Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03

John Rrewer, and, from the latter's seeming
disfnclination to talk or to join in the argu-
ments and debates that were sprung for the
sole purpose of drawing him out, it seemed
they would have but little to hear.
ooh, look who's here!' exclaimed some
girlish voice, not so carefully subdued but
it was audible to Eve and her companion.
wonder where Eve Waters picked up that
mountain curiosity? She certainly has queer
tastes That fellow looks like laborer."
"Maybe he's only guide" someone else
suggested.
ale looks the part, giggled another voice.
By the time they had reached the broad
steps leading upward, still in the glare of
light through the door where Hans Ritter's
acetylene plant worked overtime, Eve was
furious, and her companion felt more awk
ward than ever before in his life, SO far as he
could remember. At the topmost step Ewes
aunt, an invalid, solicitude for whose health
had brought the gill to the mountain resort,
called to her from the open window, and Eve
fastened inside.
FOR an instant the miner stood awkwardly
: waiting, as if loath to leave, or to in
trude, and then boldly advanced along the
veranda to the group about the scientist.
"You are Mr.. Brewer, are you not, Sir?"
he said with his customary directness, as
silence fell on the group surrounding the
white-haired man.
The latter looked up at him, peering
through the gloom, and with equal directness
said, 3Yes."
al am Charles Kings son Jim, from
Placerville."
To the surprise of those who had been
counting the celebrity's attention and Won
hat hftcI hau
with one so distinguished, John Brewer got
hastily to his feet, rushed forward, and put
both hands on the young mans shoulders,
looked closely at him, and then seized both
.Jim's hands in his own.
"Jimmy Why, Jimmy!' he exclaimed.
"The last time | saw you held you in my
lap and told you stories. have tried many,
many times to find you, since your father
and mother left us. Where on earth have
you been? Here! Come with me-. We will
walk down along the beach where we can
be alone"
He linked his arm through the miners and
led him away, much to the disappointment
of the piazza group whom he had SO plainly
informed he wished to remain behind. It
was ignoring them SO directly that some of
them felt sighted. The younger man paused
long enough to excuse himself to Eve, and
then went down the lighted path with the
man who many years before had been an
intimate friend of his family, explaining his
attempts and wanderings.
FOR long time they walked UP and down
the beach of the little lake, until the scien-
fist, reverting to his life's study, began to
call attention to the formation of the high
hills around them. He threw glamor of
words over them, rendering each peak, each
rise, an identity. 1t was as if to him they
were living giants, friendly, resting and
breathing deeply there in the night under
the moon and stars, with the little lake in
their midst. Step by step the great seer of
outdoors advanced in his dream, talking as
if to one who, by right of the great outdoor
life, was in sympathy and could understand.
They had retraced their steps until they
were almost abreast of the hotel before he
seemed aware of the time.
Il forgot that | was so tired" he said,
turning to Jim, "and that there will be many
more evenings wherein l can renew the
friendship of my old friends son, the little
boy who is now man. Jimmy, | am old,
as men count years; but Natures book is
still more interesting than any in print. And
have seen so many changes in her-so
many! | can see dimly the changes that are
to take place They are all around us, going
ahead with certaintV"