The Enchanted Canyon

taught them, while I was still a little boy, I

did his usual half hour's work with the punching bag and reached his office punctual to the minute, with his wonted air of

camp once more in the bottom of the Canyon. Whatever success I have had in after life is due to you and John Seaton

rry out your request in

and grate

HUNTI

d out of the window thoughtfully. Then he said, "Let me h

ation to meet you at nine-fifteen. Reeves has turned up alone. He s

stout man with small ey

r. Secr

here you want to tell me about

cation? I didn't let him see you, but I sent you a memorandum of the matter. He is back to-day and I've promi

och. "It you can, let u

ossible, Mr. Secretary.

om Idaho shook

great relief,

isn't it? Well, did you bring in the proofs, Mr. Reeves?" Enoch

ed to you that we have been stupid in the number and kind of

. "I suppose you are

gical Survey, Land, In

these we have, Amer

tol Buildings, the Gov

spital, Howard Univer

for the De

s lau

for the Secretary of the Interior to find time to understand local co

legal," replied

lawyer, Mr. Secretary, to let

urse it is impossible for me to understand local conditions in Idaho. I am told, though

at and would have spoke

st important work is to administer the public domain. That is, I must discover how best the natural resources that the Federal Government still controls can be put into public service and public service that is the highest and b

id Reeves. "But a government to be successful must be practical

nterest on their investment. The government of the United St

e judge in the matte

nes getting electricity up on that lonely ranch of his. Never forget, Mr. Reeves, that the ultimate foundations of this nation rest on the wise distribu

ent to deal with these problems?" asked

ther men have come to the Capitol with the same purpose. I have my temptations, Mr. Reeves, but they do not lie in the desire to graft. I think there are jobs more interesting in life than the job of getting rich. All the grafting in the world coul

rown redder and redder,

, policy for Idaho water power, that will help Bi

l right, and I'm going back and tell my folks they'd better giv

be true. I am considering a most interesting proposition fro

onkey of any longer!" he shouted. "But I'll get

rned to the inevitable pile of letter

s Diana Allen is in

. "Have I got

! And more than that, she announces that if you're

, Abbott, and be ready to s

was a rich, even cream tint. But her eyes were hazel, the largest, frankest, most intelligent eyes Enoch ever had seen in a woman's head. And with the eyes went an expression of

eless is nature that not twice in a lifetime does one see a woman's face in which are combined fineness of intelligence and of character, and beauty of feature. But Diana was the thrice fortunate possessor of this

eneath the simple hat, was held proudly. Yet there was a matchless simplicity and lack of self-conscio

s usual dignified calm. His keen

uickly, Mr. Secretary," said

eemed to Diana that she never had see

on the same train with

is your firs

If he had had his way, bless his heart, I wouldn't have had even a first trip. I

r father, he usually had a good reason for whatever he felt or

in the Indian Bur

ian Bureau?"

f the Indians and their ways. I've reached the limit of what I can do without access to records and books and I can't afford a year

moment after she had ceased to speak. Then he pressed the desk button and Abbott app

f Indian Affairs to come in? I believe he is

dded and d

hem in the other room. Mr. Abbott thought you might like to see them, but perhaps-you se

d another button. Jonas' black head appeared. "Bring in the

eplied Jonas, withdrawi

s eage

ioner arrived together. After the in

u know anything

Mr. Secretary,

in looking at some phot

sked Watkins, looking with u

said

?" asked the Indian Commissione

Abbott. Enoch's even white

will qualify to take care of some of the research work you received an appropriation for the other day. You

d tucked Diana's portfolio under

asked to do so," she said, the corners of her mouth deepenin

eon, deep under the Ca

lding out

me, Mr. Huntingdon," she said, and a moment later Jo

" Jonas asked Charley in a low voice, as he helped the

at her, Jonas?" demande

replied

sk foolish

e 'em, no matter wh

breaking point, Jon

ere he had been standing for a

e ten or fifteen minutes on that

re is the data you asked me to get for

ent on as usual, but it seemed to Jonas, when he helped the Secr

o tired to-night, bos

! Jonas, how long sinc

years

think I nee

o kill three men. And now they do say the President is calling on you for all the

ll have to have a vacation one of these days, sure. Maybe we

when he reached home. The rain had ceased at sundown and the night was humid and depressing. When Enoch was once more in his paja

your worries with your friends they're finished. And he was right again. But they're some things a guy can't share. I did it once, back there in the Canyon, and I'll always be glad I did. But I was just a kid then. The hunch that pulled me up straight then wouldn't work now. They never did prove she was not my mother. They never found out a thing about me, exc

she grew in s

said, A lo

was nev

I to myself

e mine and

of my

s. She's tall and slim and she has a creamy kind of skin. Her hair is light brown, almost gold. It's very thick. She has it in braids wound all round her head. Her eyes are hazel and she has a sweet mouth and she is very beautiful. And she is good, a

igi. He treated me badly but he needed me in his gambling business, and he kept me by telling me how bad my mother was and threatening to tell other people. From the time I

ok me to the Grand Canyon. He and Frank Allen, a guide, suggested to me the idea that Luigi's mistress was not

od face to face and He had taken pity on a dirty little street mucker and He had lifted me in His great hands and had told me to t

college and study law and I'm going to do it. He was not a rich man but he left me enough money to see me through college. In one more year I'll finish the High School. I

out I am going to beat him up till he tells me about my mot

thing. I'm darned lucky. If a guy's going into politics, oratory's the biggest help. But to be famous as a speaker isn't why I'm going into politics. I'm going to clean Minetta Lane up. I'm going to try to fix it in New York so's a fellow couldn't have a mother and a stepfather

out it, or they'd send me to an insane asylum. When I first came from the Canyon and moved out of Minetta Lane, I swore I'd never put foot in it again until I went in to clean it up. And I haven't and I won't. But for the f

boy of twelve and they want him taught English and declamation. Lord! If they knew all about me! But the kid is safe in my hands. I kno

llars last night at po

is morning I made

k in his chair as Jonas appeared at

tle rest, boss?" asked Jonas, glanci

her your good old head about me,

en years, and I don't calculate to begin now." Jonas t

again, he turned the pages slowly

an unknown Columbia senior, had to give the chief speech of the day. Not that anybody, let alone myself, realized that it was going to be the chief speech. It just turned out that way. Lucy dear, they went crazy over it! And all the papers to-night gave it in full. It was only a thousand words. Why in the name of all the fiends in Hades do you suppose nothing relieves me in moments of great mental stress but gambling? You notice, don't you, that I talk to you of Minetta Lane only when someth

many pages an

starlight. You have intimated to me several times that law was not my end. You are right, as usual. Law has its face forever turned backward. It is searching always for precedent rather than justice. A man who is going into politics should be ever facing the future. He should use the past only in helping him to avoid mistakes in going forward. And, perhaps I am wrong. I am willing to admit that my unfortunate boyhood may h

end of Minetta Lane. You have a heavy task before you, dear, to keep me, eyes to the goal, running the race

ges, covering a year

ure normally and habitually corrupt when it comes to governing a city? The Mayor and all his appointees are simply wading through the vast quagmire of the common citizen's indifference, fought every step by the vile creatures who batten on the administration of the city's affairs. Do you suppose that if the schools laid tremendous stress on c

nd yelled 'Bastard!' after me. Lucy, I went back and beat him, till the Commissioner hauled me off. And the dirty, spluttering little devil roared my story to all that greedy, listening crowd! I slipped away, Lucy, and I hid myself in a place I know in Chinatown. No! No! I don't drink and I don't hit the pipe. I gamble. My luck is unbelievable. And when the fit is on me, I'd gamble my very soul away. Jonas found me. Jonas is a colored porter in the City Hall who has rathe

I told him the truth about Luigi and me and he promised to do what he could to ferret out the truth about my people. If I c

d another y

y mother. He advises me to close that part of my life for good and all and give myself to

over this entry, t

to put over any particular idea or ideal for them. I simply so intrigued them with flights of oratory that they decided I was a natural born congressman! Well, bless 'em for doing it, anyhow, and I'll play the game for them. If

hen his body was a mass of running sores. We've got to cure the sores and in order to do that we've got to find the cause. No one thing is going to prove a panacea. I wonder if it's possibl

ter and continued to turn

een straight and I've gabbed a good deal. That about sums up my histor

s for me to feel that work can fully satisfy a man. Nor will merely caring for a woman be sufficient. A man must care for a woman whom he knows to be fine, who can meet his mental needs, or love becomes merely physical and never satisfies him. Well, I must not whimper. I have talent and tremendous opportunities, many friends and splendid health. And I have you. And each

er eighteen months si

e door, but Enoch turned on

g poles and poked out the nests and blocked up the holes. I shall consult with the carpenters and builders and leave in our town not even a trace of the rats.' I've routed out hereditary gra

rned mor

clusion that the man who devotes himself to public service loses much of his usefulness if he allows himself to grow pessimistic about human nature. If there were not more good than bad in the world, we'd still be monkeys! I have ceased to search for some great single ideal for which I can fight. Whatever abilities I have in me I s

we are to keep house. I am a great responsibility to Jonas. He is

am I to do my work like a man, with only half a man's life to live? What can all t

id the book on the desk, opened to

on! You must have been a very lovely little girl that the memory of you should have been so impressed on my subconsciousness. Oh, how b

for the full, even breathing that would mark the end of his day's work. But it did not come, and dawn struggling through the ha

sual. His face was a little haggard and set but he c

I think you're looking dragged, my boy.

ad yours, Mr. Secretary." The

ner find work for Miss Al

as as surprised and

w that?" demand

le confused. "I took

e's the most beautif

nt, Mr. Abbott. That must go to him to-morrow, reg

rgotten the recent rains. Enoch dismissed his carriage and crossed slowly to Pennsylvania Avenue. It had occurred to him suddenly that it had been many weeks since he had taken the noon hour outside of his office. He had found that luncheon engagements broke seriously into his day's work. He strolled slowly along the avenue,

full stop. "How do you

o you do, Mr. Secretary! Were

eapest lunch known to

e one to walk up Penns

ny." Diana glanced at the knot of people

astened on Diana's lovely curving lips. "And I w

ng. Mr. Watkins is more than kind about my pictures. I'm to send home for

u a decent salar

l my needs,"

with the Johnstown L

h as I have, you'd not complain of the Johnstown Lunch. I'

"What does Watki

vestigator for th

ts as worth at least five dollars a week. The remainder i

cult to manage a budget. No matter how large they are, they're always to

hesi

ch quietly. "I know! But I had to choose between a ratt

Your choice was inevit

ems very e

princely salary permit yo

the rear, an old Confederate soldier in the basement and rats in the attic. As

going to miss the Ca

all one's avocation is the m

ried to make myself believe t

ickly, "that I ought to ha

hing whatever about that. I would say as a general principle, though, that parents

o," murmured Diana, wit

ost Office now and Diana paused. "I must go

his hat and holding out his hand. "Let me know

all not bother you again, thank

Jonas and the bottle of milk were awaiting him.

was very foolish,"

you out o' my sight,"

ng," sighed Enoch, beginn

ecretary wrote t

d with you, but her work is very interesting and very important, and I feel that she ought to have her few months

HUNTI