Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-05-18

get the wounded engineer into the car,
but they finally managed it. BY the
woman's direction they laid him on her
bed In her own private stateroom.
zone of us must go for doctor at
once" said Rodney, land that will be
my job"
"It's twenty miles to the town."
said the conductor, who had helped to
receive them. "If one of you could
telegraph we could tap a WIRE"
None of them could.
tits all down-grade and there's a
good roadbed and 1 was some sprinter
In my college days." said Rodney.
"And there was never greater need
of haste than now" said Winters. 81
wish / had horse here"
Don't give up, Miss Illingworth," !"
continued Rodney, as he started to-
ward the door. "He's alive yet"
Just then. opportunely enough,
rounding the last curve before the arch
bridge, they saw the end of the other
car rapidly approaching them. Had
they not been so excited they could
have heard the furious putting of the
engine as it drove the car at great
speed up the heavy grade.
"Walt," said the conductor, 1--WE can
send the engine down for the doctor.
Thatll be the colonePs car"
In few minutes the car stopped on
the siding. Out of it came Colonel
Illingworth, Doctor Severence, Curtiss,
and some of the officials of the Bridge
company in town. They were all great
ly excited. The colonel did not stop to
put on his hat. He ran to the other
car and climbed aboard.
'The dams going," he shouted. "The
bridge and the town will be flooded.
We got word an hour ago by messen-
ger galloping down. The telephone
wires are down. ran the car up here
as the quickest way to get over to the
reservoir and the dam. Some of you
who know the way come with me-"
BY this time the observation room
of the car was filed with men.
"You need not worry about the dam,
said Rodney.
"What do you meant"
"a man blew up the hog-back, made
spill-way, the water rushed out
through it into the ravine, you can
see it below there, relieving the pres
sure on the dam at once. Since it has
held up till now it will hold for good.
"Thank God !" cried the colonel, sink.
ing down into chair and wiping the
sweat Off his brow. "The bridge will
be safe then. BY George" he gasped
"the Martlet company could hardly
have stood another loss like that
Who's the man who blew it up?"
"I1is name is Meade" said Rodney
quietly.
'Not-7"
Eyes"
There was long pause. Every
man there knew Of the failure of the
International and in what estimation
the old colonel held the name of Meade
because of that.
"Well, it was fine thing" said thu
colonel; at makes up for his blunder
ing work on the bridge"
BEG pardon, sir" said Shurtliff, whC
had stood wide-eyed and white and suf
ferlng In silence ever since the engi
neer had been brought to the car, ii
was not his blunder."
"Why, you said so yourself" criet
the colonel.
II lied,' admitted the secretary.
Quick as a flash Rodney had hi!
notebook out. Here was the proof a
last.
"whyT
ITO save the reputation of the maj
I loved"
"And how do 1 know you are no
lying for this man nowF asked tn,
colonel harshly.
These will prove it," said ShurtlifI
extending some papers he drew out o
his pocket, where he had placed then
that morning half intending to tel
Helen Illingworth the truth at last.
"What are these?" the colonel asked
staring at Shurtliff, who stood erect be
fore them, sustained more by his wi
than anything else, for his knees wer
shaking and his body quivering; yet b
was glad after all, more happy than h
had thought he could be, in making th
revelation, in vindicating the innocen
in giving that satisfaction to Hele
l1llingworth, tardy, even too late, thoug
1t might be.
/ Letters, sir. You will find there
: blueprint of the design of the compre
/, sion members" answered Shurtli
r monotonously as If he had forced h
mind to a certain action and it ws
working automatically. with it is
letter from Bertram Meade to his f
/ ther suggesting that the lacings wei
too light and calling attention to IL
empiric formula of Schmidt Chemni
in proof of his argument. On ii
! back of that letter Mr.. Bertram Mead
| Sr., made an indorsement-you kno
i his handwriting and can identify 1t.
Hold until bridge is finished and thu
give back to the boy. Well show hi
that even Schmidt-Chemnitz doesi
know everything
COlOuel lulnSWOTIn turned tee pap
NJ over. There was the Endorsement.
v "Well, by heaven p he began.
There's another paper in an env
4 ope addressed to the editor of the NJ
4 York Gazette. Will you read it alor
Il sir7"
| Almost rs IL he had been hypnotic
Colonel Illingworth took from the {
n velope the brief note. He read it:
N | alone am responsible for the erl
In the design OF the International brid
A which has resulted in this terrible dis
i ter. / know that my son, in an effort
n shield me. win assume the responsible
\ As matter Of fact. he had previou
> pointed out what he believed to be str
=. tural weakness. but refused to heed
w representations and overbore bis obi
tions. The fault is entirely chargeabIs
me. There Is no possible expiatiun for
h. blunder. The least / can do is to assume
N. the responsibility. The blame Is mine.
!, BERTRAM MEADI
He laid 1t down with the other
Ir- pers.
ed ''The demonstration is complete {
nd absolute" he began spontaneoui