The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-06-04
illustrations BY Art. willismson
CHAPTER XVII.


natures work, make joints where
none had been, remake organs that
had not fulfilled their functions.
Alvin Carter, despite his cheerful
ness, had ever silently rebeled against
his crutch And when the idea was
born to him that he might have his les
broken and made straight, he never
halted till he found surgeon willing
to add his skill to Alvin's money and
pluck.
Three years with scarcely days
vacation had won for him promotion
and the confidence of officers as well
as of fellow employees. Thus Alvin
had the great eye and sympathy of the
governor himself behind his brave
venture into unfamiliar realms OF
surgery. When Alvin came through
with two straight legs. the tritiing
shortness of one being corrected by a
high heel, he gladly accepted the di.
version of a trip to the Front while
he was learning to walk on two feet.
Fresh from those exciting scenes, he
presented himself at Sally BIS home.
Not for one moment had he faltered in
his determination to win Viola. if she
remained true, and he never doubted
her. Yet now, sitting in the most
beautiful room he had ever seen, per
turbed by the obsequious buffers i'll
concealed disdain when he had to send
up his name instead of the requested
card-all in an instant Viola grew re-
mote his aspiration to her preposter-
Gus. The modest cottage he had
thought out-the plans were in his
pocket waiting her pproval-seemed
but a miserable hut beside this mag
nificent palace.
Time for his heart to CONCEAL had
the room, paused chilling instant,
and came forward with her most i'm
posing society manner.
why, Mr.. Carter. This is elegant
to see you! Elegant weather, isn't it?
When did you come to the Bay? Ele-
giant time of year to visit at the Bay
now, amt it?"
With an astonishing swing of her
sable draperies she seated herself back
to the light, her face dimly outlined
while the late afternoon sun shone full
upon him.
Il read of the crack operation the
doctors performed on you, Mr.. Carter.
l congratulate you on it's bein' o. X.
It's an elegant Improvement. Won't
you set-sit?"
She did not even look at him, he
thought. Blindly he groped for
chair, his eyes burning as if she had
slapped them with hard hand. Had
he but known, Sally BIS keen vision
had instantly noted and approved his
erect manliness, his resolute counte-
nance. Her heart warmed to him. He
belonged to her world, appreciated
her. Yet ambition held the rein. She
suspected his errand, and purposely
put him at disadvantage, plying him
with questions, intending to leave him
no opportunity for personal topics.
But for once she met her equal. She
took the one topic that could best fire
him; and in turn he caught her spirit
in the flame of his enthusiasm, and
consumed her society veil in single
sentence.
do tell me something about the
railroad. | miss it powerfully"
I've just returned from the Front;
got back yesterday"
"Oh, go" She hesitated. He
could see her eyes shine, knew she
was going to say "gosh." and his self
possession flew home again.
I, ,nI1
and went on.
I'm just that hungry to hear all
about things. Where'd they run the
line? Across by Battle mountain-I
know that; and where ese?"
They run 100 lines, / guess; just
kept the surveyors sticking pins into
the whole American desert till they'd
picked out the best one. They've got
the track away by Battle mountain
now; past Be-o-wa-we, Argenta-that's
the junction for Austin and Reese
riyer-oh, they were way by Toano
when | left"
81 knew them places; come acrost
there in "a Paw emigrated from Ore
gon to Salt Lake, didn't like il there,
all CDllt ONtI W CuillOEHy
forna." She had almost forgotten her
elegance.
Alvin breathed freely MY! Butts
it's cold over there,"
Il bet it is" she indorsed, emphatic
ally "How's Charley Crocker, an
Gregory, an all the rest? Lord
can smell the sage-brush now!"
Working like blazes! Laying track
by moonlight and stars. Just think of
that! And big sage-brush bonfires to
help out IL was the strangest sight;
the men looked like goblins, and the
hammer blows sounded far away, and
made you creep"
Gosh They must be runnin' them
u. p. folks hard"
mot so hard as I'd like to see. The
u. P.'s are coming like lightning, just
a-whoopin 'em up! They have a man
for every rod for 100 miles. They've
got good fuel and plenty of stun.
Glory! l wish our folks could hurry
up some OF those IS iron ships out on
the ocean. and scare up more men.
That lot of rails the Washoe took up
won't last any time"
Say That was a snifty trick. the
way they snooped them 500 Cinnamon
straight from the ship to the train an
got 'em TO the Front before they knew
where they was soin'. | read about It