Hustleton. Concluded [pp. 45-49]

OVERLAND MONTHLY
Hustleton because, in addition to the unsurpassed advantages of the town for general manufacturing, the presence of an unusually large quantity of ozone in the
atmosphere, as shown by the most careful
chemical tests, was highly favorable for the
production of a superior quality of matches.
And the article pointed out that the abundance of ozone was one of the reasons why
Hustleton had been so highly commended
by sanitarians as a resort for all persons
affected with pulmonary complaints, or
whose constitution needed toning up by exercise out of doors.
It had been decided to open the great
hotel at Hustleton Heights with the beginning of the winter season, when the invalids
would again be flocking to Southern California from the East.
"We must keep things moving as well as
we can until the Christmas holidays are
passed," said the General to the Major.
"Then it will be time to go in for a big
clean-up. But there is no need of hurry
just yet. The boom is good for another
year, I should say. It's different from anything I ever saw before, seeing that it is
based chiefly on climate, and that is everlasting. But it ought to spread into Northern California before it peters out here,
since there is no very great difference in the
climate, and I notice that oranges are
grown along the line of the Central Pacific,
north and east of Sacramento. So long as
there is no boom up north, it will be safe to
hang on down here."
X.
IN some way the press gained a clew to
the authorship of "A Modern Apostle," and
followed up the thread of investigation until it was found to connect with Los Angeles.
A little further inquiry by the local papers
established beyond a doubt that the writer
of the most famous and most popular novel
of the day was Arthur Weyman. The
Chesleys were no less surprised than delighted when his portrait appeared one day
in their favorite journal, with a biographical sketch, and an interview in which he
modestly explained how he came to write
the book. He had already made much progress on another story of a like sort, and
the success of his first work had induced
him, the article said, to devote himself to
literature in preference to his former calling of teacher. Among all the notes of
congratulation he received, there was none
that he prized so much as that in which
Kate had expressed to him her admiration
of his work, and her sympathy with its motive.
"I meant to tell you all about it," he said,
at their first meeting after he had received
her answer to his confession of love. "But
the newspapers were a little too quick for
me. You were right in thinking that'A
Modern Apostle' was just the character
that I would like to be. It is a great satisfaction to find that I can accomplish, through
the medium of fiction, the sort of work that
my excessive sensitiveness prevents me
from undertaking in real life. I seem now
to have found my true vocation, and I have
been overwhelmed by the many kind words
that have reached me from all sides."
Colonel and Mrs. Chesley cheerfully gave
their consent to the marriage of Kate and
Arthur, which was set for the Christmas
holidays. As a successful author, he was
now, in her mother's eyes, a very different
person from the country schoolmaster
whose intimacy with her daughter she had
once tried to discourage.
"I had not suspected his merit," Mrs.
Chesley explained to her husband, when he
mischievously reminded her of her former
attitude in the matter.
"But what is merit? " he asked, with the
old twinkle in his eyes. "Is it success?"
She left the question unanswered.
In September the Chesleys returned to
the city from Santa Monica. This was the
month in which the second payments fell
due on the lots sold by auction at Hustleton. Colonel Chesley did not neglect to
make his own purchases good by promptly
satisfying the obligation. General Hustler
was now exerting himself to his utmost to
keep the new town before the public, in
order that the first buyers might be encouraged to pay the second installments. Many
of them did so, and others were accommodated by the acceptance of their personal
notes in lieu of cash. These obligations
the General converted into money, in all
cases in which the signers were sufficiently
well and favorably known to enable him to
get their notes discounted. Though the
coffers of the Hustleton Land and Improvement Company were receiving much money
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