Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-15

stop Win mere "OTuSs ne summoned
all his lieutenants and Omar rang that
! night with celebration such MS it had
never before known. The company
chef had been busy all day. the com
missary had been ranSacked. and the
wedding supper was of a nature to in
terfere with office duties for many
days thereafter. Tom Slater made a
congra tulatory speech-in reality, a
mOurnful adjuration to avoid the pit
falls of matrimonial Interchangeable
openly confessed that his digestion
was now impaired beyond relief 9th
ers followed him; there were music,
laughter and a riotous popping of corks.
and over it all O'NeiI presided with
grace and mellowness. Then. after the
two young people had been made thor
oughly to feel his good will. he went
back to the front and Omar saw him
but seldom in the weeks that followed.
To romantic Eliza this self sought Sc
clusion had but one meaniDg-the man
was broken hearted She did not CON
slider that there might be other reasons
for his constant presence at the gla-
ciers.
OF course since the unwelcOme pub
Iication of the North Pass and Yukon
story O'Neil had been in close touch
with Ills. and by dint Of strong argu
ment had convinced the Englishman
of his innocence in the affair \ vigor-
Gus investigation might have proved
disastrous: but. fortunately, Curtis Cor
don lacked leisure in which to follow
the matter up. The truth was that
after his public exposure at Eliza's
hands he was far too busy mending his
own fences 10 spare time for attempts
upon his rival. Consequently. the
story was allowed to die out. and
O'Neil was finally relieved to learn that
its effect had been killed. Precisely
how Ills had effected this he did not
know nor did he care TO inquire. Ills
had been forced into an iniquitous bar.
gain. and. since he had taken the first
chance to free himself from it, the
question OF abstract right or wrong
was not a subject for squeamisL con-
RideratiOn.
1t was at about this time that the
sanguinary ARRAY at Beaver canyon
began to bear fruit. One day n keen
faced, quiet stranger presented a card
at Murray's office with the name
Henry T. Blaine
Beneath was the address Of the Hell
dlemann building in New York. but
otherwise the card told nothing. Some
thing in Mr.. Blaines bearing, however.
led Murray to treat him with more
than ordinary consideration.
81 should like TO go over your work."
81 n
himself acted as guide. Together they
inspected the huge concrete abutments,
then were lowered into the heart OF
the giant caissons which protruded
from the frozen stream. The Salmon
lay locked in its winter slumber now.
The glaciers stood as silent and in
active as the snow mantled mountains
that hemmed them in. Down into the
very bowels of the river the men de-
scended. while O'Neil described the
nature of the bottom, the depth and
character of his foundations and the
measure of his progress. He explain
ed the character of that bar which lay
above the bridge site and pointed out
the heavy layers of railroad iron with
which his cement work was re-en-
forced.
81 spent nearly two seasons studying
this spot before | began the bridge"
he continued. II had men here night
and day observing the currents and
the action of the ice. Then / laid my
piers accordingly. They are armored
and REINFORCED to withstand any
shock"
The river is subject to quick rises,
believe" suggested Blaine.
Twenty feet in a few hours"
The volume of ice must be almost
irresistible"
Almost" Murray smiled. Not
quite. Our ice breakers were especial
ly designed by Parker 10 withstand
any weight There's nothing like them
anywhere. In fact there will be moth
ing like this bridge when it's COM
pleted."
Blaine offered no comment. but his
questions searched 10 the depths Of the
builders knowledge. When they were
back in camp he said:
'Of course you know why I'm hcre?''
Your card told me that. but | don't
need the Heidlemanns now"
I'VE are prepared to reopen negotia-
tons"
'Why?"
My people are human: they have
feelings. You read Gordon's Hes about
us and about that fight AT Beaver can
yon? Well. we're used 10 abuse. aud
opposition of kind We respect. But