The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-12-04

why, yes" The doctor bestowed
a friendly smile on the stranger. II
guess do"
Can you show me how to find TT"
Yea" Hedges glanced toward the
woman; she was entering the station.
i can do better. can take you there"
IF you will" And the stranger
promptly entered the buggy.
The doctor clucked to his horse and
turned Hospitality, with conversational
intent to his guest But the latter
forestalled him.
Live here?"
Between whiles.-
Hal" The stranger smiled, brief
wintry smile. Doctor, see. Do you
know Truitt?"
Well" Hedges spat ruminatively.
that's d pretty risky thing to say OF
any man, but ] guess"
What do they think OF him here7'
They think he's great man-and
it's his own"
Hes a great mechanic" said the
guest shortly.
IL" drawled the doctor, know more
about men than mechanics. but"
What do you think OF him?" the
guest interrupted again.
The doctor. hoping to complete at
least one sentence, quickened his
drawl. Hes a man who's either los
ing himself or finding himself. I'm
not sure"
"Meaning?"
you wouldn't" chuckled the doc
tor, have time for the explanation"
He drew up before the little cottage.
He lives here"
"Hardly!" the visitor retorted. Il
take the three o'clock train. Much
obliged" He sprang, more briskly
than his rotundity promised. out of
the buggy.
The doctor drove away still chuck
ling. The chuckle would not have
died even had he known his passenger
to be none other than that Henley
whose star, flashing with comet-like
swiftness and brilliancy above the hor-
lion of speculation, had In two years
achieved full planetary dignity and i'm
portance. But the doctor was not a
student of Wall street astronomy.
"Humph!" The luminary surveyed
the weather-beaten little cottage with
its unkempt yard and nearby smithy
$50 he lives here. Affectation, of
counsel"
He strobe up the path and saluted
the old man on the stoop.
MIR. Truitt lives here, | believed"
I'm Simon Truitt. But | reckon
We want Mark, Mr.. Henley"
"Ha! You know me. His father,
suppose?"
Yes. l saw We once, years ago,
when he was in the hospital"
Il remember" said Henley, who had
forgotten that incident completely. rs
Truitt about?"
He's at church,
Church! Surely not habit?'
He goes gener'ly. since he come
back"
Hmm! Something new for Truitt."
Henley frowned. And my times short.
suppose l may as we'll save some
of 1t by going over the plant now.
There's no objection. suppose?"
NO; l." Simon ventured uncer-
tainly. Il was jest about to go over
myself"
I'll be glad of your company" Hen.
ley graciously replied. shall we
start?"
An hour later Henley emerged from
the shadowy finishing mill. blinking
hard in the midday's sunshine and try.
ing to revise his estimate of the situa-
ton.
He followed Simon out on a tiny
cape that jutted into the river,
whence they could see other evidences
of Truths lucidity-the hospital, the
bank, the store, the cluster of homes
cleaning white on the hillside.
And Henley saw-not as the experts
had seen, happy if they perceived all
that had been reduced to fact-but
with the eyes of one whose greatness
was to see what might be, what could
be. And as he looked part, at least,
OF TRUTHS dream was unfolded before
him. The valley teeming, throbbins
citadel of industry. The city Chamber
ing over the slopes, capturing the
heights. retaining other slopes from
the forest, until in length and breadth.
in numbers and Importance, it rivaled
that other fastness where he, the mas.
ter, had been known only as a lieuten-
ant. The creator in him, not yet
killed, but only obscured by the mad.
ness of exploitation, thrilled at the
sight
He sees big" he muttered. HE
sees big. didn't think it was in him."
He stood on the point, scanning
the noble valley, forget.
ting his silent companion. He's
picked out a great site. !" And
then to Henley came a vision of his
own.
That city and citadel his, creature of
his genius and might, doing his bid
ding, yielding him homage and trib-
ute, carrying forth his fame to the
paling of lesser mems regulations, cap
Ital of an empire-his empire.
ssRy Godin he hraathad aloud tsp