The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-08-02

| he's a raw dancer, always starts OIL
too quick, begins on the wrong foot.
Oh, yes, he has reasons, lots of them,
that fellow, but, as you say, they're
not reasonable. He never waits to get
ready"
Why was it that the face of the
haIf-sister came to Richard then, with
that look of sensitive high breeding
and guarded reserve? And she a Har-
dim Sister to the loud-spilling mouth !
Queer cards natur deals And pretty
cards Marshall was trying to deal out
to him. Go down there and finish
Hardin's job, show him up to be the
fumbler he was, give him orders, give
the husband of Gerry Holmes or
ders-.
ut was Hardin who came to me,
but not until he'd tried everything
else. They'd worked for months try
ing to dam the river with Il few lace
handkerehiefs, and perhaps Il chiffon
veil!' Marshall was twinkling over
his own humOr. Hardin did put up
Il good talk. 1t was true, as he said
we'd had to move our tracks three,
no., four times at Salton. 1t was true
that it ought to be one of the richest
districts tapped by the o. Z. But he
clenched me by a clever bait-to put
out a p u in Mexico which would
keep any other railroad off by a fifty
mile parallel. and there the sandhills
| y,olyn IN rn;1raoI irprpccihIn
1.-The government must eventually
come to the rescue. Their works at
Laguna hang on the control of the
river down at the heading. Once, he
told mel don't know how much
truth there was in 1.-THE service, rec
their plant for a paltry sum. He
wouldn't sell. The short is, l recon-
mended lo~ng-sighted assistance to
Faraday. l promised to turn that
river, save the district. We expected
before the year was out to have the
government take the responsibility off
our hands,"
Richard made an impatient Shrug.
A nice problem Marshall had taken
unto himself. He wanted none of it.
Hardin-the thing was impossible.
He met laggardly Marshalls story.
He heard him say: agreed with Far
aday. The Desert Reclamation com
pany vas as helpless as a swaddled
infant. We made the condition that
we %reOrganiZe the company. / was
put in Hardin's place as president Of
the corporation, and he was made gen.
eral manager. OF curse we had to
control the stock. We put up two
hundred thousand dollars - Hardin
had estimated it would cost us less
than half that! It's cost us already
a million. Things haven't been going
right. Faraday's temper burst out,
and Hardin q while back was asked
to resign" e
"And it is Hardin's position that
you want me to fill?" His voice
sounded queer to himself-dry, mock
ing, as If anyone should know what
an absurd thing he was being asked
to do. He felt Marshall's sharp In
dian eyes on him, as If detecting a pet
Unless. wen, lie uIuu l care uOW NldT-
shall interpreted it. That place wasn't
for him.
II want you in control down there"
Richard knew he was being appraised,
balanced all over again. 1t made no
difference
"I'm sorry he was beginning, when
Marshall cut in.
"Good Lord, you are not going to
turn it DOWN."
He met Marshalrs in%credulous
stare. tits a job I'd jump at under
most circumstances. But I can't go,
SIR
Tom Marshall leaned back the full
swing Of his swivel chair, blankly
astounded. His eyes told Richard
that he had been found wanting-he
had white blood in his veins.
at is good of you to think Of me-
pshaw! it Is absurd to say these
things. You know that / know it Is