Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-07-10

And l could have come home al
most at once," he said aloud, address
ing the crumpled check in his hand
rather than the man in the swivel
| chair.
| Yes. 1 have often wondered where
You were, what you were doing. You
and your brother were upper r-classmen.
l never knew Arthur very well; but
you and l were chummy, after fash
ion. Arthur was a little too bookish
for my style. Didn't We use to call you
Old Galahad? You were always wal
Looping the bullies and taking the weak
er chaps under your wing. To me, you
were the last man in the world for this
business. Moreover, 1 never could un-
derstand, nor could father, how you got
| it, for you were not an oftice-man. Wo-
men and cards, suppose. Father said
that you had the making Of a great
engineer. Fierce place, this old town."
waving his hand toward the myriad
sparkling roofs and towers and spires.
Have to be strong and hard headed to
survive it. Built anything since you've
been away?"
IN Cashmir." To have thrown away
decade!
Glad you kept your hand in. l dare
say you've seen a lot Of life" To the
younger man it was an extremely awk-
ward interview.
Yes; I've seen life" DULY.
Orient, mostly, l suppose. Your let
ter about the strike in oil was mighty
interesting. Heap of money over there,
if they'd only let us smart chaps in to
dig it up. Now, old man, want you to
wipe the slate clear of these ten years.
Wen call it a bad dream. What are
your plans for the future?"
"Plans?" Warrington looked up
blankly. He realized that he had made
no plans for the future.
Yes. What do you intend to do? A
man like you wasn't made for idleness.
Look here, Paul; I'm not going to beat
about the bush. We've got a whopping
big contract from the Chinese govern
ment, and we need a man to take
charge, q man who knows and under
stands something of the yellow people.
How about a salary Of ten thousand
year for two years, to begin in Octo-
ber?"
Warrington twisted the check. Work,
rehabilitation.
Gould you trust me-" he asked
quietly.
With anything l have in the world.
Understand Paul, there's no philan-
thropic string to this offer. You've
pulled through devil of hole. You're
man. 1 should not be holding down
this chair if ] couldn't tell a man at
glance. We were together two months
in Peru. I'm familiar with your work.
Do you want to know whose portrait
that is up there? Well, it's General
Chetwoods, the founder Of this con-
Germ, the silent partner. The man who
knew kings and pOtentates and told
EN- that they needed bridges in their
backyards. This building belongs to his
daughter. She converted her stock into
granite About a month ago / received
a letter from her. 1t directly concerned
you. 1t seems she learned through the
consul general at Singapore that you
had worked with us. She's like her
father, a mighty keen judge of human
nature Frankly, this offer comes
through her advices. To satisfy your
self, you can give us surety-bond for
fifty thousand. It's not obligatory,
however"
Elsa Chetwood. She had her fathers
eyes, and it was this which had drawn
his gaze to the portrait. Chetwood;
and Arthur had not known any more
than he had What irony! Ten years
wasted for nothing! Warrington
laughed aloud. A weakness seized him,
like that of a man long gone hungry.
Buck up, Paul" warned the good
Samaritan. "All this kind of knocks
the wind out Of you. / know. But what
I've offered you is in good faith. Will
you take it?"
Yes" simply.
That's the way to talk. Supposing
you go out to lunch with me? Wen
talk it over like old times"
NO. / haven't seen
ITO be sure! l forgot. Do you know
where they live, your mother and
brother"
mo. l expected to ask you
The vice president sCribbled down
the address. Il believe you'll find them
both there, though Arthur, l under
stand, is almost as great a traveller as
you are. OF course you want to see
them, You poor beggar! The South
western will pull you almost up to the
door. After the reunion, you hike back
here, and We'll get down to the meat of
the business"
John" said Warrington, huskily,
you're man."
"Oh. piffle, It's not all John. The old
man left word that if you ever turned
up again to hang on to you. You were
valuable. And there's Miss ChetwOod.
If you want to thank anybody, thank
her" Warrington missed the search
ing glance, which was not without its
touch of envy. You'd better be off.
Hustle back as soon as you can" FL
more offered his hand now. Cad! but
you haven't lost any of your old grip"
I'm Il bit daZed The last six months
have lousencd up my nerves"
"NObody's made of iron"
I'D sound hollow if tried to say
what | feel. I'll be back a week from
today"
I'll look for you"
AS the door closed behind Warning
ton, the young millionaire sat down.
scowling at a cubby-hole in his desk.
He presently took out letter post
marked YOkohOma He turned it about
in his hands, musingly. Without read
ing it Cor he knew its contents WELD
he thrust it back into the cubby-hOle.
Women were out Of his sphere. He
could build bridge within a dollar Of
the bid: but he knew nothing about
women beyond the fact that they were
always desirable.
u