Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-07-14

| Iris off with him to the engineers car.
looking fretfu1ly at the great un-
| bridged chasm as he went and winding
at the sight of a large gang OF idle
workmen.
She heard her father say in tones
which she knew were forcedly calm:
well, it's four O'Clock, Mr.. Smell.
and l don't see no signs O. your bridge
There amt a timber in place You
know it was to be all done by to-
night That would be-say, four
hours"
''Oh, were working right along" she
heard Smell say. Take a seat, sir
Here is the design, Mr.. Butler OF
course it's only a makeshift structure,
not piece of professional bridge ar
chitecture, by any means"
Two minutes of ominous, eloquent
silence, and then the cloudburst-
Look here, Mr.. SHELL" her father
roared out at last, you haven't caught
on to my idea from the first! ask you
for bridge, and you give me blue
print. You're good enough at fggers,
but it amt figgers that l want 1
want to see the trains runnin' over
that canyon before dark tonight"
Now look here, everybody. 1 want
to know if there's a man in this car
that can jump up, grab his hat, ard go
right out and build that there bridge
by tomorrow morning. There's 200
men a-settin' over there on them fiat
cars a-doin' nothin', an there'n be
1000 more here from the trent in an
hour an half. Now, who's the
MANI"
For moment no one stirred. Then
/ L. e. A. Avnl,
Jennings thin, bronzed face and keen
eyes bent forward. A pencil of sun
light streaked across his square, mas
terful chin and his prominent nose as
he rose and said determinedly:
Mr.. Butler, can do it. Let me hav
a chance at the job
You're the first one to speak," said
Butler, glancing toward the young fell
low, so l guess you're the man. Let's
see, what's your manner"
| Archibald Jennings
| The two passed out, passing Iris on
| the platform. Iris bowed a little stiff
Iy to Archie as he turned by her. For
| she resented the fall of her hero.
though she would have owned readily
enough that he had presented himself
in rather poor light.
You understand" she heard her
father say as he turned away from the
young man. 1.-The whole line is at your
disposal. I'm lookin' to you for every
| thing
Iris was up at five the next morning.
1t was just daylight The donkey en-
gines had ceased their braying and the
canyon was STILL Archie Jennings
came whirling toward the Iolanthe on
a pulsing motor car His face looked
little drawn, but there was tri-
umphant CLEAN in his gray eyes He
saw Iris standing on the platform
Good morning. was her glad greet
ing. How is the work getting on?''
Come and see.'' he said.
She seated herself and they whizzed
down the track to the edge of the
chasm. and all in a moment they shot
out above the canyon, the wheels fly
ing over the new-laid rails. Iris caught
her breath.
OH she said, with Just a shade OF
terror in her tone. Isn't it magnif-
cent! And it's all finished-clea1
across-all in a night You're a won
der. Archie-a wonder! Won't papa be
pleased?"
, They crossed over, and when they re-
? turned to the Otner SIDE there SlOOC
, the Iolanthe, with the engine behind
her, not far from the edge of the
: bridge, with Butler and Smell out OF
the front platform, Butler full of the
triumph of it all, Smell cool and criti
cal.
There's going to be dangerou,
sag in the central span." said Smell.
Let her sag! Get aboard here, 20,
phil fn
Iris Let them lift your car on, Jen
r nings We're goin' to run across
But the strains weren't calculated,
Q jerked out Smell. The whole affair ii
empirical-dangerous. The test is too
o great Excuse me, if 1 get on" H
\ sprang from the last step.
q The Iolanthe ground over the new
rails, the engine putting slowly. Tn
q timbers creaked little as they settle,
to the strain of the tremendous weigh
!, of the great car and engine. Thump
Z thump. resounded the wheels.
n "A high joint" said Butler. Her
n we are ON the middle SPAN Hooray
= She's steady as a rock. Where's you
: sag, Mr. ]. Hampton Snen?" He CAV
the signal faster" and the car fiey
: across the bridge Cit onto that sid
n ing right away" he yelled to the en-
, gineer when they were over. The
n trundled upon the siding, and Archi
n started to leave the car.
e Hold on, Mr.. jennings" said Bull
v Ter, seizing the young mans arm. a.
l. want to say somethin' to you I ain