The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-12-06
Rapidly, but not rapidly enough,

happily, OUT not rapidly enough, l
fear. I must hurry back now
"I'll 60 with you," said the girl.
'Bob can watch the roasting" for Bob
had reappeared at the fire.
"But you can't go with me-" replied
Duncan. '"The waters knee deep and
more between here and the crib
1T can't make me any wetter than
I am now" replied the resolute girl as
she set off in Duncan's company
At the crib she studied the situation
critically. She knew nothing of engi-
neering, of course, but she had an
abundance of practical common sense.
"What time is it now?'' she asked
after she had watched the slow pr.,a.
ress Of the work long enough to esti-
mate the prospect.
''Half past TO-"
'Then we've only an hour and half
more. It isn't enough. You can never
fill that hole in time.''
"I'm 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
line?" she asked.
eyes, Or, rather, the line lies little
way this side of the end of the crib
& Again she remained silent for a time
before saying:
There are two big tree trunks lying
longways there in the crib. They ex-
tend across the county line. Why can't
you jack them up into place and lay
your rails along them without filling the
space and without using any ties?'
For half minute the young man did
not answer. At last he exclaimed:
THAT'S an inspiration!'
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! I
see way out! Order all the jack
screws brought, Dick. and come your
self in hurry!'
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 a 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 II Temple announced
that the great tree trunks were in
place. Instantly twenty axmen were
set at work hewing a fat place for
rails along the top of each log, while
other men as fast as the hewing adj
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 his voice, "and
you shall be its first passenger
1t was ten days later when Barbara
reached home again after a wearisome
journey through the flooded district un-