Putnam patriot., 1916-10-13

" perintending the final loading
 of q cargo for the s. k. and x. he was accosted by tall nerv- ous man with shifting eyes and twitching lips It was hard to recog nize in this pitiable shaken creature the once resplendent Gordon, who had bent the whole northland to his ends. Some tantalizing demons inside the mans frame were jerking at his sin ews. Fear was In his rowing glance. He stammered. He plucked at the lit. tie captains sleeve like a frightened woman The open hearted Irishman was touched.
 Yes said Johnny after listening for time. "I'll take you with me. and they won't catch you either"
 Gordon chattered: "Fll pay you well. handsomely I'm rich man. I have interests that demand attention, so ac- eept this money. Please. Keep it all, my good fellow"
 Brennan stared at the bundle Gordon had thrust into his hand, then regard ed the speaker curiously.
 Man. dear" he said, this isn't money. These are stock certificates.
 "Eh9 Stock? Well. there's money in stocks. big money if you know how 10 handle them. The promoters wandering eye shifted to the line of steyed0res trundling their trucks into the hul5 then up to the crane with its stla6ng aarden of bridge material. Every pack e was stenciled with his rivals name but he exclaimed:
 "Brayo. caL,ain! We'll be up to the summit by Christmas. No graft. No incompeten e. The utmost publicity in corporate affairs'-that,s our plat form. We're destined for a glorious success. Glorious suceess,
 GO aboard and lie down." Brennan said gently. You need good sleep"
 Then. calling steward, he ordered, Show Mr. Gordon 10 my cabin and give him what he wants.
 He watched the tall figure stumble up the gangplank and shook his head.
 "'The utmost publicity, is it? Well, it's you that's getting it now. And to think that you're the man with the mines and the railroads and the wid- ow. I'm afraid you'll be in irons when she sees you. But that's as good a finish as you deserve. after all
 The building of the Salmon river bridge will not soon be forgotten by engineers and men of science.
 Nowhere else in the history of bridge building had such conditions been en- countered; nowhere on earth had work of this character been attended with greater hazards: never had circum- stances created a situation of more dramatic interest By many the whole venture was regarded as a reckless gamble: for more than a million dol lars had been risked on the chance not alone that O'Neil could build supports which the ice could not demolish. but that he could build them under the most serious difficulties in record break ing time Far more than the mere cost of the structure hinged upon his success; failure would mean that his whole investment up to that point would be wiped out. to say nothing of the S2o.O00Gt0 project Of trunk line up the valle. If the Salmon.
 Had the government permitted the Kyak coal fields to be opened up the lower reaehes uF the :. l.. and N. would have had vaiue. but all activity III that region had been throttied. and the policy of delay and iudeeision at hesla- quarters promised no relief
 The actual erection Of steel work was impossible during the coldest months Parker had planned only to rush the piers. abutnents and false work to eom- lletion 50 that he could take advantase of the mild spring weather preceding line breakup The execution of thts
 plan was in itself an unparalleled un dertaking. making it necessary to hire double crews of picked men Yet. as The weeks wore into months the iDtri- cate details were wrought out one hy one and preparations were completed for the great race.
 Late in March Dan Appleton went to the front. taking with him his wife and his sister. for whom O'Neil had thoughtfully prepared suitable living quarters. The girls were as hungry as Dan to have part in the deciding