Oxford Democrat., 1914-07-14

instantly she caught the low roar oe
the opened turbine gates, saw the gov
crnor begin to whirL. heard the tnun'
der Of the great turbine In the depths
below. and her heart leaped u bes
thr0at
Steady now!
What did Jim do next, where bad
she followed him from heref
Again following instinct, she went
back through the passage.
She stopped ut the small hooded gen
orator beside No. 3.
It was beginning its own little tune
From there she went as one In
dream. softly, following Jim on other
journeys aud threw the EXETER switch
BY now Nos. 3 and were whiri'
my under their hoods. giving oit
strange. menacing note that rose stead
ily, an exciting. terrible note.
She stood wide eyed and watched
the power her hand had ioosed roar
up to Its zenith. The trembling was
gone out OF her limbs.
In its stead she felt something strong
rising within her. an excitement bor'
rowed from the dynamOs. q crazy JOY
"A triumph!
She ran. wavering bit under the
strain. to the switchboard and switch
ed on the synchronizing lights. two
a., In. f.f fln fnarhIt
face.
One lighted and went out. lighted
and went ont. In perfect regulated
time. like the play of II pendulum.
That stood for and 2. harnessed
and obedicnt, already working like will
ing giants
The other was slower. Its beat cross
ing and falling behind and Overstep
ping the step Of the other That was
3 and 4 coming up to the pace.
Steadily the second light gained on
the first.
Now It was only a hairs breadth be
hind: now It was so near as to De
scarce perccptibly slower: now 1t light
cd and went out in unison with the
other
Tense, steady. she watched second
longer. gauging the lights Now they
were at the zenith. Now they went
down aud out Now-now-just before
they reached the zenith again
Click!
Strongly she pushed the big switch
down-and let out her bursting breath
Right. Nothing had happened!
The four black monsters were WORK
ing together nightly, filling the power
house with their awful humming.
Staggering and laughing, she went
and switched of all the current from
Bartell City and the valley towns.
She got the Black Drift on the teie
phone. Some boy answered
flows the power?" she asked
weakly.
"Ftper came back the word. Drills
workin' like the devil! Congresses
ready. Ali hOpin'."
When she at last reached jim he
opened bis arms. and she sank into
them.
"Oh, Miss Prettyface! cried the man
tensely. "Miss Braveheart! My own
girl! What a woman you are!"
An hour later she got the Black Drift
agaIu. this time the hoarse voice Of the
superintendent who had begged Tor
power.
"What luckY' she asked brarely.
"Best luck. thank God" he answered
heartily. We've bit the level and are
pumping them air while the reliei
SQUADS work. All alive Give Har,
grave my thanks for his prompt work. >
"Goodw said Ellen And now. Mr.
Masters. when you can spare them
will you send me help and u doctorI
NV husband is lying here on the floor
with a broken leg. You Will!
Thanks. Right soon. please. Oh. just
a bit ago Goodby"
When the men from the Black Drift,
full of the days happening. carried
Jim Hargrave up the crooked path 70
the shack beneath the pine the woman
turned from the stretcher's head and
looked back ut the river. the bills and
the ugly power house beside Its dam.
It WIS whole new country to her
misty eyes, and all its bitterness was
swept away rs by n mighty wind.
The world had changed since noon!
"Jim," she snid In the quiet night
"iet's build another room on the cabin
| l think want to stay"