The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-02-14


WIS chatting FESTIVE, after few
weeks Of Tucson. For what was he
getting here7 Adding what scrap OF
experience to the rounding OF his pro.
fesslon9
HetrospectiveIy engineering could
hardly be said to be the work OF his
choice. Rather had it appeared to
choose him, From boyhood engineers
had always been. to him, the soldiers
OF modern civilization. TO conquer
and subdue mountains, to shackle wild
rivers, to suspend trestles over dizzy
heights, to throw the tracks OF an adj
vanclng civilization along newly
blazed trail, there would always be d
thrill Ia II for him. 1t had changed
the best quarterback OF his high school
into the primmest OF students at col
lege. Only for a short time had he let
his vanity sidetrack him, when the
honor Of teaching what he had learned
stopped his own progress. A rut -
He remembered the day when It had
burst on him, the realization Of the
rut he was In. He could see his Law
renee schOolroOm, could see yet the
face under the red-haired mop belong
Ing to Jerry Matson-q queer he remem-
bered the name after all those years I
He could picture the look or conster-
nation when he threw down his book
and announced his dcsertlon.
lie had handed In his resignation
the next day. A month later and he
was shoyellng coal on the steep grades
OF Wyoming.
Marshall keeps his men with him r.
The engineers glance Travelled around
the fleckless office. A stranger TO Mar
shall would get wrong idea of the
man who worked In It'll Those precise
flles, the desk, orderly and polished,
the cleaning linoieum--nnd then the
man who made the negro 1anitors life
a proud burdenl His clothes always
crumpled7sp spots, too, unless his Claus
Ola had had a chance at them Black
string tie askew, all the outward Wis.
ible signs Of the southern gentleman
OF assured ancestry. Not even valet
would ever keep Tod Marshall up to
the standard Of that office. What did
he have servants for, he had demand
cd Of Richard, IL it were not to jump
after him, picking up the loose ends
he dropped?
Curious thing, magnetism, That
mans step on the stair, and every
man-jack os them would jump to at
tentlon, from Ben, the colored. janitor,
who would not swap his post for ST.
mcclure SO long as Tod Mashall's one
lung kept him In Arizona, to Smythe,
the stoop-shouldered clerk. who had
followed Marshall's cough from San
Francisco. II was said in Arizona
he himself had met the statement In
Tucson-that any man who had ever
worked for Tod Marshall would rather
be warmed by the reflection of his
greatness than be given posts OF per-
sonal distinction.
Was il office routine Marshall In
tended linn for? He admired without
stint Tod Marshall. but he preferred
to work by the side Of the other kind,
the strong men, without physical ham
dicap, the men who take risks, the
men who live the life OF soldiers. That |
was the life he wanted. He would
walt long enough to get Marshalls In
tention. and then. If it meant--thls |
he would break loose. He would 90 |
back to the front where lie belonged
back to the firing line.
As the hands Of the round clock In
the outer office were pointing to ten
the door opened and Marshall entered.
Ills clothes, Of indefinite blaclSlsh hue,
would have dlsgraced an eastern man. /
His string tie Ind starboard list,
and his hat was ready for a rummage
sale, But few would have looked at
his clothes. The latent energy or the
dynamic spirit that would frequently
turn that quiet Office into mach
strom cleaned IN those Indian-black
Eyes, Beneath the shabby cloth one
the daily polished skin; un-
Ter the old SLOUGH hat was the mouth
u purpose, the lips that no woman,
even his Claudia. had kissed without
he thrill OF fear.
Marshall glanced back at the clock.
and then toward his visitor.
ION time" he observed.
Richard. smiling, put his book In
lis pocket.
rAApT~U ~