The Dermott news., 1917-06-07

the girl, waving him into silence, lever since you began it. Sometimes l think ]. it's beginning to oosesS me, too"
 You don't look like it." whispered Meade. under cover of the general | laugh that greeted her remark.
 What do I look likcF" she whis- pered back quickly in return.
 But Meade had no opportunity to tell her.
 Tt is not exactly subject for din- ner conversation. said the colonel with sudden gravity. but all of us here, even you, my dear. must realize how much that bridge means to Us. l won't go so far aS 10 say that its failure wonld ruin LIS. but il would be hard for us to survive"
 Have you ever known anything that my father designed to fa.lf" asked Meade somewhat hotly.
 No, and that k why we took his plans in spite of"
 In spite of what sir?"
 Tn spite of Curuss here and some others"
 MT. Gurtiss' said Meade turning to the chief engineer. If il will add anything to your peace of mind, l will assume my full share of responsibility for the matter. You know the books by Schmidt-G Ghemnitz. the great Ger man bridge engineer" GGrti~s nodded
 "At first I-that Is wc-thought that l .l, those compression members hut I checked them with the methods he ad- voeatcs and then submitted the figures to my father, and then he went through the whole calculation and applied co- etiicients he felt to he safe.h
 I'm willing to take your father's Judgment in the matter rather than Schmidt-Chemnitz', or anybody's." said Curtiss. "so successful has been his ca reer"
 "Now that l have seen the members 1 in place l have no doubt that they will stand" said the colonel.
 sure they will" added Abbott with supreme and contagious confidence. an assurance which helped even Meade to i believe
 "Of course We all know" said Doc l tor Severence, who had been long l enough in touch with engineering to i learn much about it, that there Is al 1 ways more or less of experimenting in the design of new thing like this"
 Yes" said the colonel, but we l don't want our experiment to fail in i this instance"
 "They won't" said the young man boldly.
 He had long since persuaded himself that he had been all wrong and his father all right. so that he entered upon his defense and the defense of the bridge with enthusiasm. He was ready to hre ak lance with anybody on its behalf"
 "Well," began the colonel. i've have 1 every confidence in your father and in you. I don't mind telling you Meade, | 1t need not go any further, that when this bridge Is completed We shall be l prepared to make you personally Il 1 very advantageous offer for future re- ! latlonS with the Martlet compa if you care to accept it. On the strength of your probable acceptance we are al- ready planning to venture Into certain foreign fields which we have hitherto not felt 1t to our interest to enter" "That is most kind of you, Colonel ] 1lliugworth." said the young man grate- fully, "and II appeals to me very i strongly. l have been associated with i father latterly. He wants to retire with the completion of this bridge, and l before l open any office of my own I should like the advantage of further experience. Such connection as you propose seems to me to be ideal, from my point of view No man could have any better backing than the Martlet i Bridge company"
 Well. we shall look to you to be worthy of It." said the colonel kindly. His glance vaguely comprehended his daughter as he spoke. Colonel l Illingworth was very rich man. The Martlet Bridge company was nearest his heart, but he had many other in- terests. His only daughter would event ually be the mistress of great for tune. Meade was not poor. Of course, his means were limited compared to Colonel Illingworth's great fortune. but what he had earned, saved, and invest ed was sufficient-yes, even for two. And he would Inherit much more. Old Meade had not been the greatest engi- neer of his generation for nothing. h. dependent and self-respectlng, young Meade could not be considered a for tune hunter by anybody. He was the kind of man to whom a decent father likes to intrust his daughter. Old Colonel Illingworth found himself gaz- ing wonderingly at the two. After dinner the men sat out on the observation platform with their cigars and coffee. For those that liked it there was something in tall glasses in which Ice tinkled when the glasses were agitated, but Meade declined all