The Washington times., 1911-11-10
CHAPTER I.
Master and Man.

-
Off, I suppose" sighed the
young man who, only few
days before. had spent half
U weeks salary on copper plate and
nifty visiting cards which now bore the
finely engraved name Of Mr.. Robert
Donovan McCann."
Mr.. MoCann, just entering his six
teenth sum,:csr, was a very large-head-
ed, worried-loos,'ng sort Of person. who
parted his fiery re- hair in the middle,
eschewed ball games, cultivated stock
quotations, and took himself very seri-
ously. He enjoyed the distinction OF
constituting half the clerical staff OF
James Sparhawk, civil engineer The
staff consisted of Mary Driscoll, stem
ographer, and Mr. McCann, office boy.
"Eh?" queried Sparhawk quickly, as,
looking up from a letter he was writ
ting, he glanced at the melancholy race
Of Robert Donovan McCann. who was as
advertising the merits Of phonograph.
Il say, l suppose the Central African
deal Is all of, sighed the youth again.
James spaIhawk. leaning ,c back Limbs IN his
nicely he eyed Mr.. McCsnn.
Bob. must confess that your
sources Of information are often MN IN
however. I am obliged to admit that
you have been correctly informed,
The Central African railroad - not to
be built The nee necessary capital has r,s,moi moi
friend, Jim Sparhawk. must seek
another sphere Of usefulness. But all
this does not interfere with your fu-
"No~oh, no, replied the youth re-
'Because If 1t does. / am sure my
Lord Cannistock and his associate
members of the English company, ,,;In VIII
through" said Sparhawk.
home. My father was willing enough,
but i took sa long wsIls to ntsx bring fsy %y
all the trouble I have had to"
You told your parents was going
to take you to Africa with meT asked
why, yes. sir. suppose"
sparhawk looked thoughtfuliy at tho
We'll. .s dare say you We're we're, ;, war. r.
drawled. still. the sight Of you
wrestling with letterpress among the
swirling sands Of the Sahara, or chas-
ing to q neighboring oasis to invite a
IN the evening were visions that did
not visit me while / was sleepig on the
subject. However, it's all of now. Bob,
IL y.
ment at present than building castles in
the air."
The gloomy Mccann turned toward
the door
for me much longer" he said.
And why not? Do. you think that,
failing to get job Of building a road
through Africa, am falling 50 far out
OF your class that I am no longer
worthy of your co-operation?"
The boy shook his head sadly.
mo, it isn't that. I'll stick to you
as as,,m l1ng & as .coS you, LET let me ob9 Rut guess
Of the Atlantic. Mississippi and Pacific.
That's the civil-service road, isn't t?'
Civil service?" repeated sparhawk
NS1asr'"f,S; eyes. They're all civil-serv,ce jobs
there, aren they? That let's me out. .
Sparhawk sank farther back in his
chair and his boyish laugh echoed
hs servcs as ssaa Of
the A. M. and P. is just about as un-
civil as that, Of any other corporation,
BILE Chesterfield around there. If go,
you go. That must be one Of the con-
ditions
office goods around to the A., NJ. and P
quarters just yet, so hustle Off now to
the water-cooler and drink a good.
hearty swig of pure Croton to the con-
Bob bowed meekly and left the room.
Sparkhawk looked after him thought
fully: then, with a little laugh and a
shrug Of his shoulders. he muttered:
pei him to take anything else as Sc
riously as himself II would spoil him.
] guess his education. defective as It
IS VII do for Or the Sc IT,, ,s.
ished writing when Bob appeared, he
read as follows:
Richard .Ss Bsaafort an% Ess President of
MY Dear Dick: While thank you
for the kindly insistence which charac-
terizes your offer of my old berth on
the A.. M. and p, cannot bring my
too fond Of the open to settle down
again to the routine of an office.
The Central African contract was SO
much to my liking that it has sort OF
through, but l feel that something else
Of the same sort will turn up, sooner or
later, somewhere, so I'm going to keep
myself free.
When you project another extension of
the A.. M. and P. like the one we put
throrgh between us in the State of
Washington. two years ago. your old
friend Jim Sparhawk. will be. glad to
serve again under the. Beaufort flag
Meantime he Is soldier of fortune,
and YOU. your charming wife, and Rich
ard Beaufort. If. have his best wishes
Still waiting for fate to knock at my
door. ] remain.
Yours sincerely.
JIM.
But fate in the form OF dignitied
little man with a consequential bearing
E. waXed gray rnustache and pointed
beard. was already al the door Of the
outer office.
His card was in the hands of the de-
pressed McCann. who. scanning the In
Iscrfption closely as he shCffled to the
private room Of his employer. read the
name.
SENIOR RoDERIGo oUEXOREs."
CHAPTER II.
A Visitor From Quincatan