The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-11-17

~. He grinned ever so family now
Every naturally you'd want TO saw,
F. your winter cut"
"Then I'd like TO have 'em build !
bridge somewheres along the river
aimed TO driYe-a bridge and nice
+ dirt embankment, all dressed up witt
rails and ties and things on top. I'm
allowed to suppose I've got an awfu
long standin' score. amt ], along will
+ all this timber? Well. that's what I'd
Ike to have 'em do. then. And wheI
opened her up few miles up rive
and she began TO roar. when that first
head Of water bit the bridge and the
sticks begun to grind. suppose Id
take up my position ON the 5anh
where / could watch real well. I'd
light me long, black cigar and muir
muir sort of languid and sympathetic
There goes your railroad gentsr'
"Such move in itself would be out
side the letter Of the contract" Steve
expostulated. why. they wouldn't
lare do anything. They wouldn't dare
10 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.
"Legalp 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 abb they could say it 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-
lions do us, huh, If they sent a half
million logs sky hootin' into our bridge?
1t wouldn't save our construction,
would it?"
He wheeled back to Steve, his man
ner brisk.
DO we leave that stretch openT he
asked. rs that the way you have IL
figuredT
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 1t 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.
1t was not the hunger of his own
heart; 1t 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
bis eyes did wander toward the south
and Morrison. During that bleak pc,
Rod steEe's thoughts were eftawa q
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 in fret
ting against the day of action when
that day cannot be hurried nor con
trolled. Steadfastly he refused to let
bimself brood. If he could not 20
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 to those whose mat.
tiers lay in his trust.
Steve had had little chance for con
versation In those days with Garry,
now an employee Of the company as
an assistant to Fat Joe, except for
word or two over 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 matter OF course, and for that
very reason neither Fat Joe nor Steve
had digni6ed the thought of his pos
sible departure by so much as a single
spoken word Garry's own actions
first began to indicate how incessantly
he was debating that question within
his own brain. And one night toward
the end OF the week he finally reached
the point of volcing a decision which
was old In anticipation to Steve and
Joe. They were on the point of going
to bed. Garry had risen and then
paused. lie hesitated and crooked his
arms and yawned trife too careless
ly that evening.
"Well, this finishes another day.. he
remarked, nor did he realize how soul
ful were the words. "And | cleaned /
up the last Of the stockroom today.
Joe. A swift but accurate workman,
eh? I'll leave behind a record unblem /
ished by oversight or sloth. And now .
now it's about time suppose. was .
going back to town"
1t was out, nor could the yawn cor
ceal his eagerness. His back was turn +
ed, but Steve knew what light was il .
hts eyes. Steves rarelessness was +