Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-02-27

look out upon the valley. upon the city
that had not yet arisen An uneasy
qualm moved his heart. continued with
a sharpness that was almost akin to
pain He found himself resisting an
absurd. an incredible impulse ten
derness such as he had used to know,
stea1thily and unadmittedly, for a
young half invalid with the habit of
triumphing where robust men fell,
multiplied now for this man
"Truitt L" Henley stopped an
embarrassment as unwonted as the
impulse upon him, and turned again
to the window
'"Truitt,'' he began again, very
grufiy. eyes still fixed on the city the
magic of the hills revealed to him, Il.
,, well, 1 like you. I've always counted
you my friend. 1 don't want to have
to fight you 1 don't think you want
to fight me- There is-there may be
another alternative" He turned to
face Mark. Take me in with you"
Mark looked his establishment
81 say" Henley went on, II might
do it I've seen something this morn
ing-something you've been seeing.
The city out there. It's big-bigi
And If the figures you've given me
are correct, it's possible. This place
was intended for city. And with us
working together, it could be ten times
bigger-epic-
He got to his feet, and shooting up
the shade, stood looking thoughtfully
| out of the window.
Wed make it, Henley seemed al
most to be thinking aloud, "a city
| from the beginning. We'd get the gov
eminent to make the river navigable
/ 10 he md chi Nv
| to the gulf. 1 can think of a dozen
concerns 1 could get to move their
plants here and contractors who'd un-
| dertake to house the people In five
years we'd have fifty thousand here
| and coming as fast as we could put
| roofs over them. But we'd build on
steel. We'd Quadruple your plant at
| once-for a start. We'd make this the
steel center and this overgrown trust
with it's graft and favoritism and slip
shod methods would have US to reckon
with We'd leave Quinby and that
| Scotch bagpipe, grown fat on other
mems brains, in the shade. By God!'
Henley's voice was ringing, as he
wheeled on Mark again TT would
be the big thing of the century-mak-
| ing city to order. And 1 guess for
that you'd be willing to give up your
little two-by-four paternalism."
| THAT would be stipulated?"
Certainly Well" Henley
seemed unconscious of the change of
mood and tense. We'll leave fads to
| the cranks. Well build this city on
| a rock-on sound financial founda-
tion-and use the profits for extern
sions."
! 81 think you don't understand what
L"
| Understand? OF course 1 under
stand. That's why the idea grips.
You're a born battler; things were
| coming too easy for you. You need
| obstacles, to have to extend yourself
/ need that. I've got a hold in Wall
street 1 can tighten my hold. But
I'm out of place there. I'm a builder,
not money-grubber. I've got to see
| things growing under my hand. What
I'm at now is just game. This would
be a work, the kind 1 need. VIII you
consider it?''
Are you offering it?'
I'm offering it as a possible alter
native to putting you out of business.
There may be magic in these hills,
but if the thing works out on study
| as l believe now it will, I'll do it What
do you say?"
| And you say" Mark insisted, its
the only possible alternative to fight
ing your"
TO being" Henley corrected grimly,
put out of business
1t was Marks turn to go to the win
dow. He stood there silent, for many
minutes. looking not upon the city
that might be but upon the little vii
lage that was.
What do you say?" Henley demand
ed impatiently.
1T doesn't tempt" Mark faced him
steadily You were mistaken
don't want battle. 1 don't want OBJ
stacles- But 1 do want to put that
through" He nodded toward the vii
lage and the mills
"Humph! You'll find plenty of OBJ
stacles and battles over there"
Yes. But there would be-com
pensations-"
Il would give you compensations
Do you mean," Henley demanded, you
choose to hobble along with a little
one-horse plant and philanthropy
} when you might go with me into some
thing really big? Compenssf1ons
} You'll end in losing all you kave."
All the money 1 have" Mark cor
rected- That is possible. But I'm
not worrying about the poor farm.
expect, when that happens, 1 can find
/ | a good iOh s0maWharon