The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-03-30

ulc lnSuppOIldUlc. let the ltlihts N0buC
possibility that it might be resumed If
he could find some way to show his
worthiness was what made him cling
to it.
OF course he could have showed
without much difficulty and beyond
peradventure at the inquest over Abb
bolt and the investigation into the
cause of the failure of the bridge-un-
fortunate but too obvious-that the
frightful and fatal error in the design
was not his and that he had protested
against the accepted plan, If only he
had found the letter addressed to his
father. But that he would never do
and the letter had not been discovered
anyway. He did not even regret the
bold falsehood he had uttered or the
practical subornation of perjury of
which he had been guilty in drawing
out and accepting and emphasizing
Shurtliff's testimony.
! There had been no inquest over his
fathers death. The autopsy had
showed clearly heart failure. He had
not been compelled to go on the witness
stand and under oath as to that. Al
though, if that had been demanded, he
must needs have gone through with it.
Indeed so prompt and public had been
his avowals of responsibility that he
had not been seriously questioned
thereon. He had left nothing uncer-
tain. There was nothing concealed.
He had inherited competence from
his father. 1t was indeed much more
than he or anyone had expected He
had realized enough ready money from
the sale of certain securities for his
present needs. The remainder he
placed in Shurtliff's care and a few
days after the funeral, having settled
everything possible, he took train for
the West.
The whole world was before him,
and he was measurably familiar with
many portions of it, He could have
buried himself in Out-of-the-way cor
ners Of far countries, in strange CONT
nents. These possibilities did not at
tract him. He wanted to get away
from, out of touch with, the life he had
led. He wished to go to some place
where he could be practically alone,
where he could have time to recover
his polse, to think things out, to plan
his future, to try to devise means for
reuI1 10 thSf hst as %s psfBafs DSt
ter, in America than in any place else.
And there was another reason that
held him to his native land. He would
still tread the same soil, breathe the
/ same air, with the woman. He did not
desire to put seas between them.
He swore to himself that the free
dom he had offered her, that he had in
deed forced upon her unwilling and re-
iecting it, should be no empty thing so
far as he was concerned. He would
leave her absolutely untrammeled. He
would not write to her or COMMUNE
cate with her in any way. He would
not even seek her to hear about her
and of course as she would not know
whittier he had gone or where he was
she could not communicate with him.
The silence that had fallen between
them should not be broken even for
ever unless. and until Ah yes, he
could not see any way to complete that
"unless and until" at first, but perhaps
after while he might.
He knew exactly where he would go
Dick Winters, another classmate and
devoted friend at Cambridge, had gone
out West shortly after graduation. He
had a big cattle ranch miles from o
railroad in young southwestern state
Winters, like the other member of the
youthful triumvirate, Rodney, was {
bachelor. He could be absolutely de
pended upon. He had often begged
Meade to visit him. The engineel
would do it now. He knew Winters
would respect his moods, that he woulC
let him severely alone, that he coulC
get on a horse and ride into the hill
and do what he pleased, think out hi
, thoughts undisturbed.
To Winters, therefore, he had gone
: He had an idea that his future woult
, be outside Of engineering. Indeed h
/ had put all thought of his chosen pro
: fesslon out of his mind and heart, a
: least so he fancied. Yet, spending al
idle forenoon in Chicago waiting TO
l the departure of the western train, h
: found himself irresistibly drawn to tn
t great steel-framed structures, the sky
= scrapers rising gaunt and rigid abov
: the other buildings of the city.
Again the train was delayed an
l held up for half an hour just as |
reached the Mississippi river. He lief
/. his seat in the dining car, his Dime
uneaten on the table, to go out and in
spect the bridge during the half-hou
that the '1imited" lay idle. The mex
day some enormous irrigation work
! in western Nebraska so engrossed hi
attention and aroused his interest tina
:. in spite of himself he stopped owe
: between trains to see them. And thes
: actions were typical.
. Yet after every one Of these exeul
. sions back into his own field, his cor
!, science smote him. Was he never t
get away from this engineering? Wa