Evening star., 1914-01-11
BY ROY NORTON

that hadn't drifted none in all that long month That
man.
For full minute Barmah leaned staring at with
out seeing the gay bands and labels. His fat hands
rested quietly and without the scratched
glass top of the showcase. Then his eyes suddenly
fared and he picked up the suitcase his feet. He
whred until he looked at the prospector and scowled
at him ercely as resenting something and while the
old man drew back perplexed Burmah spoke scarcely
above a whisper:
Your friend Tim, he said, with unusual slowness,
was chump But, shucks, he was man. He stopped
with awkward abrupt notion and picked up the suit
and walked out to the pavement with lips that
curously compressed and with fearless stare in
his eyes, and, strangely his short figure had taken
dignity OF its own. He walked unwaver1ngly back
through the long street. and toward the
of the sound that glstened far below, then plunged
downward along the incline and out past the railway
station to the wharf, where the boat that had brought
him to Seattle making ready depart her up
ward trip. All indecson gone from his action and
his appearance He held his head high his short neck
which seemed to have become stubborn pillar,
yielding and fixed His hat had lost its careless angle
and his hands clenched tightly if for fight
the other round the leather handle of his suitcase He
strobe firmly back over the gangplank that he had
recently descended in rresoluton and the suitcase
dropped careessly inside the smoking room door,
"Going back soon Mr.. Jones?7 asked friendly
deck steward, and for long time the wondered
why Burmah Jones turned and smiled at him slowly
and said:
@Yes, goin' back-goin back to be mani"
HE waited for the boat pull out, cursng himself for
ever having away in the first place, but giving
himself credit for having panic stricken
fight moral battle with himself. His air was that of
dogged determination He stood leaning the rail
when voice. painting if from exertion, hailed him
from the docks edge, and he looked down to find Bill
lings waving at him.
aMr. Jones'! Oh Mr.. Jones!7 shouted the manager
of his Seattle Office u about up you
at Port Hatch when saw you there the deck. Can't
you stay over here today to talk to who
to do business with you personality
For instant Burmah hestated, fact that did not
escape the eye of his subordinate who had before
seen him display any indecision
what their names?' asked Burmah cautiously
Il don't remember said Billings; "but they said
they in business back East with the scheme
that Conover and his crowd worked on and they want
to YOU
Burmah caught himself falteringly. For moment
he had been inclined dodge the possible issue of
ing Thornton and Carleton Again he shut his jaw
grimly and mastered temptation. He would meet all
after this, matter what happened and the
men who wanted to see him were those whom he had
mulcted in another part of the country, the
with the better. Then seconds thought
vnced him they could not be the He reclaimed
his suitcase and joined Billings, and took cab to the
offices of the Port Hatch Company, where he busted
himself at his desk until the strangers should appear
They late in the afternoon, three more of the
quiet type Conover, and Burmah was relieved
to discover that all they wanted to buy for their
speculatons subdivision of the "City Beautiful"
For the first time all his deals he was unqualifedy
honest and straightforward.
Il want to tell you somethin before start in to dis
this sale ALL he sad with unusual repression
"and that is that don't sell any land with the prom
ise, nothn' than hope, that the railroads
goin to there to Port Hatch"
He waited and watched the effect of his speech his
visitors Strengthened up with surprise and then looked
ad Ha 6obt