Philip Dru: Administrator | Page 5

to the new Post, at his Kentucky home. He wanted
to be with his father and mother, and he wanted to read and think, so he declined the
many invitations to visit.
His father was a sturdy farmer of fine natural sense, and with him Philip never tired of
talking when both had leisure.
Old William Dru had inherited nothing save a rundown, badly managed, heavily
mortgaged farm that had been in the family for several generations. By hard work and
strict economy, he had first built it up into a productive property and had then liquidated
the indebtedness. So successful had he been that he was able to buy small farms for four
of his sons, and give professional education to the other three. He had accumulated
nothing, for he had given as fast as he had made, but his was a serene and contented old
age because of it. What was the hoarding of money or land in comparison to the
satisfaction of seeing each son happy in the possession of a home and family? The
ancestral farm he intended for Philip, youngest and best beloved, soldier though he was to
be.
All during that hot summer, Philip and his father discussed the ever- growing unrest of
the country, and speculated when the crisis would come, and how it would end.
Finally, he left his home, and all the associations clustered around it, and turned his face
towards imperial Texas, the field of his new endeavor.
He reached Fort Magruder at the close of an Autumn day. He thought he had never
known such dry sweet air. Just as the sun was sinking, he strolled to the bluff around
which flowed the turbid waters of the Rio Grande, and looked across at the gray hills of
old Mexico.
CHAPTER III
LOST IN THE DESERT
Autumn drifted into winter, and then with the blossoms of an early spring, came Gloria.
The Fort was several miles from the station, and Jack and Philip were there to meet her.
As they paced the little board platform, Jack was nervously happy over the thought of his
sister's arrival, and talked of his plans for entertaining her. Philip on the other hand held
himself well in reserve and gave no outward indication of the deep emotion which stirred
within him. At last the train came and from one of the long string of Pullmans, Gloria
alighted. She kissed her brother and greeted Philip cordially, and asked him in a tone of
banter how he enjoyed army life. Dru smiled and said, "Much better, Gloria, than you
predicted I would." The baggage was stored away in the buck-board, and Gloria got in
front with Philip and they were off. It was early morning and the dew was still on the soft
mesquite grass, and as the mustang ponies swiftly drew them over the prairie, it seemed
to Gloria that she had awakened in fairyland.

At the crest of a hill, Philip held the horses for a moment, and Gloria caught her breath as
she saw the valley below. It looked as if some translucent lake had mirrored the sky. It
was the countless blossoms of the Texas blue-bonnet that lifted their slender stems
towards the morning sun, and hid the earth.
Down into the valley they drove upon the most wonderfully woven carpet in all the world.
Aladdin and his magic looms could never have woven a fabric such as this. A heavy,
delicious perfume permeated the air, and with glistening eyes and parted lips, Gloria sat
dumb in happy astonishment.
They dipped into the rocky bed of a wet weather stream, climbed out of the canyon and
found themselves within the shadow of Fort Magruder.
Gloria soon saw that the social distractions of the place had little call for Philip. She
learned, too, that he had already won the profound respect and liking of his brother
officers. Jack spoke of him in terms even more superlative than ever. "He is a born leader
of men," he declared, "and he knows more about engineering and tactics than the Colonel
and all the rest of us put together." Hard student though he was, Gloria found him ever
ready to devote himself to her, and their rides together over the boundless, flower studded
prairies, were a never ending joy. "Isn't it beautiful--Isn't it wonderful," she would
exclaim. And once she said, "But, Philip, happy as I am, I oftentimes think of the reeking
poverty in the great cities, and wish, in some way, they could share this with me." Philip
looked at her questioningly, but made no reply.
A visit that was meant for weeks transgressed upon the months, and still she lingered.
One hot June morning found Gloria and Philip far in the hills on the