Arizona republican., 1911-09-28

Publishing Co.)
 "T infer from your appearance
 Jones, that you lack ambition. Am
 bition can do much; 1t put me through
 college with four languages on the tip
 of my tongue. and it sent me through
 the civil service exams and put me
 into the diplomatic service. At the
 bottom, 1 grant you-but there at any
 rate. aI was student interpreter-two years ago. I learned the Japanese Ian
 guage-more or less, and I got what they told me was promotion-which consisted in learning more of the lan- 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 to the door and looked out over the bleak prospect of empti- ness, ornate houses and grim, bare hills. ( e
 "valny!" he said, without turning toward the silent clerk, It's a sym onym for the most gigantic failure since the tower of Babeli Here's the pity of 1t, Jones; 1 know what poor nothing a little man In the service is, and my thoughts won't come down to the level of my job, I think in the same big phrases that used to go through my head before I came across. If 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 always be running away from me-and I'll probably go mad before Grigg's successor comes. If something would only happen-i"
 There's been" Jones commenced again in the same colorless tone, and 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. "I can't help thinking about this place and what might be done here! It's the most magnificent scrap-heap in the world. Did you know. Jones. that the Great Power which puts It's soldiers in white coats and goes into newspaper car toons as a bear-spent seventy-fve million roubles on this place? 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 for 10000 troops-and we have three com panies, The busiest drosky-driver in Valny earns a dollar in two months! What a corpse of a town for man to live in, 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 disconsolate huddle Jones remained motionless on his stool.
 There's been" he began for the third time.
 Bacon got to his feet as though spring had snapped open inside him.
 If you try 10 talk shop to me-" he warned. 'I swear I'll pitch you into the street."
 For space of three minutes the two men sat silent. The squad of tired looking infantry shufied past the door, and the silence fell again. After 8 time Jones climbed down from the stool and walked stif1y to the door.
 I'm going" he explained. "to buy some new pens."
 Bacon leaned back in his chair and laughed shrilly. When the laughter commenced to hurt his throat, he caught himself with jerk and wiped his eyes.
 "Pens," he muttered. new pens, There's a gross of them in the drawer. and Jones writes perhaps thousand words a week."
 From the street outside came the sound of footsteps - unmistakably rapid footsteps. Bacon straightened himself in his chair.
 Tourist" he muttered-for only tourists ever hurried in Valny. Hope he comes In here-but he won't"
 The figure of man suddenly stood between Bacon and the tiresome fa- cade of the building across the street. It was a large man, with broad shoulders. well-ftting. gray clothes and a soft "crusher" hat. He 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 proffered chair. Bacon saw that he had a broad. intelligent face, tight lips, twinkling eyes, light hair, and a coat Of tan which seemed burned deep into the flesh.
 I've been hero before today" ex- pIained the stranger Your clerk said you were out and was too lazy to have an idea of where I might find you. He's not very prepossessing-that clerk of yours"
 Bacon smiled. "The germ of the place has bitten into him-as 1t will into me We're dead here"
 The stranger raised his eyebrows As bad as that?" he Queried, then his long fingers pried into his pocket and he pulled out a couple of cigars. Bacon looked at bis intently, rolled 1t be- tween his fingers and thrust 1t between his lips without biting the end or breaking the gay band. The stranger nodded almost imperceptibly.
 Good cigars rare here?" he asked cheerfully.
 Extinct" replied Bacon.
 The stranger striightened himself In his chair. rolled the lighted cigar into the corner of his mouth so that he could talk past it without getting the smoke in his eyes, dropped his clasped hands between his knees and spoke.
 'Niy names Charrington," he com