The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-01-01
CHAPTER WI.-continued.

EuuSC say, OdNS. lIldI IOE d SHIeHu
business man you are awfully dense
about Coward.
He remained silent for a few mo-
ments He decided not to follow her
lead. He knew that if she had any
thing explicit to say about Coward
she would say it when she felt the
time to be OppOrtune, and not until
then.
'HOw much did you invest?"
mot much. Just what l had"
''YOu mean all your savings?"
'tWhy not? It's all right, isn't it?''
He had risen and was standing by
the window.
Its all right, isn't it?'' she repeat
ed
I'm afraid it isn'tl'' he said, at
length, in a restrained voice. I'm
afraid it isn't"
"What do you mean?' she demand
ed.
Bert" he continued, ibid it ever
occur to you that this thing must have
an end-that we can't go on forever
lifting ourselves by our own boot
straps? We have built a city here, a
great and beautiful city, almost as
night. There was room for it here;
there was occasion: there was justif-
cation. But there was neither Occa-
sion nor justification for turning miles
and miles OF prairie land into city lots
lots which in the nature of things
cannot possibly, in your time or mine,
be required for city purposes. These
lots should be producing; wheat, oats,
potatoes, cows, butter-that is what
we must build our city on. We have
been considering the effect rather than
the cause. The cause is the country.
the neglected country, and until 1t
oVertakes the city we must stand still,
If we do not go back. Our prosperity
has been built on borrowed money.
and we have forgotten that borrowed
money must some time be repaid"
you mean that the boom is about
to burst?' she said.
mot exactly burst. 1t will not be
so sudden as that It will just ooze
away like a toy balloon pricked with
a PIN
There was silence for some minutes.
When she spoke at length it was with
q tinge of bitterness. $50 you are
unloading?"
1.-THE firm is. I beg you, Bert, to
believe that if I had known your in
tention I would have tried to dissuade
you"
why me particularly? I am only
one of the great public. Why don't
you give your conclusions to the
world? Now that you see the reaction
setting in doesn't honesty suggest
what your course should be?"
There was reproach in her voice,
Dave thought, rather than bitterness.
He spread out his hands. whats
the use? The harm is done. To pre-
dict a collapse would be to precipitate
q panic. 1t as though we were passen-
gers on boat at sea. You and l
know the boat is sinking but the
other passengers don't. They are
making merry with champagne and
motOrcars-if you can accept that fig
ure-and revelry and easy money.
Why spoil their remaining few hours
by telling them they are headed for
the bOttOm?'
After a moment she placed her fin
gers on his arm. Forgive me, Dave"
she said. az didn't mean to whine"
You didn't whine,'' he returned, al
most fiercely. Its not you. You are
too good a sport. But there will be
lots OF whining In the coming months"
Manlike, it did not occur to Dave that
in that moment the girl had hidden
goOdby to her savings of a dozen
years and had merely looked up and
said, Forgive me, Dave. I didn't
mean to whine"
He glanced at his watch. Its late
for theater," he said, "but we can
ride. Which do you say-auto or
horseback"
81 can't go horseback in these
clothes and I don't want to change"
Dave pressed button and the ON
nipresent Chinese boy stood before
him. my car" he said. 1.-The two
passenger car. I shall not want
driver" Then, continuing to Miss
Morrison you will need something
more than that coat. Let me see My
smoking jacket should fit"
In few minutes they were thread
ing their way through the street traf-
fic in Dawes machine. Presently the
traffic thinned, and the car hummed
through long residential avenues of
sped, until the city streets and the
city lights fell behind and the car was
swinging along a fine country road
through a land marked with streams
and bridges and blocked out with fra
grant bluffs of young popIars.
At last, after an hours steady driv-
ing in a delight OF motion too keen for
conversation, they pulled up on the
brow Of a hill. Dave switched of his
lights, the better TO appreciate the
majesty Of the night, and in the ST.
lence came the low murmur of water.
There were no words. They sat and
breathed it.
Suddenly, from a sharp bend behind
in the road, flashed the lights of an
approaching car. Dave was able TO
switch his own lights on again only
in time to avoid a collision. The on
coming car lurched and passed by fu-
riously, but not before Dave had rec
ognized Coward as the driver. Back
on ifs trail of dust floated the rihal6