The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-29
CHAPTER x.-cOntinued.

nOuncement to her mother that she
had met Dave downtown. 1t meant
perhaps superstition on her IHOthers
part that she had gone downtown for
that purpose. 1t was far-reaching.
But she said simply, 81 should enjoy
driving home with you"
On the way they planned that the
following Sunday they would drive
into the foothills together. OF course
they would ask Mrs Hardy to accom-
pany them. OF course. But it might
happen that Mrs. Hardy would be in
disposed. Irene was of the opinion that
what her mother needed now was rest.
AS it happened Mrs. Hardy was at
the gate. She greeted Dave cordially
enough. Encouraged by her mood,
Irene determined TO settle the Sun
day program at once.
Dave was good enough to bring me
un in his car" she said. 'And just
thinks He invites us to drive into the
foothills with him next Sunday. Will
you come? 1t will be delightful. Or
are you feeling"
''Mr. Eden is very kind said Mrs.
Hardy, with dignity. 81 have no doubt
Mr.. Coward will accompany US. He
is TO call this evening and I will ask
him. Yes. think it very likely
we will CO."
-
The summer wore on, and autumn
followed on its heels. The processes
which had been discerned by Coward
and other aStute operators were now
III.
follows in the wake of the successful,
but usually at such a distance as to
be overwhelmed in the receding flood.
The forces which had built up fahu-
louS fortunes were now in reverse
gear, and the same mechanism that
had built up was now tearing down.
AS the boom had fed upon itself, car
rying prices TO heights juStifiable only
to the most insane optimism, so did
the subsequent depression bear down
upon values until they reached depths
justifiable only to the most abandoned
dependency. The rosy bubble, inflat-
ed with the vapOrs of irresponsible
speculation, had dissolved into thin
air
Mrs. Hardy was among the last TO
admit that she had bought on an
ebbing tide. She cOntended that her
house was well worth the price she
had paid; what if speculation had
come to a stop? So much the better
her house was still worth it's price.
She would stand firm.
Mrs. Hardy consulted Coward 1t
had grown to be her habit to consult
(SnnxUor6 oil in ioJ, Oh
found an interest.
How is it, Mr. Coward" Mrs
Hardy said to him one evening over
her fancy wOrk-for she practiced an
interchangeable industry in matters of
no impOrtance-'hOw is it that there
is no demand for property? You are
a real-estate expert; you should be
able to answer that. Isn't this city
as good today as it was a year ago?
Doesn't it occupy the same site? Are
not the farms still prOducing?"
That's just it, dear Mrs. Hardy
Why, indeed? Simply because the
booster has given way to the calamity
bowler. Its psychological explanation
Is simple enough. The world lives by
faith. Without faith there would be
neither seedtime nor harvest That is
true of raising cities as well as OF
raising crops. But there are always
those who ridicule faith; always were.
always will be. And as soon as faith
disappears things begin to sink
"Ah !" said Mrs. Hardy gently. $50
we owe all this-these empty houses
and shops, unstable property and ev-
erything to those who have lost
faith-or never had it. To men like
mir. Eden, for instance. You remem-
Der how he tried to discourage me
from the very first-tried to break
down my faith-that was it, Mr. Con-
ward-I see it all very plainly now
and he and others like him have
brought things to their present pass.
Well, they have a great responsible
ity."
AS result of this discussion Dave
found himself rather less popular
with Mrs. Hardy than before Dave
accepted her displeasure with light
hearredness that was extremely trying
to the good woman's temper. Had it
not been for his desire to spare Irene
any unhappiness he would have treat
GU II WIN OpCA AApDdHCy. ne was
engaged in the serious business of
capturing the heart of Irene Hardy
a task made none the easier by the
seif-imposed condition that he must
conduct no offensive but must await
with such patience as he could COM
tnand the voluntary capitulatiOn of the
beSieged. On the whole he told him.
self he had no reason to be dissatisfied
with the progress Of events. He and
Irene often mOtOred together, frequent
~ accompanied by Mrs. Hardy, some
times by Coward as well, but occa-
sionally alone. And Irene made no Sc
cret of the fact that she preferred the
trips in which only she and Dave par
ticipated.
The gradual shrinkage of values
to the vanishing point imposed upon
Dave many business duties which
he would very gladly have evaded. The
office of Coward & Eden, which had
once been besieged by customers eager
to buy, was now q center OF groups no
less eager to sell; and when they
could not sell they contrived to lay
the blame upon the firm which had
ORIGINALLY sold RI Them Alfh0upb for.