The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-07-16


Ter iumed away the desperate hours
touching his bell every few minute
ana demanding fresh cigar iron
Nishima. After luncheon he marched
Iris of with him TO the engineers car
looking fretfully at the great I'M
bridged chasm as he went and wincins
at the sight OF large gang Of idlt
' workmen.
She heard her father say in tones
which she knew were torcedly calm;
Wen, it's four o'clock, Mr.. Smell
ana don't see no signs o your bridge
There amt timber in place You
! know it was to be all done by to-
night That would be-say, tour
| hours"
"Uh, We're working right along" she
heard Smell say. Take a seat, sir,
Here Is the design, Mr.. Butler or
course its only makeshift structure,
not a 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 ont at last, you haven't caught
on 20 my idea from the first! ask you
for a bridge, and you give me blue
print. You're good enough at tiggers,
but il amt figgers that | want |
want to see the trains runnin' over
that canyon before dark tonight
Now look here, everybody. + want
TO know if there's man in this ear
that can jump up grab his hat, and go
right out and build that there bridge
by tomorrow morning. There's 200
men a-settin over there on them fiat
cars adoin nothin, an thereN be
1000 more here from the front in an
hour an half. Now, who's the
man."
For a moment no one stirred, Then
from the farther end of the ear Arch
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 determinedy:
MIR. Butler, can do it. Let me have
chance at the job"
You're the first one to speak" said
Butler, glancing toward the young fell
low, so / guess you're the man. Let's
see, what's your name?"
Archibald jennings
The two passed out, passing Iris on
the platform. Iris bowed a little stiff
~ 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 I
young man. "the whole line is at your |
disposal. I'm lookin' to you for every |
thing"
Iris was ND at five the next morning. |
It was just daylight. The donkey en-
gines had ceased their braying and the !
canyon was still. Archie Jennings !
came whirling toward the Iolanthe on |
pulsing motor car. His face looked !
a little drawn, but there was tri-
CLEAN in his gray eyes. He |
saw Iris standing on the platform.
Good morning" was her glad greet |
ing. How is the work getting one"
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-clear
across-all in night You're a Won
der, Archie-a wonderl Won't papa be
They crossed over, and when they re-
turned to the other size there stood
the Iolanthe. with the engine behind
her, not far from the edge OF the
bridge with Butler and Smell out on
the front platform. Butler full OF the
triumph Of it ALL Smell cool and crit.
,al
There's going 10 be dangerous !
ag in the central span" said Smell.
Let her sag, Get aboard here you
'olks," called Butler to Archie and
iris. let them lift your car OF, Jen-
lings We're gOin TO run across
But the strains weren't calculated"
erked out Smell. The whole affair is
mplrical-dangerous The test is too
great. Excuse me. If / get OF He
prang from the last step.
The lolanthe ground over the new
'ails, the engine putting slowly The
imbers creaked a little as they settled
o the strain OF the tremendous weight
# the great ear and engine Thump!
hump resounded the wheels.
a high joint said Butler Here
We are on the middle span. Hooray,
She's steady as a rock. Where's your
ag. Mr.. J. Hampton Snel9" lie gave
he sigma faster and the car flew
cross the bridge Git onto that sid
ne right away" he yelled 20 the en-
ineer when they were over. They
rundled upon the siding, and Archie
t9wsaT "a IauVp the car