D 5TRAHLETGH
To 5earcb of G&cne .
By
Robert Barr,
Illustrations by
J.1l(Darcband
Enacting tlio part of t lie idle
HE warm morning gave promise of a scorching day, as Lord
btranleigh strolled in his usual leisurely iashion up the Avenue.
High as the thermometer already stood, the earl gave no evi
dence that he was in the least incommoded by the temperature.
In a welter of heated, hurrying people, ho produced the elTect of
an iceberg that had somehow drifted down into the tropics. The
New York tailor entrusted with the duty of clothing him quite
oufdistanced his London rival, who had given Lord Stranlcigh
the reputation of being the best-dressed man in Lugland. Now
his lordship was dangerously near the point where he might be called the best
dressed man in New York, an achievement which gave Pondcrby much
satisfaction.
His lordship, with nothing to do, and no companionship to hope for, since
everyone was at work, strolled into the splendor of the Club of which he was
honorary member. He sought the comparative coolness of the smoking room,
where, seating himself, he began to glance over the English weeklies, lie had
the huge room to himself, and a feeling of loneliness crept over him, perhaps
germinated by sight of the weeklies, and accentuated by an attempted perusal
of them. They were too stolid for a hot day, so Stranlcigh turned to the lighter
entertainment of the American humorous press.
Presently there entered this hall of silence the stout figure of John L. Banks,
senior attorney for the Ice Trust, a man well known to Stranlcigh, who had
often sought his advice, with profit to both of them. The lawyer approached
.the lounger.
"I was just thinking of you, Banks; reflecting how .delightful it must be, in
this weather, to bo connected, even remotely, with the ice supply of New York."
Mr. Banks' Panama hat was in one hand, while the other drew a handkerchief
across his perspiring brow.
"Well, you're looking very cool and collected.
rich, I suppose? '
"I'm a specimen of labor unrest."
"Perhaps I can appease that with a suggestion. If you will simply parade
the streets in that leisurely fashion wo all admire, bearing a placard Pure Ice
Company, I'll guarantee you a living
wage and an eight-nour day."
"Should I be required to carry
about crystal blocks of tho product?"
"Oh, no; you're frigid enough as
you are. Besides, ice at the present
moment is too scarce to bo expended
on even so important a matter as
advertising."
T5ANKS wheeled forward a chair,
. and sat down opposite his lord
ship. A useful feature of a Panama
hat is its flexibility. You may rail one
brim to fit the hand, and use the
other as a fan, and this Banks did
with tho perfection of practice.
"And why tho unrest?"
"Thinking; the cause of unrest
tho world over. "Whenever peoplo
begin to think, there's trouble."
"I've never noticed any undue
thought fulness in you."
"That's just it. Thinking doesn't
agree with me, but America somehow
stimulates thought, and thought com
pels action. Action is all very well in
moderation, but in this country it is
developed into a fever, or frenzy, cur
able only by a breakdown or death."
"So you think it's as bad as that?"
"Yes, I do. You call it enterprise;
I call it greed. I've never yet met an
American who knew when ho'd had
enough."
"Have you ever met an Englishman
who knew that?"
"Thousands of them."
"I imagine," said Banks, "that it's
all a matter of nomenclature. You
think us fast over here, and doubtless
you're wrong; we think .you slow over
there, and doubtless we're wrong. I
don't think we're greedy. Our motive
power is interest in the game."
"Everyone tells mo that, hut 1 regard the phrase as an excuse, not as n reason."
"Look here, Stranlcigh; who's been looting you? What deal have you lost? 1
warned you against mixing philanthropy with business, you remember."
Stranlcigh laughed.
"There you have it I According to you a man cannot form an opinion that is
uninfluenced by his pocket. As a matter of fact, I have won all along tho line.
1 tried the game, as you call it, hoping to find it interesting, but it doesn't seem
to mo to be worth while. J pocket tho stakes, and 1 am going home, in no way
elated at my success, any more than I should have been discouraged had I failed.5'
Leaning forward, Mr. Banks spoke as earnestly as tho weather permitted.
"YV7IIAT you need, Stranlcigh, it a doctor's advice; not n lawyer's. You have
been just a little too long in New York, and although New Yorkers don't
believe it, there are other parts of the country worthy of consideration. Have
you ever had a taste of ranch life out west?"
"I've- never been further west than Chicogo."
"I see. When you spoke of setting a limit to financial ambition, I remembered
my old friend, Stanley Armstrong, the best companion on a shooting or fishing
expedition I ever encountered. lie was a mining engineer, and few know the
mining west as he does. Ho might have been a millionaire or a pauper, but ho
chose a middle course, and set his limit at a hundred thousand dollars. When
land was cheap ho bought a largo ranch in Wyoming, partly plain and partly
foot-hills, with the eternal snow mountains beyond. Now, if you take with you
an assortment of guns and fishing rods, and spend a month with Stanley Arm
strong, your pessimism will evaporate."
"A good idea," said Stranlcigh. "If you give mo n letter of introduction, I'll
telegraph immediately."
"Telegraph?" cried the lawyer. "Ilo'd never get your message. I don't sup
pose there's a telegraph ofllce within fifty miles. And you don't need a letter of
introduction, though I'll write you one, and give your name merely as Stranlcigh.
You won't have any use for n title out there; in fact, it's the necessary part of
my prescription that you got away from yours. As for accommodation, take a
tent with you and bo independent. When I return to my ofllce, I'll dictate full
instructions for reaching tho ranch."
"Is it so difficult of access as all
that?"
"You might find it so. When you
reach tho nearest railway station, two
days from tho ranch, hire a horse for
yourself, and two or three men with
pack mules for your belongings.
They'll guide you to Armstrong's
place."
CTRANLE 1(111 found no difficulty
in getting a cavalcade together at
Bleachers Station, an amazingly long
distance west of New York. A man
finds little trouble in obtaining what ho
wants, if he never envils at tho price
asked, and is willing to pay in ad
vance. Tho party passed through n
wild country, though for a time tho
road was reasonably good. It de
generated presently into a cart track,
however, and finally became a mere
trail through the wilderness. As night
fell, tho tent was put up by tho side
of a brawling stream, which they had
forded.
Next morning the procession started
early, but it was noon before it came
to tho clearing which Stnwileigh
rightly surmised was tho outskirts of
the ranch. Tho guide, who had been
riding in front, reined in, and allowed
Stranlcigh to come alongside.
"That," ho said, pointing down tho
valley, "is Armstrong's ranch."
Before Slranleigh could reply, if ho
had intended doing so, a shot sounded
from the forest, and ho felt the sharp
sting of a bullet in his left shoulder.
Tho guido flung himself from tho sad
die with tho speed of lightning, and
stood with both hands upraised, his
horse between himself and the un
seen assailant.
"That," he said pointing down the valley, "is Armstrong's ranch"