The Dolores star., 1917-09-28

one of them the man she loved and
sought. And Rodney stood by her side,
equally interested. searching the crowd
with his glance, also.
There was nothing In the town to at
tract Helen out of the car. She Ind
visited West and Southwest many
times. Colonel nlingworth, with Rod
ney and Severance, there left the train.
Miss nlingworth decided to go into the
hills and get away. from the arid and
heated plains. A siding had been built
near the steel arch under the slope Of
the hill from which the huge mesa
arose, within two miles of the dam.
and the car was to be placed there.
The men left behind would use the pri-
vate car Of the division superintendent
Of the railroad when they had ended
their several tasks.
1t had been raining dismally during
the afternoon. and when the car was
detached and switched to the siding
and left up in the hills some twenty
miles from the town, It was too wet
and uncomfortable to leave It. Dis
regarding the downpour, however, Cur
tiss, who had come up with 1t, made
avery careful investigation Of the
completed bridge, which more than
surpassed his expectations in Its ap-
pearance Of sturdy grace, as well as
in the evidences Of careful workman
ship In its erection.
Tint evening the special engine
pushed the other private car up from
the valley. bringing the people who
had inspected the bridge. A few more
weeks would complete the great via
duct Everything was proceeding in
the most satisfactory way and Colonel
nlingworth was very much elated over
the situation.
"Who would have thought" he said
MS they sat down to dinner in the
brightly lighted observation room,
shat 1t would rain in this country at
this season Of the yearT
ut will probably be over by tomor-
row morning." observed Rodney.
If 1t continued long enough and
rained hard enough. that dam would
have to be looked after. Wen 60 over.
and see it tomorrow" said the colonel
cheerfully.
"What would happen II 1t gave
way?" asked his daughter.
1T would flood the valley, sweep
away the town. and" he paused.
swell, fatherf"
"Ruin the bridge"
ave can't afford to have another
failure after the International" said
Severance.
Now there was q newcomer at the
table, a big rancher named Winters,
whom Rodney had met in the town
and had introduced to Colonel Hing
worth. The latter had invited him to
dinner and to stay the night in the
extra sleeper, and Winters, who had
particular reasons for wanting to talk
with Rodney and to meet Miss Hing.
worth, had accepted.
"You can count ON Its stopping" he
said at last. my ranch is hundred
miles to the north Of here. heard
Rodney was with your party, and as
he was an old classrnate Of mine-ir
fact, my best friend at Harvard along
with Bert Meade"-and the mention OF
the forbidden name caused QuicE
glances to be passed around the table
but raised no comment-''the chance OF
seeing him brought me down here.
know the weather along this whole
section Of the country; it's the dryest
place on earth, and would almost Of
fer to swallow all the rain. that will
fall after this storm spends ITSELF"
swell, that's good" said Curtiss, 'sbe
cause I've heard that the dam hacks
very little of completion, but that the
spillway has been delayed"
you'll find that the storm has bro
ken in the morning." said Winters con
fdently.
After dinner Colonel nlingworth. de
sirous Of talking business, called the
men of the party, except Rodney ant
Winters, back into the observation
room Of the other car, leaving the two
men with Helen.
"Mr. Shurtlln," said Helen, rs the
men stepped out on the platform, the
secretary following. since his employer
had intimated his services might be
needed. ~ you can, wish you would
come back here as soon as possible
Certainly, Miss Ilingworth," said
the secretary, Immediately, If YOU
father finds that he does not need me-
"Rod," said Winters when they were
alone, 'Td go long way to see you
but might as well be frank. did
not come down these hundred miles
leaving my ranch in the dead Of winter
with all its possibilities of mfshap to
the cattle, simply to see you, or even
Miss nlingworth here, although she is
worth it." he went ON with the frank
bluntness of western man.
"Of course you didn't" said Rodney
smiling. II know I'm not a sufficient
attraction"
II came to talk about Meade"
"Mr. Winters" said Helen, claspinp
her hands over her knees and lean.
/ ing forward. elf won know apvfhtno