The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-08-16
By
EDNAH
AIKEN

gion. The twin towns were on the
map.
One Of the older men returned his
nod. The young men returned their
hastily withdrawn attention to their
game of checkers. The other smoker
was watching with cross-eyed ABSORB
ton the rings his cigar was sending
into the air. Richard might not have
been there.
One of the checker players looked
up.
Anything l can do for you? Do you
want to see anyone in particularly
No" it was admitted. mo one in
particular. I was just looking round"
ITS the show place of CaleXico. Iii
take you around. 1t is the only place
in town that is comfortable when it's
hot, or when the wind blows, and
that's the program all summer. Take
my place, Pete"
Pete, the young giant, with the face
of his infancy enlarged rather than
matured slipped into the'vacant chair.
He had been the first to discover the
stranger, but he had evaded the re-
sponsibility. The game Immediately
absorbed him.
ITS nice here" repeated the young
fellow, leading the way. They were
| followed by few idle glances.
Richard looked with approval at the
| tan Slim figure which was assuming
| the courtesy of the towns. The fine
| handsome face was almost too girlish,
the muscles of the mouth too sensitive
yet for manly beauty, but he liked the
| type. 1.-the as a young deSertreared
Indian. his manner and carriage told
of careful home and rigid school dis.
cipline
He was ushered into a large cool
room. The furnishings he inventoried
a few stiff chairs. long table and
typewriter desk, closed for the Sab
bath.
1.-THE stenographer's room." an
nounced the lad superauously.
Whose Stenographer"
General property now. Everyone
has a right to use her time. She uset
to be Hardin's, the general managers
She is his still, in way. But Ogilvie
keeps her busy most of the time"
Richard had not heard of Ogilvie
He made a mental register.
"When did Hardin go out?" HI
knew the date himself. He expected
the answer would trail wisps of Othel
information. He had very active Gu
riosity about Hardin. The mans fail
ures had been spectacular.
The young fellow was thinkin;
aloud. THE dam went Novembe
Goth. Hardin was given decent in
terval to resign. OF course he wa
fired. 1t was an outrage" He re
membered that he was speaking to
stranger and broke off suddenly. Rick
ard did not question him. He mad
another note. Why was it an outrag
or why did it appear so? In perspet
tive from the Mexican barranca
where he had been at the time, tn
failure of that dam had been anothe
bar sinister against Hardin.
II see that you are from the Univer
sity of Californian Richard said, an
nodded at the pin of gold and blu
enamel.
"Out for a year." glowed the lac
dad wanted me to get some real stu
in my head. He said the Co'orad
would give me more lessons-more res
knowledge in a year than I'd get |
six at college. kicked up an awfr
row"
The older man smiled. "Of cours'
You don't want to 60 back now
The boy made wry face. He e.
poets me to go back In August. Say
I must"
"You did not tell me your name,
was suggested.
"MacLean. George MacLean," sal
the young man rather consciously.
was q good deal to live up to. He a
ways felt the appraisement which TO
: lowed that admission. George Ma
Lean, elder, was known among TT
railroad circles to be man of frol
ono of the strongest of the heads {