Putnam patriot., 1916-11-10

bridge out in eash detail-he's marvel ous-and to Mellen. who aetuallv hriit IL but I helped d little. Praise to me means praise to them"
 Tt is all over now. isn't ftg- 1 f'ractically. Blaine has cahIed New fork that we're won. Strictly sneak Ing. we haven't as yet. for there's stu The breakup to face. But the bridge Will come through it without a scratch. fhe Ice may ge ont any minute now. and after that I can rest He smiled at her gladly It will feel good to get rid of all this responsibility. won't it? l think ycn've suffered under 1t as | much ss ! have
 X littl" wistfunv she answered
 Neu're sring 10 realize that dream ron told ne about tho day of the stofzl at hyak. ten have conquered l thls great coUn,ry-as you dreamed" He aeQdies~ ct eagerly. boyishly. '1es. NAigeiis; wnee,s. current or traffic, q broad highway of s eel-that's the sort of monuaeGt want to leave" :"
 Some time il come lack aud see il all completed and tell myself that I had li.tle part in max ng it.'' Come back?" he quesied Why. you're going to stay til we're through. aren't your
 "0h. no. I'm going south with the spring flight-on the next boat per haps"
 His face fell; the exultant light grad ually faded from his eyes "Why. I had no idea. Aren't you happy here:"
 She nodded. But I must try to make good in my work as you have in yours"
 He was looking at her sorrowfully, almost as if she had deserted him. That's too bad, butt suppose you must go. Yes, this is no place for you I dare say other people need you to bring sunshine and joy to them just as we old fellows do, but-Tve never thought about your leaving. It would not be right to ask you to stay here among such people as we are when | ' it will leave a gap. Yes, it certainly will-leave a gap"
 She longed desperately to tell him how willingly she would stay if he only asked her, but the very thought shocked her into deeper reserve.
 I'm going east to sell my book" she said stilfiy. You've given me the eli max of the story in this race with the seasons"
 "Is it a--love story?' he asked.
 Eliza flushed "Yes. It's mostly love"
 you were when we first met You're yery-different. I'm sure I won't rec ognize myself as the hero. Who-or what is the girl in the story?"
 Well. she's just the kind of girl that would appeal to a person like you. She's tall and dark and dashing, and, of course. she's remarkably beautiful. She's very feminine too.''
 Whats her nameT'
 Miss Appleton stammered, "Why-I called her Violet-untl could think of better
 What's wrong with Violet? You couldn't think of a better name than that. I'm fond of it
 .0b. it's q good book name, but for real life it's too-delicate." Eliza felt with yexation that her face was burn ing. She Was sure he was laughing at her.
 Can't I read the manuscript?' he pleaded.
 Heavens, No, r. She changed the subject abruptly. ''Tve left word to be called the minute the ice starts to go out. l want to see the last act of the drama
 When O'Neil left her he was vaguely perplexed. for something in her bear ing did not seem quite natural. He was forlorn. toe. at the prospect of los ing her. He wondered if fathers suf- fered thus. or if lover could be more deeply pained at a parting than he. Somehow he seemed to share the feel ings of both.
 Early on the following morning Eliza was awakened by sound of shouting outside her window. She lay half dazed for moment or two until the significance of the uprear made itself apparent; then she leaped from her bed.
 Men were crying:
 There she Goesr'
 Shes going outr'
 Doors were slamming. there was the rustic and scuff of flying feet, and In the next room Dan was evidently throwing himself into his clothes like a fireman. Eliza called ts him. but he did not answer. and the next moment he had fled. upsetting some article or furniture in his haste. Drawing her curtains aside. the girl saw n the brightening dawn men pouring down the street. dressing as they went. Tbey seemed half demented. They were yelling at one another, but she could not gather from their words whether it was the ice which was moving or the bridge The bridge, That possi- bility set her to dressing with tremu- lous fingers. her heart sick with fear. She called to Natalie. but scarcely rec ogIizcd her own voice
 "I-don't know came the mnfiied reply to her question. ''It sounds like something terrible I'm afraid Dan will fall in or-get hurt" The eonfu- sion in the street was growing. Eliza! Natalie's voice wa. tragic.
 What is it. deart'
 H-help me, quick!
 How
 eI can't find my other shoe"
 But Eliza was sitting on the floor. lacing up her own stout boots. and