibly.
Good cigars rare here" he asked
cheerfully.
extinct" replied Bacon.
The stranger Strengthened himself ~
his chair, rolled the lighted cigar in
the corner Of his mouth so that ha
could talk past ii without getting TIE
smoke in his eyes. dropped his ciaspei
hands between his knees and spoke
MY names Charring.on.' be com
menced. "Tm in the employ Of the
Hawaiian government. | g'.ess there s
no name for my Office -or II there is
It's gone out Of use because ! don
know II. I'm iust Chsrrsngton I've
baen sent over here on business J