The Dolores star., 1921-10-28

HHl'Il uISHt JUST as wei nave Sloph
over until the next morning, If you
want TO know. After | had delivered
II, Mrs. Shella gave me that funny
little laugh Of hers and told me 10 go
huut in the pantry and see If | could
hnd piece Of pie. and the boss added
that If Id wait, he'd go back TO town
with me pretty soon
l found the pie, and ate it in the
dinius-room, making noise enough
about 1t so that they could know |
was there il they wanted to- But
they went right on talking. and paid
no attention TO me.
DO you know. Shella. they had
long since got past the 'Alr." and
Mrs. you've been the greatest pos
sihle help 10 me in this rouGh-house,
all the way along" the boss was say
ing. You have held me up to the
rack. time and again, when | have
been ready 10 throw 1t all up and let
20. Why have you done it,"
heard the little laugh again. and
she said: "It is worth something to
have a friend. Odd as it may seem,
Graham, l have been singularly pov-
erty-stricken in that respect. And |
have wanted TO see YOU succeed.
Though you are still calling 1t merely
business deal II is really mis-
sion, you know, crammed full of good
things TO a struggling world. If you
do suCceed-and | am sure you are
going to-you will leave this commu-
nifty. and hundreds of others. vastly
the better for what you are doing and
demonstrating"
But that is a mans point OF view, "
the boss persisted. How do you get
it, You are all woman, you know;
and your mixing and minging-at
least since have known you-has all
been purely social. How do you get
the big overlook"
Il don't know. I was foolish and
frivolous once, like most young girls,
suppose. But we all grow older;
and we ought to grow wiser. Besides,
the woman has the advantage of the
man in one respect; she las time to
think and plan and reason things out
as busy man can't have. Your prob
lem has seemed very simple to me.
from the very beginning 1t asked for
a strong man and an honest one. You
We're to take charge of Il piece of
property that had been abused and
Knocked about and used as a means
of eStortion and oppression, and you
were to make it good"
Again, that is a mans point OF
view"
"Oh, no." she protested quickly.
There is no sex in ethics. Women are
the natural house-cleaners. perhaps,
but that isn't saying that man can't
be one, too, if lie wants to be-
At this, the boss got up and began
to tramp up and down the room; |
could hear him. l knew she'd been
having the biggest kind of job to
keep him shut up in this sort of
abstract corral, when all the time he
was loving her fit to kill, but ap-
parently she had been doing it, sue
cessfully. There wasn't the faintest
breath of sentiment in the air; not
the slightest whiff. When she began
again, | could somehow feel that she
was just in time to prevent his break
ing out into all sorts of love-making.
The time has come. now, when you
must take another leaf out OF my
book" she said, with just the proper
little cooling tang in her voice up
to the present you have been hammer
ing your way to the end like strong
man, and that was right. But you
have been more or less reckIess-and
that isn't right or fair or just to lot
of other people"
The tramping stopped and l heard
him say: Il don't know what you
mean"
Il mean that matters have come to
such pass now that you cant afford
to tal'e any risks-personal risks. If
the plan the enemy is trying doesn't
work, it will try another and a more
desperate one"
you've been talking to Ripley" he
| laughed. Ripley wants me to become
! a gun-toter and provide myself with
a body-guard. I'd look well, wouldn't
|? But what do you mean by the plan
| the enemy is now trying?'
She hesitated little and then said
Il shall make no charges, because |
have no proof. But l read the news
| papers, and Mr. Van Britt tells me
something, now and then. You are
having terrible lot of wrecks"
''That is merely bad luck" he re-
| Joined easily.
''Rashness is no part of true cour-
age" she interpolated, calmly. "As a
private individual you might say that
your life is your own, and that YOU
have perfect right to risk 1t as you
| please. But as the general manager
of the railroad, with a lot of your
friends holding Office under you, you
can't say that. Besides, you are fight
ing for cause, and that cause will
stand or fall with you"
| "You ought to be member Of this
new reform legislature that some of
our good friends think Is coming up
the pike" he chuckled; but she ignored
the gOOd-natured gibe and mada hin,