The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-11
NJ nfTCHAEI ,. PORTER.
copyright. 1911, by Associated
- IlitAfafY presa

IA0VyIlKHL, ny A&HVGt6tSu
Literary Press.)
Tim Farrell was mortally, shud-
acrtngly afraid of snakes. And now
when sam e Blanc suddenly thrust
wretched little hAIf-froxen reptile
at him, he retreated no abjectly that
he nearly fell on the dixie. He could
not help the instructive rscoil. and
his face darkencd angrily when the
other young people shouted with
: laughter. The birdlike notes OF
Toinette Marcelle rang out clearest
of all.
'Yahl' tainted the grinning Sam;
afraid OF little snake. He's
coward
Cali me coward again and IN
punch your jaw" rctorted Tim, adj
vancing with doubled fists.
light IN treat ~ Prairleton'
and the group OF men about the two
staiwart youths pushed closer. The
haif-dozen girls drew aside, fearfuliy.
But before a blow could be struck
the superintendent OF the farms APP
peared. coming up the side Of the
dixie In long strides. lie Blanc quiet
ly dropped the snake which he had
been Aourfshing.
that he had understood the militant
scene"
This way. you chaps" he said.
brusqueiy. There's u weak spot be-
hind the barns. Let's get busy and
patch II up
lie led the way along the dixie. On
the left the yellow. SWOLLEN food OF
the river tapped within few inchca
OF the top. On the right big puddles
were beginning to form among the
patches Of snow In the beet fields. II
"a xsat AM - v.aa A
fallen steadily for two weeks. The
great sugar-beet plain was In immi-
nent danger Of being Inundated.
There was discipline almost mill
tary on Prairieton farn1s, II was
sunday, and the men had worked
night and day for more than week
in an endcavor to keep out the en-
oroaching water yet there was no
tagging and no complain. Even Far
reii and LIE Blanc worked side BY
side without open sign of enmity
staggering up the muddy dixie under
unwieidly bags Of sand. The others
including the superintendent. glanced
curiously Mt them now and then.
For they knew that while the bud
ding quarrel between the two youna
men WAS apparently over a scani
eight inches of frozen snake. Toinette
Marcelie was really at the bottom
we're red and whose eyes were brown
Dcesng the past summer. as she
wceded and shoed In the rich black
soil of the fields. Farrell was always
on one side. Sam LIE Blanc on the
other. The rivalry had intensified
during the merrymakings OF thu slack
time. the winter. The other young
men had withdrawn from the list,
which contained two such sturdy and
masterful knights.
The farms are In a gigantic basin
Five miles above three rivers unite
During the spring rains of other
Years. before reclamation, the over.
ilow had covered thousands OF acres
to depth of ten feet Since the
dikes had been built the food had
been kept in the channel. Eut the,
had never been subjected to such q
strain AZ this.
The patching was done. the men
Strengthened their backs.
Il don't like the looks OF that.
said the superintendent xrimiy. wav.
ing his arms to the east. where the
ice and driftwocd whirlsd past a,
racing speed. This thaw IL a month
too early. there's = mountain OF snow
still to the south OF us. II II rains
night. He paused. then con
tinued: Farrell. 80 over to tina set.
u%FH&Ht anu see tBAt every 14mfly u
ready to congresate on the high
ground at a moments notice. Kelly
lie Blanc End Smith get the boat
out and At them with oars. There
should be a lantern In each boat, too
The rest Of you better snatch .
bite TO eat. ! guess we're up agains,
il. Two revolver shots viii be the
signal that the dixie II going" He
mounted mis- horse and spiashed of
Il upstream to a dangerous bend. wfssrs
most OF the men were at work.
The young people descended th<
dixie, each girl with her cavalier. Tim
Farrell extended his hand TO Toinetft
and regretted II. She glanced sig.
nificantly at the numbed snake, ~.
ing where lie Biaac had dropped IL
and turned away. A moment lateI
Sam. flushed ~s.h Gistiheation. had
clasped the warm. slender fingers
and was aiding her down the slope
Tim. aorehearted. went silently on
his errand. sasa.,s .s4.& ls..,,.as4,.ssa.4