The Green Forest tribune., 1915-12-10

known that Well start from Uncle Jim's at eight o'clock"
 Allison called old Ephrafm.
 T want to begin dressing ct seven hfteen,' he directed. "At three o'clock set some sandwiches inside the door. Have some fruit in my dressing room"
 He went back to his map, remember. Ing Lucille with retrospective smile. The last time he had seen that viva c1ons young person she had been emp tying box of almonds, at the side of the camp fire at the toboggan party. lie Jotted down a memorandum to send her some, and drew 8 high stool In front of the map.
 Strange this new ambition which had come over him. Why, he had ac- tdally been about to consider his big work finished; and now, all at once. everything he had done seemed trivial. The eager desire of youth to achieve had come to him again, and the blood sang in his veins as he felt of his lusty strength He was starting to build, with youths enthusiasm but with mans experience, and with the momentum of success and the power Of capital. Something had crystalilzed him in the past few days.
 Across the fertile fields and the mighty mountains and the arid deserts of the United States, there angled four black threads, from coast to coast, and everywhere else were shorter main lines and shorter branches, and, last of all, mere fragments of railroads. He 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 a sandwich and ordered his car He was gone less than an hour, and came back with an armload of books; government reports, volumes of statis- tics, and file of more intimate infor- nation from the office of his broker. He threw off his coat when he came in this time, and spread, on the big, lion-clawed table at which Napoleon had once planned a campaign, a vari- colored mass of railroad maps. At seyen-ffteen old Ephraim found him at the end of the table in the midst of some neat and intricate tabulations.
 Time to dress, sir" suggested Ephraim.
 "Oh, it's you" remarked the ab. sorbed Allison, glancing uP.
 Yes, sir" returned Ephraim. "You told me to come for you at seven-ff teen."
 Allison arose and rubbed the tips oi his fingers over his eyes.
 Keep this room locked" he ordered and stalked obediently upstairs. Fo1 the next thirty minutes he belonged to Ephraim.
 He was as carefree as a boy wher he reached Jim Sargents house, ana his eyes snapped when he saw Gai come down the stairs, in a pearl-tinte( gown, with triple string of pearls 1T Nes waving hair and @ rose-coloree cloak depending from her gracefully sloping shoulders.
 Her own eyes frightened at the sigh of him. He had been much in her minc today; not singly but as one of { 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 hor and for y,on cha / 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 hac withdrawn her hand, she felt a sense of relief.
 Hello, Allison" called the hearty voice of Jim Sargent. You're looking like youngster tonight"
 T 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 hin quality of lightness which made hin restless. He had been noted among his business associates for certain dry wit, scathing, satirical, relentless now he used that quality agreeably and when Lucille and Ted, and Arly and Dick Rodley joined them, he wa! quite easily a sharer in the gayety. A the theater he was the same. He par ticipated in all the repartee during tht lntermissions, and the fact that ht found Gail studying him, now and then only gave him an added impulse. H' was frank with himself about Gail. H' wanted her, and he had made up hi mind to have her. He was himself ; little surprised at his own capacity 0 entertainment, and when he partet from Gail at the Sargent house, h. left her smiling, and with a softer lool in her eyes than he had yet seen there
 Immediately on his return to hi library, Allison threw off his coat ant waistcoat, collar and tie, and sat a the table.
 What is there in the icebox?" h. wanted to know.
 Well, sir" enumerated Ephrain carefully; "Mirandy had chickel potpie for dinner, and then there's
 That will do; cold" interrupted Al lison. Bring 1t here with as fe. service things as nossible A hottie O