Evening star., 1914-01-25

He leaned across the table and fixed his eyes his
companion, and raised his in emphatic protest
@I'd not leave Port Hatch to make a million some
where else! I'll not leave it if m the last left here
and have to tend my truck patch to get turps to
eat else in the world believes in her. and loves
her do and m going to keep on! Why Burmah this
towns named after mel The very name stands for
sticking right through to the finish. Hatch! Port
Hatch, And, doggone me, Sir! you don't think I'd
desert her just because lot of shortsighed, pusani
NOUS yelowsouled folks away at the sound OF the
first gun, do you2
He went with TRADE that lasted for full five
minutes betrayng his irritation, well the under
current of desperation that filled his being day and
night and Burmah waited until he stopped exhausted
PUT, Colonel, I'm not askin' YOU to abandon Port
- Hatch he said mildly "All I'm askin of you is
that go to some place while there's little money to
be had, and make money to take care of her
until she comes back into her own again. I've got
money left.
The Colonel abruptly slipped his trembling hand over
and laid it Burmah's His voice was husky with
feeling when he spoke Burmah he said determnedly,
"you know that haven't got to point yet where d
accept a dollar for nothing from friend You
frend thank you, Sir, for your offer; but couldn't
and wouldn't do that. And | couldn't leave here l
think I'd die it did I'd think of her, back here her
hill alone, with the grass crawn in like slow thief IN
the night, to bury her pavements like grave Id re-
member the flowers within away around what had been
homes, and turnin their faces up to the sky. Why,
Burmah, everyone of them, every bird that makes its
nest our trees would talk to another and say,
FIatcho Where's Colonel Hatch? Why don't he come
back No, Sir can't go!'
There almost wall in his voice as he closed, and
Bur1nah that he had broken more, even, than he
had appreciated Swift to change his arguments. he
took tack.
well, Colonel, you know that I'm mighty poor
business unless have you to advise me. S'pose
l go away from here and find some new business and
write you for advice when need it. and send your
share of the money? How about thato'
The Colonel shook his head and smiled sadly. Il
couldn't do that, he declared, "uch I'd like to, be-
cause m too plagued busy here. wish for your sake
too that could, because of course admit, with due
modesty that have made great study of high finance.
But you could do the same. Any gentleman If he
but
"Oh | know all that, Colonel interrupted Burmah;
"but you start in life, you know, | can't do
nothin without havin you around Now don't say no
to again until you We had time to think it over. m
in no hurry. Say next week. How'll that do' Then
me and you could go somewhere and get into some
other deal, and make wad, and Why, Lord, Colo
nell Maybe we'd get enough to come back here and
start old Port Hatch ahead again just like wdfre in
prairie grass!'
The Colonel wavered for an instant, and seemed
again on the verge of refusing; but Burmah prevented
him from doing So In his own mind he had the idea of
elsting all the pressure that could be brought to bear
by Arabella, Little Billy, Hubbard, Tommy, and Pick
gain his purpose wildly philanhropic it was Lest
the Colonel make his decision rrevocabe he shifted
the conversation to marble opera houses, and ami
mails, and dozen other trivial topics, then almost
showed the Colonel of the door and bade him good
night He watched him out of sight, after which, with
hopeless shake of his head he returned upstairs to the
club think he had thought thousands of times in
the preceding month, if there not way out of
the whole disaster by which he could compel the Colonel
to make a little profit.
THE clubrooms were 50 still that the silence would
= have been oppressive to one Of weak nerves; but