The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-29

"Gordon?''
 He's worse than we thought Tom 1 tapped his shining forehead significant ] ly. "Loft to 1et!"
 i 'What--insane?"
 ''Nothing but echoes in his dome. i The towns as empty as his bonnet, 1 too, and the streets are full Of snow. | It's a sight"
 Tell me about Mrs. Gordon. Shes quite q person. said Slater
 slowly. She surprised me. She's l there, alone with him and a watchman. l She does all the work, even to Juggling l in the wood and coaI--hes too busy l to help, but she won't leave him. She i told me that Dan and Natalie wanted l her to come over here, hut she couldn't 1 bring herself to do it or let them assist 1 in any way. Gordon spends all his
 time at his desk. promoting. writing 1 ads. and prospectuses. He's got a l grand scheme. He's found that Hope 1 Consolidated is full of rich ore, but l the trouble is i'll getting 1t out, so he's 1 working on a new process of extrac- l ton. It's a wonderful process-you'd never guess what it is He smokes 1t 1 outi He says all he needs is plenty of smoke. That bothered him until he hit 1 on the idea of burning feathers. Now he's planning to raise ducks, because l they've got so much down. Isn't that 1 the limit? She'll have to fit him into padded cell sooner or later.''
 Poor devilr' said O'Neil. ''T'm sor- ry He had an unusual mind.''
 Slater shifted "I think it's pretty soft for him myself. He's made better than a standof-he lost his memory, but he saved his skin. It's funny how some men can't fall. If they slip on banana peel somebody shoves cushion under lem before they light. I never got the best of anything. If dropped asleep in church my wife would divorce me and I'd go to the electric chair. < Gordon robs widows and orphans right and left, then ends up with a loving woman to take care of him in his old age. Why, if even robbed a blind puppy of biscuit I'd leave thumb print on his ear or the dogs mother would turn out to be bloodhound Anyhow, I'd spend my declining years nestled up to rock pile with a mallet in my mitt and a low browed gentleman scowling at nae from the top of wall. He'd lean on his shotgun and say: Hurry up, Fat ty, It's getting late, and there's ton of oakum to pick It just goes to show that some of US are born behind the game and never get even, while others, like Gordon, quit winner, no matter how much they lose" Having relieved himself of this fervid hornily, Happy Tom unrol1ed package of gum and thrust three sticks into his mouth. Speaking of, bad luck" he continued. when are you going to get married, Murray ?"
 ONeil started. sfWhy-never! It isn't the same kind of proposition as building a bridge, you know. There's a little matter of youth and good looks that counts considerably in the mar riage business. No woman would have an old chap like me"
 Slater took a mournful inventory of his chiefs person, then said doubtful ly: 'eYou might put it over, Murray. atn't strictly handsome myself, but did"
 As O'Neil slipped into his fur coat, after the fat man had slouched out, he caught sight of himself in the glass of his bureau and paused He leaned forward and studied the careworn countenance that peered forth at him, then shook his heads He saw stha the hair was growing grayer. that the face was very plain, and-yes, unquestion- ably it was no longer youthful. Of course he didn't feel old, but the evi- dence that he was so admitted of no disproof, and it was evidence of sort which no woman could disregard.
 For a week the ice rose slowly. a foot day, and in spite of the greatest watchfulness 1t took the false work with it here and there. But concen- trated effort at the critical points saved the structure from serious injury. Then the jam in front of Jackson gla- cier went out, at least in part, and the ice began to fall. Down it settled, smoothly, swiftly, until it rested once more upon the shores. It was still as
 firm as in midwinter and showed no sign of breaking: nor had it moved downstream a hairs breadth. O'Neil gathered his forces for the final on- slaught.
 On April the last of the steel for span No. reached the front, and erec- ton was begun. The men fell to with vim and an enthusiasm impossibfe-to describe. With incredible rapidity the heavy sections were laid in place. The rfveters began their metallic song. The towering three bent traveller ran smoothly on its track, and under 1t grew a webwork of metal braced and ] re-enforced to withstand in addition to ordinary strains, the pressure of a hun dred mile an hour wind To those who looked on the structure appeared to build itself, like some dream edif1ce. ] It seemed a miracle that human hands could work that stubborn metal so swiftly and with so little effort. But every piece had been cut and fitted carefully. then checked and placed where it was accessible.
 Now that winter had broken spring | came with a rush. The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle. The
 air grew balmier with every day; the | drip from, caves was answered by the | gurgling laughter of hidden waters