The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-10-19

this fact explained rapidly the Difficult
ties OF construction which he had me-
and overcome. As she began TO under
stand there came 10 her a fuller appre
citation Of the man and the work he
was doing. Natalie. however, could
not seem 10 grasp the significance OF
the enterprise. She saw nothing be
yond the ever gravel rOadbed. the un-
interesting t~rcStleS and bridges and
cuts and fills, the like OF which she had
seen many times before, and her com
ment was childlike. O'Neil, however,
appeared to find her n%aivete charming.
and Eliza reflected bitterly:
IF my nose was perfectly chiseled
and my eyebrows nice he wouldn't care
If my brain was the size of a rabbits.
Here am /, talking like a human being
and really understanding him. while
she sits like a Greek goddess, wonder
ing If her hat Is on straight. If ever !
find q girl uglier than | am I'll make
her my bosom friend" She jabbed her
pencil v~iciously ut her notebook.
The engine finally stopped. II was In
the midst of a tent village beside which
flowed one OF the smaller branches OF
the Salmon. In the distance the grade
stretched out across the level swamps
like a thin. lately healed scar, and
along It's crest gravel trains were slow
ly creeping. An army Of men like a
row OF ants were toiling upon 1t, and
still farther away shone the white
sides of another encampment.
"Oh! That's Gordon's track" Eliza
cried quickly. "Why, you're nearly up
to him. How do you intend to get
~across?"
O'Neil nodded at the long thin line of
moiling men in the distance.
There's a loose handle In each one
of those picks" he said.
Somebody. will be killed in that
kind Of a racket"
THAT rests with Gordon. I'm going
through"
Suppose he had said that when
Dan stopped him at the canyonT"
"If he'd said 1t and meant II he'd
RioDdpis hu'C uOiC ~ LIZ oiuLos i
don't. | have to go on, he didn't.
Now lunch Is served. and since this Is
our last glimpse Of civilization advise
you to fortify yourselves. From here
on we shall see nothing but the wilder
ness"
He led them to a spotless tent which
had been newly erected at the edge Of
the spruce. It was smoothly stretched
upon a framework of timber, its walls
and floor were of dressed lumber, and
N. There were twin wristbands also.
and dressers and rocking chairs, a ia
BILE and a stove. On the floor beside
the beds lay a number Of deep, soft
bear rugs. A meal was spread amid
glass and figured china and fresh new
napery.
How cozy! Why. it's a perfect dear
Of a house!' exclaimed Natalie.
you will leave everything but your
necessaries here. for we are going
light" Murray told them. "You will
stop here on our way back to Kyak,
and I'll warrant you'll be glad to see
the place by that time"
"You built this just for u.s." Eliza
said, accusingly.
"Yes; but 1t didn't take long. |
phoned this morning that you were
coming" He ran a critical eye over
the place to see that its equipmen,
was complete, then drew out their
chairs for them.
A white coated cook boy served q
luncheon In courses, the quality o.
which ,astonished the visitors. FOL
there was soup, a roast, delicious vege
tables, crisp salad. a camembert which
O'Neil had imported for his W pri
vate use, and his own particular blend
Of coffee.
At last the party reached Jackson
glacier. Murray O'Neil had seen tn,
glacier many times. but always he ex
perienced the same feeling Of awe, o
personal insignifcance. as when h.
first came stumbling up that gorg'
more than a year before.
Ohe I'LL NhC IA Ia otOOu SAEkh
without a word. They seemed to hav
forgotten his presence.
"Well?" he said at last.
isn't 1t bigy' Natalie faltered. wit
round eyes. "Will 1t fall over ON us r.
He shook his head. 1.-The river Is to
wide for that. but when a particular
big mass drops 1t makes waves larg
enough to sweep everything befor
them. This bank on U right Is sixt
feet high, but I've seen 1t inundated"
Turning to Eliza, he inquired:
What do you think Of it?"
Her face as she met his was strange
" glori6ed. her eyes were shining. he
fingers tightly interlocked.
lid like to cry or--or swear" sh
said uncertainty.
why. Eliza!' Natalie regarded he
friend In shocked amazement. but Mul
ray laughed.
Progress was moro dif3cult now, "a