The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-01-26
CHAPTER u.
The Witness for the Defense.

possession of riches is ia the luxury
OF a private car. Although Colonel
lilingworth was personally man of
simple tastes as became an old cam
paigner, there was no appointment
that wit could devise OF that money
could buy which was lacking to make
his private car either more comfortable
or more luxurious in its napery, glass,
china and silver the dining table need
ed net to apologize TO any other any
where. The colonel was most pune
tiiious in dressing his part and Meade
and Abbott were both scrubbed to
within an inch of their lives, but,
climbing about the bridge, their hands
we're scratched, r0ughened. stained and
torn. Aside from that, Meade was GER
tainly most presentable, and old Alb
bolt, in spite of his indifference TO
such matters, looked the able and pow
erful man he was.
The conversation at dinner was at
first light and frivolous.
Z I'm lost" began Abbott, "OverpOw-
cred with all this silver and glass and
china"
"Yes," laughed Meade, 1--WE should
have brought along our granite.ware
and tincups, then we would be free
from the dreadful fear that we are go
ing to drop something or break some
thing"
"You can break anything you like"
said the colonel with heavy pleasan-
try, so long as the bridge stands
"And that is going to be forever, isn't
it, Mr.. Meade?" asked Helen quickly.
Il don't think anything built by man
will survive quite that long" he an
swered as much to her father and the
others as to her, "but this gives every
promise of lasting its time"
"You know" observed Curtiss, "there
was some question in my mind about
these big compression members. When
| first studied your fathers drawings,
I wondered If he had made the lacing
strong enough to hold the webs"
"That matter was very thoroughly
gone into" said Meade quickly. at
was the very point which myself had
questioned, but father is absolutely
confident that we provided latticing
enough to take up all the stresses. l
looked into that matter myself" he
went on with much emphasis.
II guess it's all right" said Curtiss
lightly. II examined the webs and lac
ings carefully this afternoon. They
seem to be as right as possible"
"Those trusses," said Abbott emphat-
ically, twill stand forever. You need
not worry about that"
"Are you going to finish this job on
stime?" asked Severance, the vice presi-
xdent. "You know the financial end of
is mine, and much depends upon the
bate Of completion"
'That depends upon you people at
he shop, doctor. If you get the stuff
here to me I'll get it in place in short
AEl2er," answered Abbott.
I'VE aren't worrying about anything
with you and Meade on the job, Alb
! hott," said the colonel genially.
X "Yes, you are, father" said the girl
Ever since the International has been
Started you have scarcely been able to
give thought even to me. I'm tired
bf it. | hope the old thing viii soon
be finished, so that we can all go back
,to normal life again"
Il hope so, too" assented the colonel
''and guess you are right. The fact
is the bridge is an obsession with us
ALL II is the biggest job the MartIet
has ever handled. Indeed. it is the
biggest thing in the world. It's the
longest cantilever, the greatest span
the heaviest trusses, the"
''I've heard all about it." interrupted
the girl, waving him into silence, lever
since you began it. Sometimes think
it's beginning to obsess me. too"
"You don't look like it," whispered
Meade, under cover of the genera
laugh that greeted her remark.
''What do | look llkeY' she whis
pered back quickly, in return.
But Meade had no opportunity to
tell her.
1T is not exactly a subject for din
ner conversation, said the colonel witt
sudden gravity, 'bW all of us here
even you, my dear, must realize how
much that bridge means to us. won't
60 so far as to say that its failure
| would ruin us, but 1t would be hard fol
us to survive"
Have you ever known anything tina
my father designed to fail?" asked
Meade somewhat holly.
mo, and that is why we took his
plans in spite Of"
an spite of what, sirY'
"In spite of Curtiss here and som,
others"
MIR. Curtiss," said Meade, turnin,
to the chief engineer, IF it will adj
anything to your peace of mind, will
assume my full sh are of responsibilit!
for the matter. You know the book
by Schmidt Chemnitz, the great Ger
man bridge engiheer?"
Ilurtiss nodded
FAt first I-that is, we-thought tina
there might possibly be weakness il
Those compression members, but
checked them with the methods he ad
votates and then submitted the figures
to myfather, and then he went through