The Lamar register., 1919-01-29
CHAPTER xI.
The Narrow World,

iHC
At the fresh newspaper reminder
that his sudden bound upward from
the laboring ranks 10 the. executive
lendship Of the irrigation project had
merely made him more conspicuous
target for the mnn-hunters, Smith
scanted himself of sleep and redoubled
his efforts to put the new company on
4 sound and permanent footing. In
he nature of things he felt that his
own shift must necessarily he short.
The more or less dramatic coup In
rimanyoni High Line had advertised
aim thoroughly. He was rapidly COM
ng to be- the best-known man In Brew
ster and he cherished no Illusions
lbout lost Identities. or the ability to
ose them In the land where time ana
pace have been wired and rallroaded
Iretty well out Of existence.
II was ncedful that he should work
While the day was his IN which TO
work; and he did work. There was
tlll much to be done. Williams was
having II threat of labor troubles Mt
he dam. and Stillings had unenrthed
mother possible flaw In the land titles
lntlng back to the promotion OF II GER
ain railroad which had never gotten
iar beyond the paper stage and the ac-
Iuiring OF some Of Its rights of way.
Smith flung himself masterfully' at
he new difficulties ns they arose, and
armed his need of praise from the
men for whom he overcame them. But
inder the surface current OF the hurry
ng business tide bitter undertow was
BEGINNING TO set In. He took his first
Iecided backward step ON the night
When he went Into n hardware store
md bought pistol. The free. fair
lighting spirit which had sent him bare.
handed against the three clsim-jump-
fell determination. underlined ms yet.
Jut keylng itself to the barbaric pitch.
II had been day Of nagglng dlstrac-
Ions. A ruinor had been sent afOot-
~ Stanton. as Smith made no doubt
Uniting that the new dam would be un-
iafe when IL should he completed; that
Is breaking with the reservoir behind
{, would carry death and destruction
o the lowlnnds and even 10 the city.
I
iamage suits In the bare possibility,
iad taken the alarm. and Smith had
'pent the greater part OF the day In
rying to calm their fears. For this
muse, and some others. he was on the
jagged edge when Baldwin dropped In
IN his way home from the dam and
protested
Look here, John; you're OVERRIDING
his thing world without endi You
Dreak II on short, right now, and gC
lome with me and get your dinner and
1 good nights rest. Get your coat and
nat and come along, or I'll rope you
lown and hog-tie you"
For once In way. Smith found thai
here was no fight left in him, and h,
Welded. telling himself that another
acceptance of the Baldwin hospitality
more or less. could make no difference
But no sooner was the coloners gra,
-ondster headed for the bridge across
he Timanyoni than the exhilaratln.
reaction set In. In twinkling th'
business cares, and the deeper worries
rs well. fed away. and in their place
leart-hunger was loosed.
After dinner, meal at which he at
little and was well content TO satisf.
the hunger of his soul by the road o
the eye, Smith went ont to the portlc'
10 smoke. The most gorgeous of noun
lain sunsets was painting itself upol
The sky over the western Timanyonis
but he had no eyes for natura
yrandeurs. and no ears for any SCUM
save one-the footstep he was listen
ing for. II came at length, and h
tried TO look as tired as lie had bee
when the colonel made him clos
his desk and leave the office: tried an
apparently succeeded.
You poor, broken-down Samson
'arrying all the brazen gates of tn
money-Philistines on your shoulders
You had to come to us at last. dldn
YOU? Let me be your Delilah and fl
that chair SO that 1t will be really con