The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-10-19

plimenting a first primer favorite so
pleased was his tone. "Of course you
would. I'm afraid that was too easy
for you. wasn't II, Joef But now sup
pose you were bent on proving to
everybody. and particularly 10 those
who had fathered II. what an unfor-
tunate weakling this immature. un.
named child Of constructive silence
really was. In that event how do you
figure you'd conduct yourself?"
Joe smiled oddly, a little balefully.
II was magic quick. that change In his
expression. as swift as was the
thought behind II.
'I'd have my logs all cut and ready
to haul as an excuse. wouldn't IT.
he inquired. with simulated anxiety.
Gould tell folks. through the news
papers. ~: instance. that ! wasn't
strong for letting my timber lie for
the grubs to lunch on n had to square
myselfcr
quite naturally" Until then Steve's
face had kept its preternatural grsvi-
ty. He grinned ever so family now.
Very naturally you'd want to save
your winter cut"
"Then Id like TO have 'em build a
bridge somewheres along the river !
aimed TO drive-a bridge and a nice
dirt embankment, all dressed up with
rails and ties and things ON top. I'm
allowed to suppose I've got an awful
long standin score, amt l, along with
all this tmberf Well, that's what I'D
like to have 'em do then. And when
I opened her up a few miles up river
and she began TO roar, when that first
head of water hit the bridge and the
sticks begun to grind. | suppose I'd
take up my position on the bank
where l could watch real well. I'd
light me n long. black cigar and muir
muir sort Of languid and sympathetic,
There goes your railroad, gentsr'
"Such a move In itself would be out
side the letter OF the contract" Steve
expostulated. why, they wouldn't
dare do anything. They wouldn't dare
to begin driving the river before your
time was up. much less do damage to
your completed work. What excuse
what legal excuse-could they give,
even though they were morally certain
that you were bound to fail?'
Very slowly. almost pityingly, Joe
turned toward him,
"Legalr' he droned "Moral" And
then he laughed his clear tenor out
burst which barely escaped being a
giggle. Dear child. judiciously speak
Ing, law and lumber and morals and
mill feet don't mix. They don't mix
at all IN this section OF the country.
II they wanted to bother their heads
with an alibi they could say II was top
Of flood and they weren't eager to be
hung up Just because brass buttoned
conductor promised 'em a through ex-
press In the morning. They could
say But what good would explana-
tons do us, huh. II they sent half
million logs sky hootin' into our bridget
It wouldn't save our construction.
would itT''
He wheeled back to Steve. his man
ner brisk.
do we leave that stretch open?" he
asked. rs that the way you have II
fguredf"
I'm afraid we'd better" Steve said
That was as close as they came to
anything resembling a discussion Of
the change which was growing more
and more noticeable In the bearing OF
the men at Thirty Mile. As far as all
outward evidence was concerned. Steve
seemed to ignore II utterly. to retreat
oftener and oftener, behind his habit
Of silence which even Fat Joe, after
several unsuccessful garrulous at
tempts, gave over trying TO penetrate.
II was not the hunger OF his own
heart; Il was neither intolerance of re-
straint nor mental rebellion against
the duties which were holding him so
close upriver that had caused the chief
engineer Of the East Coast work TO
withdraw so completely within him
self. although many times each day
his eyes did wander toward the south
and Morrison. During that bleak pc
Rod Steve's thoughts were often OF
Barbara, but they were not somber
thoughts. The very hardness of his
life schooling had taught him too well
how little OF wisdom there Is I'm fret
ting against the day OF action when
that day cannot be hurried nor con-
trolled. Steadfastly he refused to let
himself brood. II he could not go
TO her he would not, nevertheless, al
low himself to dwell upon that impos-
sibility. Instead his spirit ranged
ahead to a hopeful. more or less in
definite and not too distant date when
his absence might not seem TO threat
en- too great "A cost 20 those whose mat
tiers lay In his trust.
Steve had had little chance for con
yersation In those days with Garry.
now an employee OF the company as
an assistant TO Fat Joe, except for a
word or two over a hastily snatched
breakfast or perhaps at supper at
night. and at night he was usually too
tired to talk. But the others growing
restlessness had not escaped his no
tice. For awhile Garry had seemed TO
accept his continuance there at camp
as a matter of course, and for that
very reason neither Fat Joe nor Steve
had dlgnified the thought OF his pos