Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-21
GE AGNEW CHAMBERLAIN
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DeneVc mes rlent, gerry, sald
Alan with a faint smile. "But didn't
change my mind. He did it for me.
He's in line for a life-saving medal.
Lieber's all right" He stopped, tired
out.
Lieber began to talk TO Gerry.
Flows the water in the ditch. Mr..
Lansing?"
"NIighty low" said Gerry. He spoke
almost absent -mindedly. For the first
time in months the ditch was far from
his thoughts.
"It's hard luck" said Lieber. "The
rivers never been so low before-not
in the memory of man. We do not
hear the falls any more. The river Is
asleep. Do you want me to send my
men down again?"
Its no use" said Gerry. II don't
dare deepen the ditch any more. It's
way below the normal level now"
Alan stirred. whats that about
ditch"
In unhurried phrases and a low
voice Lieber told him the history of
Fazenda riur,s since Gerry's advent
and of the great part the ditch had
played in bringing resurrection to the
abandoned plantation and life to the
neighboring stock.
Alan cast a curious glance at Gerry.
Dangerous business" he said, "fool-
ing with the normal level in food
country"
Lieber nodded and went on. He
told his tale well. He had seen more
than Gerry could have put into words.
Gerry listened for while, but he soon
wearied. What had all that TO do with
him now? He wandered off and start
ed to saddle True Blue. He must get
away from Alan. Alan was drawing
him, but he was bound in chains. He
must remember that. Then, too, what
Alan had said about fooling with the
normal level worried him. He must
go back and station guard at the
great sluice gate.
A sudden puff OF air, then breeze.
then a gale. swept down on Lieber's
from the southwest The wind was
hot, a furnace blast from the torrid
wilderness. 1t carried with 1t whirls
of dust, light, dry sticks, and, finally,
small pebbles that hurtled along the
ground. Gerry and his horse sought
shelter by the house. Herders came
running out from their quarters and
gathered in front of the veranda. The
wind suddenly turned cold, dropped
and ceased. The dust settled. The
sun blazed as before. There was not
a cloud in the sky. The herders all
looked at Lieber. They did not talk.
They were waiting.
Lieber shrugged his shoulders.
Somewhere" he said with a wave of
his hand to the southwest, there has
been rain and hail and that sort OF
thing. Temperature fell and drove
the hot air off the desert" He told
the men, but they did not go away.
They stood around, their eyes sweep
ing the horizon to the southwest. At
last one of them grunted. His eyes
were fixed on a distant pillar of dust.
1t came towards them. Lieber used
his field glasses. Without taking them
from his eyes, he spoke. "It's a man,
riding. Looks like he's riding for life.
Something is up. He's riding to kill
his horse"
. As the man approached, dull rum
bling filled the ears of the watchers.
So gradual was its Crescendo that they
did not notice It, The rider spurred
and beat his horse to a final effort.
They could see he was shouting. He
drew nearer, and they heard him,
Flood! Floodw Then they noticed
the rumbling. 1t became a roar. Far
away on the horizon rose white, ad-
vancing mist. The rider rolled off his
staggering horse. The food" he
gasped. Never before has there been
such a food"
Before the words were out of his
mouth there was frenZied rattle of
hoofs and Gerry on True Blue tore
off at a mad gallop down the trail
towards Fazenda Flores. Almost al
his heels followed the first mounted
of the herders. riding all they knew to
cut across to Piranhas ahead of the
wall of water.
Lieber's eyes followed Gerry's fight
Then he turned them on Alan. THAT
hollow down there" he said, will be
turned into a rushing river in half an
hour-perhaps less. We're just safe
here. and that's all. You see Mr.. Ian.
sing? He's the spot farthest down the
trail. I'm thinking we'll never sec
him again."
A faint flush came into Alan's
cheeks. 1t was flush of pride-pride
in Gerry. Gerry had not hesitated
He had not ridden off like laggard
Even now they could see that he was
riding for life-riding with all his
might for the lives that shackled him