The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-13

Philip Dalton, eleven months out o
an engineering college, looked at hi
watch, and then across at the grin
ugliness of the black mountain of rocl
which lay in the path of the new
Trans-continental.
We'll know in a little less than fou
hours" he said and from the noun
tain, fired in the last glow of sunset
his eyes turned to the girl. "She goei
up at nine o'clock sharp tonight Il
will be beautiful piece of fireworks.
The vice-president's daughter was
standing with her back to him, her
slim figure profiled against the Grim
son light lowering still over the west
tern wilderness. the light breeze toss
ing shining wisps of her golden hair
about her face and shoulders. The
others had gone.
For the first time since she and Dal.
ton had met each other n month be-
FORE they were alone. The fact thrilled
Philip, and he looked at her unob-
served, his sace flushing with the emo
tions which she stirred within him,
his eyes filled with tho love which he
would never have dared to let her see.
They had been together often during
this month, but there had always been
some one else with them-her father,
sore Of his guests, or her fianc6, the
little Englishman who was giving her
a title.
They had never been alone. like this,
and Philip squared his strong young
shoulders and drew in deep breaths of
the keen evening air, and forgot that
he was only one of the half dozen
young engineers in camp, at a hundred
and fifty a month.
For little longer Miss Rodney stood
with her back to him, looking off into
the thousand miles Of peopleless waste
through which the builders of the new
Trans-continental were driving their
thin lines of steel. When she turned
TO him there was wistful look in her
eyes
Its wonderful 80 wonderful" she
said. "Oh, what cant you do-you
great big strong men who WORK."
Her voice, her eyes. the flush in her
cheeks were other than he had ever
known them before.
I'm sorry that I'm going away to-
morrow" she continued, and there was
a tone of bitterness in her words. I've
never seen this big glorious world be-
fore. It's the first time I've ever
known real MEM"
He felt a throbbing Joy in his breast
that held him speechless.
"And you really believe that you can
blow up that mountain"
Tonight at nine o'clock, Miss Rod
ney"
"And you-YOU are doing IT,"
II was not a question Wonder, de-
light admiration shone in her eyes.
"l'm only the engineer" he replied.
i've superintended the building of the
coyote. See that other knob of the
mountain Off there? Billinger has had
charge of that. His coyote goes up at
eight-forty-nve, mine at nine"
IL wish | could see it," she ex-
claimed suddenly.
"You CAM" The words shot from
him with suddenness that deepened
the tan of wind and sun in his face.
There Is still time. will take you
down now, II you will let me, Miss
Rodney"
II wanted TO &c the other day, but
Mr. Chelton said fAat 1t was no place
for a woman"
Her lips tightened a little. Chelton
was the man she was to marry.
r"Will you go?" he asked. "Will you
look at MY coyote?"
"Yes."
She laughed at the unconcealed
pleasure in his face. Her blue eyes
dazzled him with the sudden mis-
chievous excitement that leaped into
them.
"Well begin right here" he ex-
claimed. you see these wires, Miss
Rodney? One runs a quarter of mile
over there 10 my coyote, the other to
4 M n
wire-mine-there are two hundred
cases of dynamite and a hundred and
ffty sacks Of powder. Tonight we will
bring an electric battery up to this
rock, attach the wire. and when you
press tho button the mountain blows
UP. Do you understandY'
'"I see, / see" she cried softly, lean
ing close to him as he picked up the
ends OF the wires. II wonder She
looked at him with a sudden daring
desire in her eyes. II wonder IL they'd
let ME press the button to your coy
otc?"
His hands trembed as he replaced
the wires
I'D be the happiest man in the
camp If you would" he said.
Il will, n they'll let me-"
81 mean my father. and Mr.. Chel-
ton"
Again he saw her lips tighten.
He led the way down the ridge into
the little valley that lay between them
and the mountain. The way was rough
and filled with masses OF broken trap
and boulders In one place he held
back his hand to her. and she gave
him her own laughing into his eyes.
"What WOULD they say2" she de-
manded
He knew whom she meant by
THEY. and he laughed back at her.
with a thrill Of pleasure which she
could not fail to see.
A somber gloom had begun to shroud
the black wall OF the mountain when
they came to the mouth Of the coyote.
The opening was about four feet
square. Philip went in first, and the
girl followed him. The blaclxness OF
night lay ahead of them. The girls
hand clung suddenly to his arm, and
he felt her shudder.
UGH It's dark and coldl"