Arizona republican., 1912-02-05
TheCoyote
Copyright, 1910, by the Pearson
 Publishing Col
By JAMES OLIVER CuRWooO.

You see. Miss Rodney, it isn't small job-this blowing up of a noun tain. It's my first coyote and I hope it works. It means a lot to me"
 Philip Dalton, eleven months out of an engineering college. looked at his watch. and then across at the grim ugliness of the black mountain of rock which lay in the path of the new Trans-continental.
 'We'll know in little less than four hours" he said. and from the noun tain. fired in the last glow of sunset, his eyes turned to the girl. She goes up al nine o'clock sharp tonight. It will be a beautiful piece of fireworks"
 The vice-presidents daughter was standing with her back 10 him, her slim figure profiled against the crim- 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 a month be- fore. they were alone The fact thrilled Philip, and he looked at her unob- served, his face flushing with the emo tions which she stirred within him. his eyes filled with the 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, some of his guests, or her fiance, 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 hundred and fifty month.
 For little longer Miss Rodney stood with her back 10 him, looking of 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 10 him there was a wistful look in her eyes.
 Its wonderful - 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 .otheT 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 MEN"
 He felt a throbbing joy in his breast that held him speeches..
 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"
 l. was not a question. Wonder. oe- light. admiration shone in her eyes.
 I'm only the engineer he replied. I've superintended the building or the coyote. See that other knsb of the mountain of there? Billinger has had charge of that. His coyote goes up at eight-forty-five. mine at nine
 II wish I could see it, she ex- claimed suddenly.
 You can," The words shot from him with a suddenness that deepened the tan of wind and sun in his face. There is still time. l will take you down now, if you will let me. Miss Rodney"
 "I wanted to go the other day, but Mir. Chelton said that it was no place for a woman"
 Her lips frightened little. Chelton was the man she was to marry.
 t look al 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.
 We'll begin right here he ex- claimed. You see these wires. Miss Rodney? One runs quarter or mile over there to my coyote. the other 10 Billinger's. At the other end Of this wire-mine-there are two hundred cases of dynamite and hundred ana fifty sacks of powder. Tonight we will bring an electric battery up to this rock. attach the wire, and when you press the button the mountain blows up. Do you understand?'
 .'I see. I see" she cried softly. lean ing close to him as he picked up the ends of the wires. ''I wonder She looked at him with sudden daring desire in her eyes "I wonder if they'd let ME press the button to your coy ote?'
 His hands trembled as he replaced the wires.
 "I-Td be the happiest man in the camp if you would he said.
 "I will. if they'll let me.
 They"
 "I mean my father. and NIT. 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 say?' she de- handed
 He knew whom she meant by THEY, and he laughed back al her. with a thrill of pleasure which she could not fail to see.
 A somber gloom had begun 10 shroud the black wall of the mountain when they came to the mouth of the coyote.