The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-10-14
YOURSELVES FIRST


going over the events of the evening.
Rives was brilliant as a talker-as
ne was at everything else he at
tempted-and he recited the scene on
the roof with a wealth of humorous
and dramatic detail. Mrs Allan
laughed until she was so weak when
ne described the belated entrance Of
old Mrs Brown. the wealthiest woman
in the world, and told how she had
shrewdly questioned every one con-
eerned and offered TO leave certi-
ned check for s10,0O0.ooo.
Dear old Mrs. Brown" she muir
INJURED.
1T was the funniest thing you ever
saw" declared Rives. 1t regu-
larly knocked EN- out Of their chairs
I thought Ethel Lloyd was going to
kiss her
A faint shadow passed over Mrs.
Allan's face as a CLEAN of eager in
ferest sprang to her husbands eyes.
She went over and kissed him and
withdrew Rives walked with her to
the door and held her hand for an in
slant She looked back and her hus-
band was already bent over a pile of
kilograms.
GOOD night, John" she said softly
briskly. as Rives came back to the
table and lit a cigarette: lets get
busy. This Is going to be the live
lest day of our young careers"
.Who-me?" demanded Rives. with
- ruefuI smile; I thought my chore
was about DONE
"Donep snorted Allan, and then he
srinned. You promised to stick as
long as I needed you. didn't your
Il did"
well pal of mine, your little chore
has just begun. You're going to do
more hard work in the next ten years
than you would ordinarily have done
In ten life times"
Ten years, Me-" he calculated
My dear Mac. you are undoubtedly
the most wonderful man of this age,
but everyday yourself. You may be
able to build so many tunnels that
the earth will cave in, but don't tackle
anything beyond your size. Even you
couldn't make me work for ten years"
THE TUNNEL
Z won't" returned the engineer
with strong emphasis on the pronoun
Well. I know 1 won't" smiled
Rives, so where's the answer?"
The tunneIi"
The look and the tone caused Rives
to gaze at his friend curiously and in
silence for a few moments. So Peter
the Hermit might have spoken the
name of Zion TO 1aggard Crusader.
For the first time Rives realized what
this project meant to his friend in a
subjective sense. Aside from fame
and wealth and worldly credit Allan's
vision had become his religion.
Henceforth he would measure all
things on the earth and air and the
water under the earth by their atti-
tude toward and bearing on this one
purpose of his life. Everything with
in him and around must henceforth
be subservient to one purpose. His
. eyes, as he fixed them on his friend
and awaited his answer, burned with
passionate zeal, or the light of mono
mania, according TO your leaning
toward poetry or science
A great architect, the man who had
founded the school of beauty in
Americas monster buildings, Rives
was both a poet and a scientist. So
while his imagination drew him
toward the wondrous vision his deli
cately adjusted judgment urged him
sway from the zealot who was to
drive it through.
In the end il was the artists side
of him that conquered as Allan had
known ii would. But his tone was
as light as ever when he spoke.
well. 1 suppose you'd have me
board if I refuse to take an active
interest in your burrowing You're
Lure you want me?"
You bet I ann was the fervent
response. And they gripped hands
across the table and smiled.
Now, then, what do you think you
want me to do?" inquired Rives. "As
an architect in good standing l might
design the toolsheds and dormitories
60 !, cd II erc Earf he
yond that I don't see where I At in"
You can DO that while you're rest
ing" chuckled Allan. I'm not hiring
You as an architect, though I shall
probably want you to lay out few
cities IN your lunch hour"
cnen," decided Rives, Il can only
SUPPOSE that you want me to bring
my evening clothes and guitar and
lend social charm to your construc-
ton camps.
Not exactly. that. either smiled
the other II merely want you to
take general charge of the work on
this side of the water
The Office work."
no, no. I told you to forget that
you were an architect The financial
campaign / will have to look out for
your advice often enough. But what
mean is the actual construction
work"
Rives sat bolt upright and stared
at his friend
My dear Mac. the heat has gone
TO your head he declared, pityingly
Allan's jaw set you won't do it?'
"OId man." said Riyes, affection
ately, I'D do anything in the world
to help you. But whatever gave you
the notion of casting me for that sort
of a role? 1 haven't done any actual
executive work for pretty near IL
years. ] never tackled anything out
side of putting up a building. I'm not
engineer"
IF you were an engineer" returned
the other. slowly and distinctly. =
would never dream of putting you II
charge / am going to send engineers
down to you by the carload lot to dc
what you tell them to do.
"If 1 were only an engineer" hs
went on more strongly, do you think
this plan Of mine would ever have
got beyond a plan2 Never In the
worldi You and ] both have to al
unusual extent what most men lacl