Part 54 (2/2)
The day of the election was a long one for Jim. He packed his trunk and his personal papers and Mrs. Flynn began to wrap the legs of the chairs in newspapers. Her tears threatened to reduce each wrapping to pulp before she completed it. In the afternoon, Jim started for a last tour of the dam. He covered the work slowly, looking his last at the details over which he had toiled and dreamed so long. He walked slowly up from the lower town. The men who pa.s.sed him glanced away as if they would not intrude on his trouble.
The work on the dam was going forward as though life and death depended on the amount accomplished by this particular s.h.i.+ft. Jim was inexpressibly touched by this display of the men's good will, but he could think of no way to show his feeling.
Just at sunset he climbed the Elephant's back. But he was not to have this last call alone. Old Suma-theek was sitting on the edge of the crater, his fine face turned hawklike toward the distance. Jim nodded to his friend, then sat down in his favorite spot where, far across the canyon, he could see the flag, rippling before the office.
After a time, the old Indian came over to sit beside him. He followed Jim's gaze and said softly:
”That flag it heap pretty but wherever Injun see it he see sorrow and death for Injun.”
Jim answered slowly: ”Perhaps we're being paid for what we've done to you, Suma-theek. The white tribe that made the flag is going, just as we have made you go. The flag will always look the same, but the dream it was made to tell will go.”
”Who sabez the way of the Great Spirit? He make you go. He make Injun go. He make n.i.g.g.e.r and Chinamans stay. Perhaps they right, you and Injun wrong. Who sabez?”
”I'd like to have finished my dam,” Jim muttered. ”Somehow we are inadequate. I woke up too late.” And suddenly a deeper significance came to him of Pen's verse--
”Too late for love, too late for joy; Too late! Too late!
You loitered on the road too long, You trifled at the gate----”
”When you old like Suma-theek,” said the Indian, ”you sabez then nothing matter except man make his tribe live. Have children or die! That the Great Spirit's law for tribes.”
Jim said no more. The daily miracle of the sunset was taking place. An early snow had capped the far mountain peaks and these now flashed an unearthly silver radiance against the crimson heavens. Old Jezebel wandered remotely, a black scratch across a desert of blood red.
Distance indefinable, beauty indescribable, once more these quickened Jim's pulse. Almost, almost he seemed to catch the key to the Master Dream and then--the scarlet glow changed to purple, and night began its march across the sands.
Jim made his way down the trail and up to his house. Waiting at his door were three of his workmen. They were young fellows, fresh shaved and wearing white collars. Jim invited them in and they followed awkwardly.
They took the cigars he offered and then s.h.i.+fted uneasily while Jim stood on the hearth rug regarding them with his wistful smile. He was not so very many years older than they.
”Boss,” finally began one of the men, ”us fellows heard a few days ago that you were going to leave. We wanted to do something to show we liked you and what a--d--doggone shame it is you're going and--and we didn't have time to buy anything, but we made up a purse. Every rough-neck on the job contributes, Boss; they wanted to. Here's about two hundred dollars. We'd like to have you buy something you can remember us by.”
The spokesman stopped, perspiring and breathless. His two companions came forward and one of them laid on the table a cigar box which, when opened, showed a pile of bills and coins. Jim's face worked.
”Boys,” said Jim huskily, ”boys--I'm no speaker! What can I say to you except that this kindness takes away some of the sting of going. I'll buy something I can take with me wherever I go.”
”Don't try to say nothing, Boss,” said the spokesman. ”I know what it is. I laid awake all night fixing up what I just said.”
”It was a darned good speech,” replied Jim. ”Don't forget me, boys. When you finish the dam remember it was my pipe dream to have finished it with you.”
The three shook hands with Jim and made for the door. Jim stood staring at the money, smiling but with wet eyes, when Bill Evans' automobile exploded up to the house. Uncle Denny was sitting in the tonneau with two other men. Jim walked slowly out to the road. One of the men was the Secretary of the Interior; the other, a slender, keen-faced young man, was his private secretary. Jim's face was white in the dusk.
”Well, young man,” said the Secretary, ”you have been having some strenuous times since the Hearing. And for a man reputed to be unpopular, you have some good friends.”
Bill Evans, almost bursting with importance, undid the binding wire that fastened the door of the tonneau and the Secretary arose.
”If you had telegraphed me, Mr. Secretary,” Jim began with a reproachful glance at Uncle Denny.
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