Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-21
CONTINUED from Last Monday)
A CLOSE CALL.

Despite sesgrue's persistent opposition.
Rhinelsnder secured the right-of-way TO
enable him 20 complete the Superstition
cutoff. and. unable TO stop the Tidewater
construction work. seagrue resolved to
try other methods to defeat his rival
Helen Holmes was enjoying the taste
Of camp life that her trip to the front
had brought. And after the excitement
had died down attending the destruction
Of Cassidys house. she found herself
amused and interested n Cassidy him
self. who was busy next lmorning trying
20 restore a much-batteredi stove to serv-
ice near the wreck OF his shack. Helen
watched his dazed efforts until sympathy
overcame her and excusing herself, she
walked over to where Cassidy was strug-
Cling TO get a fire going.
Seagrue. who had been watching the
scene from distance, saw Helen Join
the old fellow and deemed II his oppor-
tunity 10 make tentative advances toward
tho collective enemy. sauntering over.
accordingly, he Joined Helen at a moment
IN which she had sent Cassidy for water
and was herself watching the fire start
ing in the stove.
Helen looked up IN astonishment when
she heard Seagrue's greeting. Indeed. she
resented HIS intrusion so strongly that
she refused all communication with him
and for time spoke into deaf ears.
You ought not 20 be too hard on me,
Helen" he urged at length. ANY man
will fight for his life against ruin. That's
all I've done. Everything ] have In the
world IL tied up In the superstitious cut
Off. But more than once ] said to my
self, I would willingly sacrifice II all to
regain your friendship.s
He spoke slowly and looked 10 beaten
and worried as he fingered Ia the pc
numbra OF HeIen'a gaze that she began
20 denounce him Indignantly for his viii
famous conduct.
He took her singing repraches with
out resentment. Il admit" he said. my
temper carried me too far. sometimes. "
'sometimesi" echoed ..elen "A hun.
dred and fifty!'
when ! do get angry. confessed Sea-
grue. II lose my head. stop at moth
ina. When it's all over. nobody IL sor-
rier for Il than l am. l know that And
what hurts the most IL that II should
have cost me your friendship and my
uncla's"
While this talk thus begun between
the two was going on Ia this fashion.
Storm. who had been busied with Rhine
lander experimenting with some new
Jacks. noticed what Helen was doing;
and that the man standing near her was
none other than Seagrue Scarcely able
10 believe his eyes, the young construc-
Zionist called 10 Rhlnelander TO look. The
latter disengaged himself from his new
machines long enough 20 see what Storm
had seen and, putting another man In
charge OF the work. he hurried off. fol-
lowed by Storm. over to cassidy's sone
They arrived together just In time "a
find seagrue putting wood on Heien'f
fire. He turned from his peaceful role
70 greet Rhlneiander. quite casually. with
a good morning; Helen. in good spirits
was stepping rapidly around preparing
meal Rhlnelander looked from one &
the other IN amazement. and stridint
forward. confronted seagrue ''whal
does AL this mean?' he demanded an
Erily What are you up to now. Sea
grue7''
seaErue met the wratfnl greeting com
posedly. Ills answer was amlable ens
unruffled. I'VE have been talking owe
old times. Uncle Amou" lie Indicate.
Helen by the slightest nod i've toll,
Helen. what you well know. that every
thing have in the world has been tie
up in this fight. But I've also told he
would sacrifice every bit OF Il TO regaii
your good will and hers. I'm sorry 70
the lengths I've gone 10. It's been
mistake. IL doesn't reflect any credi
on me. I know that But can't we for
set itf Forget everything. here and now
and work together. you and !. for the ~
fure instead Of trying to cut each 9th
er's Threats? Why not combine our In
terests. uncle. and take a fresh START
But Rhinelander. gentle though he ws
In disposition and forhearing 20 a degrs
that surprised his friends. was yet "a
old IN the ways 81 the world 10 put n
trust in assurances without deeds
back them He regarded Seagrue firml,
This fight" he said briefly, was N,
ono Of our choosing. seagrue You fore
IA into it, he reminded his nephe'
We cannot compromise now when SUI
OF success
seagrue. whether hopeless or dogE,
IN his attitude, took the matter hard. 4
old not resent u. bat he looked down az
out SO much 20 that Helen felt sorr
She even made occasion. as he stos
gloomiiy watching her. TO so over 20 hi
and express her regret that Rhlneland
did not feel. az she DID. that Il mig
be better for everybody to try 10
friends once more
storm. who had stood apart and vi
chunins inside a the situation. now q
tervened; ''come over 70 camp. Heie
That man doesn't mean a syllable
What be says. You're wasting time liz
ening 10 him. Come along"
she resented the positive way in viii
tho words were spoken. Her mann
when she answered revealed some Of b
impafience; "Tn come" she said. vi
q suggestion Of c,Irtness. ''iut as soon
set through here"
Rhinelander detected her resentmeT
he knew better than anyone IN the wor
that the spirited sirl could not be driv'
ana could not be eosxed too far. I