The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-27
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By MORLEY ROBERTS.

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By MORLEY ROBERTS.
~ touldn't sleep last night" -
""No," said Kelley.
$50 I got mp and went into the tun.
,el."
"What timer
"About L."
~ was there at g." said Keeley.
''Then you heard it," asked Bill
'She begins to feel it," said Kelley,
"but that's Of course"
He caught his brothers eye.
"Oh. don't croakl" he cried angrily,
and the food was dry in his mouth.
But that day the men were joyful,
for daylight ran through the tunnel.
And the workers of the east shook hands
with the workers. Of the west. hurrah-
ing wildly at the work which seemed SO
nearly done For there is this quality
in human workers-joy in toll under
fair conditions, joy in strife, satisfac-
ton in defeat, If defeat must come.
And to those who knew little this meant
victory. Yet the struggle was even now
beginning. 1t began week later when
the timbering was complete from end
to end, for only then did the tunnel be-
gin to be audible to gross ears in day
light, when the live world talked, the
world that was made Of a million in
sects and 10000 men strung from the
summit TO the Columbia.
Among those who worked with the
lumber were many rudely learned in
the strength of materials, and some Of
them were very doubtful
"How does it got" asked Kelley.
'All right for the present, Mr.. Hol-
dredge," said they. And at first they
did not add "But"-
Among themselves, in their rude
shacks and tents, they estimated the
weight of the hill
"Pine and fir will never hold. We
want hard woods, oak and teak"
''Steel," said another.
'And steel won't, said third.
''If she comes, will she come sud-
den2" asked the laborers, as they work
cd with sledge and maui
But they were paid to risk it. Some
left, for their nerves gave way when
they took to thinking Of quick run
out Of the pit. Even those who staid
frowned to hear the timber talk. II
spoke so loudly Of the heavy world
above them-the sinking world in the
bright air.
Kelley went up to see Ross, and the
big man came down to look at the
work. He walked through from end to
end, and when he was once more in
daylight he used the same expression
that came to every ones lips.
"Talks good DEAL" he said.
Kelley nodded and tried to look
cheerful.
"Shes settled down, I reckon"
II reckon not, said Ross, "but she's
settling. Shall send you down Cor
donf'
Gordon was the Scotch engineer who
had "doots.
"For I think you'd better double
timber it," said Ross He knew what
that meant, and was bit sorry for
those who had bet their pile against
that pile of gravel.
"Send Gordon" said Kelley, and a
rough old Scotch tyke came from Lag
gan next day.
"Meester .Holdredge7" he said as he
tumbled off his pony.
"That's SO, )" said Kelley. "And you
are Mr.. Gordon. Will You walk through
now or after dinner2'
"I'm hungry and in a wicked bad
temper the noo," said Gordon, $50 I'll
go through right away and gle You
hungry mans opeenion. And then III
tax my food and drink and haze a
smoke and gle you full mans best
Judgment for with both I don't often
go wrong, Mr.. Holdredge. And till
you know mans digestion and his
temper you can't trust his word"
He sat down on heavy balk, which
was the step for three uprights, when
he came to the middle Of the tunnel. 1t
was then the dinner hour and the men
were slowing rough beef and rougher
pie in big tent. The sound of their
laughter and talk came even into the
tunnel.
For five minutes Gordon said moth
ing. The air was full Of strange sounds
A cracking, weeping, whimpering,
went on forever. He laid his ear against
one upright and listened.
"Gie me the lamp" he said present.
ly. And he looked at the fir he had been
sitting on. Where one upright stood on
it the balk was compressed two inches
On each side splintery fibers stood up
A little damp oozed from the green
wood. He stood back and looked at the
upright.
'Gie's a straight edge if You hae
one, said he. And Kelley found him
by scantling lying among the balks
not yet used.
SIS she straight7'' asked Gordon,
pointing to the upright.
II think SO" said Kelley, almost
sullenly.
But Gordon put the scantling's two
inch side against the huge balk, and it
only touched it closely on enc place
just in the middle. On the other side
of the balk the two ends of the scam
thing touched, but the middle was an
inch away.
"She just buckling, man." said Cor
don.
''But to be sure we'll try some mair."
With three out Of five the result was
the same.
"She talks deal too much" said
Gordon. "You've laid too much on the
wood. ! always said ! had my doots.
But now I've nae doots-deevil dootl'
"Well9" said Kelley.
''She's coming down, man-slow, but
sure. When you hear timbers crack
wee bittee. it's naethipg, for they'd