Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-04


order to induce the contractors to haste in
completing the structure l agreed to give
them ten per cent. bonus for time"
Then that is settled" exclaimed Burmah
with a note of regret. @Now for the next
thing. If Port Hatch has to have park,
WHY don't YOU let Port Hatch pay for it,"
THE Colonel suddenly rose to his full and
commanding height, and it was evident
to Bur1nah that he was struggling with tenn
per. "Burmah-Mr. Jones, he said with
cutting emphasis, Il am Port Hatch!" He
tapped his breast in emphasis, and Burmah,
after staring at him for moment, threw up
both hands with an air of resignation.
Colonel" he said quietly, I'm goin' to
say it to you, goin' to say something be-
cause you're dead sure to get the worst of
bad deal in the long run, unless you pull up.
l wouldn't have talked to you this way a
month ago l wouldn't do it now; only
someone's got to, and you believe in me-"
4As do in my own lite!1 lnterJected the
Colonel, reseating himself and relaxing.
you've had more than a hundred and
fifty thousand dollars in cash out of Port
Hatch already" Burmah went on in the
same steady voice. Give had nearly as
much. I've kept mine, almost every cent
of it. What have you got? Almost nothin'
save what paid you yesterday"
almost nothing?" roared the Colonel,
again exhibiting signs of restlessness. why,
i've got the finest residence in the State, in
the United States, in the world, so far as ar
tistic beauty is concerned! What have |
goto I've got a schoolhouse started, club
named after me, public wharf, pavements,
and CITY park. What more could man
want, Sir?"
That's all right" Burnah calmly replied
to the explosion; "but Colonel, parks, and
clubs, and schoolhouses, and city halls, and
pavements, and wharves amt goin' to feed
Miss Arabe1la after you're dead and gone,
and they amt goin' to keep Marquard Villa
repaired and cared for. You've got some
body besides Port Hatch to think about.
Colonel, if you won't do it for anyone else,
hang onto some of it for her. Hang onto
some of it to please me. You know you owe
it to me, some of it, for helpin' you get hold
of it and maxim it go under your advice"
He added the last as an afterthought, play
ing BY habit on that chord of vanity.
The Colonel melted somewhat, and laid
hand on Burmah's knee, something he had
never done before save under extreme stress,
and Burmah recognized the conciliatory sig
nifcance of it, and grew hopeful.
There are three things said the Colonel
softly, 4for whom and which would do any
thing in the world, or make any sacrifice.
The first is my daughter, whom love as few
men have loved their offspring. The second
and third, equal in my affection, are Port
Hatch-God bless her!-and you, Burmah
Jones. But don't you see that I've got land
left, hundreds of acres Of it, stretching off
up there like glorious carpet laid at the
mountains feet, and every foot of which is
going to be valuable when the railway comes,
and Port Hatch has become magnificent
city of tens of thousands where now she has
but hundreds?"
4But-but," almost whispered Burmah,
Suppose the railway don't Gomez"
THE Colonel ran troubled hand over his
brow, which appeared white and ascetic
in the moonlight. ats got to GOMEZ he
declared hoarsely.
But, Colonel, suppose it don't? There's
nothing in the world dead sure until it's
happened
4You told me-"
@Never mind what told you," insisted
Burmah @I'm just like anybody else Some
times l make mistakes. I've made lot of
'em. Colonel, wish you'd hang onto what
you have and what comes in until the rail
road does come. After that, if it does, you'll
have enough to build marble opera house
and not feel it."
He had made his first tactical blunder,