The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-10-07

bio saw what Barbarais promised din
ner was to be. The two separated
halves OF a dressed hog hung before
and partly over the fire roasting.
where on earth did you get thatT
he asked In ast0ilyhment.
Bob got II last night" she answer
Cd, "and dressed II himself"
"But where, and howr
X don't know yet, He laughs when
! ask questions. I'm soreIy afraid
Bob stole the hog from some farmer
sent him out with some money ia
buy whatever meat he could find, for !
saw that the men must have substan-
tial food. He came back about day
light and told me he had a dressed hog
out dar In do bushes He gave me
back the money. I'll make him tell
me all about It this afternoon. II be
stole the hog we can pay for It. And
meanwhile the men shall have their
dinner. How Is the work getting onr
Rapidly, but not rapidly enough, I
fear. I must hurry back now"
"T'lI go with you said the girl.
Bob can watch the roasting" for Bob
had reappeared at the fire.
@But you can't 80 with me- replied
Duncan. sfbc waters knee deep and
more between here and the crib"
1T can't make me any wetter than
am now replied the resolute girl as
she set off in Duncan's company.
At the cribNshe studied the situation
critically. She knew nothing Of engi-
neering. OF course, but she had an
abundance Of practical common sense.
what time Is 1t nQwY she asked
after she had watched the slow prog
ress Of the work long enough to esti-
mate the prospect.
Half past TO-"
"Then we've only an hour and half
more. 1t isn't enough. You can never
Oil that hole In time
"pm afraid we can't. I'm afraid
we've lost In the struggle"
"Oh, no; you mustn't feel that way.
We simply must win this battle, In one
way or another
Duncan made no answer. There
seemed to him no answer to be made.
The girl continued to look about her.
+Is the end of the crib at the county
llne?" she asked.
''Yes, or, rather, the line lies little
way this side Of the end of the crib"
Again she remained silent for time
before saying:
There are two big tree trunks lying
longways there In the crib. They ex-
tend across the county line. Why cant
you jack them up into place and lay
your rails along them without filling the
space and without using any tiesY
For half minute the young man did
not answer. At last he exclaimed:
That's an inspirationr'
without pausing to say another word
Duncan started at a run through
the water till he reached the mud en-
bankment. Then he ran along that to
the point where Temple was superin-
tending the earth diggers.
"Quit this quick" he cried, land
hurry the whole force to the crib
see a way outi Order all the jack
screws brought, Dick. and come your
self In hurryr
The two great tree trunks were
quickly cleared of their remaining
branches by the axmen. Then Tenn
pie placed the jackscrews under them
and set to work to raise them into the
desired position SO that they should
lie parallel with each other at the
track level, with a space of about four
and half feet between their centers.
AS the jackscrews slowly brought
them into position Will Hallam and
Duncan, one at either end of the logs,
directed men in the work of placing
log supports under them.
At half past IL Temple announced
that the great tree trunks were in
place. Instantly twenty axmen We're
set at work hewing a fiat place for
rails along the top Of each log, while
other men as fast as the hewing ad-
vanced laid and spiked down the rails.
At five minutes before noon a gang
Of men, with shouts Of enthusiastic
triumph, seized upon the dumping car
which stood waiting and pushed it
across the line. As this last act in
the drama began Guilford Duncan seiz-
ed Barbara by the elbows, kissed her
in the presence Of all, lifted her and
placed her in the moving car.
''You have saved the railroad" he
said, with emotion in bis voice, ''and
you shall be its first passenger"
1t was ten days later when Barbara
reached hoiie aSiiii after s;. 8 zee Il
journey through the flooded district un-