The Ordway new era., 1915-12-31
49, -oil = :
Allison called ,

bet bOiuc SuuuWiCncb ir-TT-r-
Have some fruit in my
He went back to his maps psrememper-
ing Lucille with a retrospective smile.
The last time he hat seen that viva
cious young person 81 hao oeeh emp.
tyinp a box of almonls. at the side Of
the camp fire at the toboggan party.
He iotted down n men orandum to send
her some. and drew u hish STOOL IN
front of the map.
Stranpe this new ambition which
had come over him. Why. he had ac-
tually been about to cohsider MS DIG
work finished: and low. all at once,
eyerytbinp he had dofe seemed trivial.
The eager desire of !outh 70 acnle'e
had come to him agail. ana the olooo
sang in his veins a, he felt of his
lusty strength. He was starting to
build. with a youth's enthusiasm but
with n mans experier ce. and with the
momentum of succesI and the power
| OF capital. Something hao crSstaiiiZea
him in the past few Jays. sa..s
Across the fertile heids asn the
mighty mountains and the arid deserts
of the United States, there angled four
black threads. from cast to coast, and
everywhere else wee shorter main
lines and shorter brsncnes, and, last
Of all, mere fragments OF railroads. lie
began with the long. angling threads.
but he ended with the fragments. and
these, in turns, he gave minute and
careful study. At three o'clock he
took sandwich and ordered his car.
He was gone less thin an hour, and
CAME back with an armioad OF BOOKS;
governinent reports. voiumes OF statis-
tics. and file of more intimate infor-
nation from tf.e offica Of his broker.
He threw OF his ceat when he came
in this time. and spread. on the big.
lion-clawed table at Shich Napoleon
had once planned campaign. vari.
colored mass Of railioad maps. At
seven.fifteen old Ephf1 found him at
the end OF the table tTthe midst Of
some neat and Intricate tabulations.
"Time to dress. Sr." suggested
Ephraim.
"Oh, it's you." remarked the abb
sorbed Allison. glancipg W.
"Yes, SIR" returned Ephraim. You
told me to come for' you at SEVENTH
teen"
Allison arose and rubbed the tips OF
his fingers over his eyes.
Keep this room locked" lie ordered.
and stalked obediently upstairs. For
the next thirty minutes he belonged to
Ephraim.
He was as carefree as boy when !
he reached Jim eargent's house. and |
his eyes snapped when he saw Gail |
come down the stairs. in pearl-tinted |
knxn. with tripla .ssii2g 9, ,pearls u n
her waving hair and rose-colored |
cloak depending from her gracefully
sloping shoulders.
Her own eyes frightened at the sight |
of him. He had been much in her mind |
today; not singly but as one Of a |
group. She was quite conscious that |
she liked him. but she was more con.
scious that she was curious about him. |
He stepped forward to shake hands |
with her and. for q moment, she found |
in her an inclination to cling to the
warm thrill of his clasp. She had never
before been SO aware OF anything like |
that. Nevertheless, when she had
withdrawn her hand. she felt sense
of relief.
Hello. Allison" called the hearty
voice of Jim Sargent. You're looking
like youngster tonight"
II feel like one." replied Allison. |
smiling I'm on a vacation" He was
either vain enough or curious enough |
to glance at himself in the big mirror
as he passed It, He did look younger;
astonishingly so; and he had about him
a quality of lightness which made him |
restless. He had been noted among
his business associates for certain
dry wit, scathing. satiIical, relentless;
now he used that quality agreeably,
and when Lucille and Ted. and Arly
and Dick Rodley Joined them. he was
quite easily sbarer in the gayety. At
the theater he was the me He par
ticipated in all the rer during the
intermissions. and til. bet that he
found Gail studying him, now and then.
only gave him an added impulse. He
| was frank with himself about Gall He
wanted her. and he had made up his
mind to have her. He was himself a
tie surprised at his own capacity of
tertainment, and when he rarted
Gail at the Sargent house. he
gr smiling. and with softer look
&'yes than he had yet seen there.
sdiately on his return to his
Allison threw off his coat and
7, collar and tie. and sat al
there In the icebox?" he
TOW. 4
enumerated Ephraim II
randy had a chicken
er. and then there's-"
; cold" interrupted Al.
1t here with as few
possible. a bottle of |
olives"
ct down some figures
I'M came. shaking his
|