Brandon of the Engineers

"I expect you're feeling it pretty hot," Fuller remarked.

"It is not oppressive and I rather like the brightness," the girl

replied. "Besides, it's cool enough about the tent after the sun goes

behind the range. Of course, you are used to the climate."

"I was, but that was twenty-four years ago and before you were born. Got

my first lift with the ten thousand dollars I made in the next state down

this coast, besides the ague and shivers that have never quite left me.

However, it's pretty healthy up here, and I guess it ought to suit Jake

all right."

Ida Fuller looked thoughtful, and her pensive expression added to the

charm of her attractive face. She had her father's keen eyes, but they

were, like her hair, a soft dark-brown; and the molding of brows and nose

and mouth was rather firm than delicate. While her features hinted at

decision of character, there was nothing aggressive in her look, which,

indeed, was marked by a gracious calm. Though she was tall, her figure

was slender.

"Yes," she agreed, "if he would stay up here!"

Fuller nodded. "I'd have to fix him up with work enough to keep him busy,

and ask for a full-length report once a week. That would show me what he

was doing and he'd have to stick right to his job to find out what was

going on."

"Unless he got somebody to tell him, or perhaps write the report. Jake,

you know, is smart."

"You're fond of your brother, but I sometimes think you're a bit hard on

him. I admit I was badly riled when they turned him down from Yale, but

it was a harmless fool-trick he played, and when he owned up squarely I

had to let it go."

"That's Jake's way. You can't be angry with him. Still, perhaps, it's a

dangerous gift. It might be better for him if he got hurt now and then."

Fuller, who did not answer, watched her, as she pondered. Her mother had

died long ago, and Fuller, who was largely occupied by his business, knew

that Jake might have got into worse trouble but for the care Ida had

exercised. He admitted that his daughter, rather than himself, had

brought up the lad, and her influence had been wholly for good. By and by

she glanced at Santa Brigida.

"It's the casino and other attractions down there I'm afraid of. If you

had some older man you could trust to look after Jake, one would feel

more satisfied."

"Well," said Fuller with a twinkle, "there's nobody I know who could fill

the bill, and I'm not sure the older men are much steadier than the

rest."

He stopped as a puff of smoke rose at the lower end of the ravine and

moved up the hill. Then a flash of twinkling metal broke out among the

rocks, and Ida saw that a small locomotive was climbing the steep track.