Part 31 (1/2)
”You had better let him share my room, in case he has no objections,”
Houston answered indifferently, ”for you like to keep your rooms in readiness for guests as much as possible, and Rutherford, when he returns, will probably room with his brother.”
CHAPTER x.x.x.
As Houston was hurrying up from the mines at about eleven o'clock, on his way to the office, he met Morgan, just started on his rounds, and was shocked at the change which a few hours had made in his appearance. His heavy gait, his pale, haggard face and bloodshot eyes, told, not only of late hours and terrible dissipation, but of some severe mental strain, also. Morgan half smiled, as he saw Houston's look of pained surprise.
”Yes,” he said, ”I know I look pretty hard this morning, but I was up late; I guess I'll be all right in a day or two. What's this Haight's been telling me about one of those fellows coming out here with some mining machinery? Which one is it, that English dude?”
”No,” answered Houston, ”Van Dorn, the one with gla.s.ses, he was the inventor, you remember.”
”Well, if he's invented anything that will make old Rivers hand out any cash, he'd better get a patent on it, that's all I've got to say.
How in thunder the old man ever gave his consent to his coming out here, monkey-fooling around with his machines, is more'n I can make out; but if the company want him up here, I'm sure I don't care a d.a.m.n. The boss himself isn't coming up, is he?”
”Not for a day or two,” replied Houston.
”Well,” said Morgan, with one of his characteristic shrugs, ”I guess I'll have to spruce up a bit, before he comes.”
”That is so, Morgan,” said Houston, kindly, ”I wouldn't want Mr.
Blaisdell to see you as you look this morning; I'm too much a friend of yours myself for that.”
”Oh well, I'll be all right before he gets here. Who's going down to meet that fellow and his contraptions?”
”I sent Hayes down with two or three men, and a six-horse team, early this morning.”
”Good for you!” laughed Morgan, starting on his way, ”You'd make a first-rate boss 'round here; guess I'll have to give you a raise.”
Houston walked slowly down the road after Morgan left him, having apparently forgotten his haste. The story which Morgan had told him a few nights before, of his own life, had awakened his pity for the man as nothing else could have done. He felt that Morgan was in serious trouble, and in danger of losing his position, and that he was already where it would take very little to drive him to complete ruin. He resolved to seize the first opportunity that presented itself, to try to ascertain the cause of his trouble, and to a.s.sist him in any way that he possibly could.
On reaching the office, he found considerable work awaiting him, and for a while, all other thoughts were banished from his mind. About noon, a heavy rumbling and rattling attracted his attention, and, going to the door, he saw the slowly approaching team, winding from side to side of the steep, canyon road, the powerful horses straining and panting under the heavy load. Perched on the top of the load, under a wide-spread umbrella, and fanning himself with his straw hat, was Van Dorn, his face irradiated by a broad smile as he caught sight of Houston. Two of the men walked beside the team, blocking the wheels with rocks, as the horses were occasionally stopped to rest. As they came within speaking distance, Van Dorn sang out merrily:
”I say, Houston, this is what I call up-hill work; it has been a pretty hard pull all the way.”
”Yes,” said Houston, ”particularly hard on you, judging by appearances.”
Van Dorn laughed, and proceeded to close his umbrella, while an expansive grin broke over the face of one of the workmen, trudging along the hot, dusty road. At the brow of the hill, the team again stopped to rest, and Van Dorn descended from his lofty position, Houston meanwhile giving instructions to the driver:
”Drive over to the stables, Hayes, and take the horses off and let them rest; after dinner, put on another set of horses, and drive to the mills; we will be there to see to the unloading.”
”Well, Everard, old boy, how are you?” exclaimed Van Dorn, as they started for the office; ”I started within five hours after I received your telegram, and here I am, at your service.”
”When did you reach Silver City? yesterday?” inquired Houston.
”Yesterday!” exclaimed Van Dorn, ”my dear boy, do you think the world was made in one day? No, sir; I got in the day before, and spent the remainder of that day, and all of yesterday in cultivating the good graces of your company. I went straight for their offices, and it took all the arguments and persuasion I could muster, with some treating, and a good deal of judicious flattery thrown in, before I could get the old fellows to consent to my giving the machine a trial. I got around Blaisdell pretty easy after I had flattered him a little, but that Rivers is a beast! Said he didn't see why I was so anxious to have them test the machine, and all that! I explained, of course, that this was the first I had ever brought it out into the west, and they were so well known that if I could only get their endors.e.m.e.nt, and so on and so forth. Oh, I want to tell you all about it later, and if you don't acknowledge that I'm a born diplomat, I'll give up; but at present, my first business must be to allay these pangs of hunger, they are becoming unendurable.”
”Certainly, we will go to the house at once,” said Houston, preparing to close the office.