1915 Cedrus Yearbook

vindicate his life to himself in the light of Dr. Brownlee's charges. "Hang it, what's the matter anyway," inquired Art not unkindly. "You seem all broken up, old pal." "Had a little hard luck the other day's all. I'll be over it in a day or two," said Dick. Slowly the inevitable made its appeal to Dick, so swallowing his pride in the best manner possible, he finally determined to prove his worth to Dr. Brownlee. He was too proud to ask his father or his father's friends for work, so seeking a paper he searched the columns for situations which an inexperienced man could fill. This one he found: WANTED—Teamsters to haul gravel at $2.00 per day. Teams supplied. Apply at office 807, Smith Bldg. Dick had been hoping to find something good. His anticipation had been raised to a high pitch and it seemed cruel that it should be dealt such a blow. "I couldn't take a job like thatof course. How would it look to see a millionaire's son hauling gravel!" He laughed bitterly at the thought. Then the night — that he had taken Dorothy for the ride came to his mind and he remembered how happy he had been and how he had thought nothing could mar "Dorothy's only answer was a low murmer of Joy, as she raised her shin- their happiness. lug eyes to the eyes of Dick above." All at once it seemed that the Warrington in him spoke and immediately he turned his steps toward the office to which he was directed by the ad. He determined to apply for the job. The application was accepted and he was instructed to walk a mile out of the city to the gravel pit where further orders awaited him. Dick walked briskly along, at times gay and at times bitter as he thought of his new venture. But his resolutions never failed. When he found the boss, Dick was given his team, a pair of mules, small, indeed, when compared with the huge horses some of the other men were driving. "They're small, but they're all there when it comes to pulling," said the boss. "They can produce," thought Dick. With surprisingly few instructions for one so ignorant of all kinds of work, Dick and his mules soon became known and respected among the men. Dick was easily able to hold his own in every experience. Thanks to his athletic habits, the soreness in his muscles disappeared after the first few days and Dick gained a faint sense of the satisfaction to be found in honest toil. As he worked with his little mules day after .day, he was surprised at his admiration of the sturdy creatures, who were able and willing to do much more than their share of the work. The sun beat down fiercely on the men as they worked, and except for an occasional sentence the only sound was :that of the thump, thump of the gravel as the wagons slowly filled. By clever maneuvering and scheming Dick was able to keep his work secret from his friends. Art saw him several times and asked what he was doing, but Dick always -put him off with an evasive answer. If he had only been able to see Dorothy a few times! But no! he would show Dr. Brownlee that a man can do what he wills. In the meantime he was miserable, and it had been only two weeks since his interview with the Doctor. 45