Ruth’s proposed occupation astonished Philip immensely, but while he argued it and discussed it, he did not dare hint to her his fear that it would interfere with his most cherished plans.  He too sincerely respected Ruth’s judgment to make any protest, however, and he would have defended her course against the world.

This enforced waiting at St. Louis was very irksome to Philip.  His money was running away, for one thing, and he longed to get into the field, and see for himself what chance there was for a fortune or even an occupation.  The contractors had given the young men leave to join the engineer corps as soon as they could, but otherwise had made no provision for them, and in fact had left them with only the most indefinite expectations of something large in the future.

Harry was entirely happy; in his circumstances.  He very soon knew everybody, from the governor of the state down to the waiters at the hotel.  He had the Wall street slang at his tongue’s end; he always talked like a capitalist, and entered with enthusiasm into all the land and railway schemes with which the air was thick.

Col.  Sellers and Harry talked together by the hour and by the day.  Harry informed his new friend that he was going out with the engineer corps of the Salt Lick Pacific Extension, but that wasn’t his real business.

“I’m to have, with another party,” said Harry, “a big contract in the road, as soon as it is let; and, meantime, I’m with the engineers to spy out the best land and the depot sites.”

“It’s everything,” suggested’ the Colonel, “in knowing where to invest.  I’ve known people throwaway their money because they were too consequential to take Sellers’ advice.  Others, again, have made their pile on taking it.  I’ve looked over the ground; I’ve been studying it for twenty years.  You can’t put your finger on a spot in the map of Missouri that I don’t know as if I’d made it.  When you want to place anything,” continued the Colonel, confidently, “just let Beriah Sellers know.  That’s all.”

“Oh, I haven’t got much in ready money I can lay my hands on now, but if a fellow could do anything with fifteen or twenty thousand dollars, as a beginning, I shall draw for that when I see the right opening.”

“Well, that’s something, that’s something, fifteen or twenty thousand dollars, say twenty—­as an advance,” said the Colonel reflectively, as if turning over his mind for a project that could be entered on with such a trifling sum.

“I’ll tell you what it is—­but only to you Mr. Brierly, only to you, mind; I’ve got a little project that I’ve been keeping.  It looks small, looks small on paper, but it’s got a big future.  What should you say, sir, to a city, built up like the rod of Aladdin had touched it, built up in two years, where now you wouldn’t expect it any more than you’d expect a light-house on the top of Pilot Knob? and you could own the land!  It can be done, sir.  It can be done!”