The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-10
THE EVENING STORY
Tim FarreII,s Eear
(By Michael ]. Porter.)

wretched little half frozen reptile at
MIN, he retreated so abjectly that he
nearly fell OF the dixie He could not
nelp the instructive recoi1, and his face
young people shouted with laughter.
me b1rdlike notes of Toinette Mar
celle rang out clearest of all.
Yah!" tainted the grinning Sam;
afraid of a little snake. He's a
coward"
Call me coward again and I'll
punch your jaw retorted Tim, adj
vancing with doubled fists.
A fight is a treat al Prairieton
and the group of men about the two
half dozen girls drew aside, fearfully.
But before a blow could be struck the
superintendent of the farms appeared,
coming up the side of the dixie in
long strides LIE Blank quietly drop
ped the snake which he had been -four
| ishing.
The superintendent gave no hint
that he had understood the militant
scene.
This way, you chaps" he said,
pruSquely. There's weak spot be-
hind the barns. Let's get busy and
patch it up.''
He led the way along the dixie. On
the left the yellow. swollen flood of
the river Tapped within few inches
of the top. On the right big puddlesl
1
patches of snow in the beet fields. 1t
was yet early March. though rain had
fallen steadily for two weeks. The
great sugar beet plain was in immi-
nent danger of being inundated.
There was a discipline almost mill
tary on Prairieton farms. It was
Sunday. and the men had worked
night and day for more than a week
in an endeavor to keep out the, en-
croaching water, yet there was no
a 90 NO nd Lot
! Farrell and LIE Blanc worked side by
| side without open sign of enmity,
staggering up the muddy dixie under
| unwieldy bags of sand The others,
including the superintendent, glanced
curiously at them now and then.
For they knew that while the bud
ding quarrel between the two young
men was apparently over a scant
eight inches of frozen snake, Toinette
Marcelle was really at the bottom
were red and whose eyes were brown.
During the past summer, as she
welded and hoed 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 the slack
time, the winter. The other young
men had withdrawn from the lists
which contained two such sturdy and
masterful knights.
II.
Five miles above three rivers unite.
During the spring rains of other
years, before reclamation, the over
! flow had covered thousands of acres
| to depth of ten feet. Since the
bikes had been built the food had
been kept in the channel. But they
had never been subjected to such a
strain as this.
The patching was done; the men
Strengthened their backs.
''I don't like the locks of that"
said the superintendent grimIy, wav-
ing his arm to the east, where the
lice and driftwood whirled past at
racing speed. "This thaw is a month
too early; there's a mountain Of snow
still to the south of US If it rains
tinued: Farrell, go over to the set
Element and see that every family is
ready to congregate on the high
ground at a moments notice. Kelly,
LIE Blanc and Smith, get the boats
out and fit them with oars. There
should be a lantern in each boat, too.
''The rest of you better snatch a
bite to eat. I guess we're up against
| it. Two revolver shots will be the sig
nal that the dixie is going" He
mounted his horse and splashed off
upstream to dangerous bend, where
most of the men were at work.
The young people descended the
dixie, each girl with her cavalier. Tim
Farrell extended his hand to Toinette
and regretted it. She glanced sig
where LIE Blanc had dropped it, and
turned away. A moment later Sam,
flushed with qualification, had clasped
the warm, slender fingers and was
aiding her down the slope Tim, sore
hearted, went silently on his errand.
The clouds that had broken away
somewhat during the day thickened
again. With the approach of night
the dreaded patter of rain on the roof
began. The water crept up inside the
dixie The pools swelled and Joined.
By 10 O'Clock the fields and even the
streets of the little settlement were
covered. The dixie, however, still held.
At II the superintendent and the
men splashed back from up the river.
The supply of sandbags was exhausted
and the dixie was wearing away rap
idly at the bend. 1t could not last
more than an hour. They were beat
en-. Two shots in rapid succession
called the people from their homes
store stood.
They were hastily apportioned
among the boats.
1.-TWO men and four women and
children to each scow," said the SUI
perintendent, calm and forceful
among the hubbub of pale faced
adults and weeping little ones. bet
ter get started. There's more than
eighteen inches of water over theI
fields now-enough to float you. Bear
away to the west to Granger village.
It's only three miles. I've telephoned
over, and you'll get shelter. Hurry
now. If that dixie breaks we'll be over
our heads in a jiffy."
The boats were launched without
mishap and streamed off in a long
procession, a lantern cleaning brave
" in the bow of each. The superin-
tendent and few men stayed behind
to liberate the live stock and head it
toward safety.
It was then that CASTOR Marcelle
beat his breast and cried aloud: "I
forgot Toinette! She went back to
the house. She's there alone. I was
coming with boat, and forgot"
A grinding roar from behind struck
terror to their hearts. The dixie at