The Arvada enterprise., 1917-05-17

| 1t always does when the door of an
empty room is beaten upon. There
was no answer for moment.
'Oh, | must get ln," said the wom-
an.
Rodney knocked agan, and this time
tn. door was opened. Shurtlifr stood
in the way. He had been white and
shaken before, but now so anguished
and shocked was his appearance that
everybody stared. Shurtliff moistened
his lips and tried to speak He could
not utter word, but he did manage
to point toward the private office.
Perhaps l would better go first"
said Rodney. as the secretary stepped
back and gave them passage.
Helen Illingworth followed, and then
the rest. Young Meade was standing
erect by his fathers chair. The great
bulk of the old engineer was slouched
down, his body bent over, his head
on the desk, face downward. One
great arm, his left, extended. shot
straight across the desk. His fist
was clcnched, his right arm hung limp
by his side. He was still.
There was something Enthusiastically
terrible in his motionlcss aspect. They
had no need to ask what had hap
pened. A sharp exclamation from the
woman was the only sound that broke
the silence, as she stepped to her low
er's side.
You can't question my father now.
gentlemen" said Meade; 'he Is dead"
In the outer office they heard Shurt-
lin brokcnly calling the doctor on the
telephone and asking him to notify the
police.
"Dld he" began one, hesItatingly.
"lie was too big man to do himself
any hurt, I know" answered Meade
proudly, as he OWNED the question.
'The autopsy will tell. But am sure
that the failure of the bridge has
broken his heart"
"And we can't fix the responsibility
now" said Rodney. who for his friends
sake was glad OF this consequence of
| the old mans death.
'Ycs. you cnn." said the young man.
He leaned forward and laid his right
| b'hh' va MS hfui SIDultltF.
Helen lllingworth had possessed her
self of his left hand. She lifted 1t and
held 1t to her heart. The engineer
seemed unconscious OF the action. and
still 1t was the greatest thing he had
ever experienced. Mcndc spoke slowly
ana with the most wcighty dellbera-
ton In an obvious cndcavor to give his
| "a al trI, al. l.G,
no on" could mistake It,
| Here in the presence of my dead
father" he began. II solemnly declare
| That alone am responsible for the de-
sign or the member that failed. My
father was getting along In years. lie
| left great part of the work to me. He
pointed out what he thought was n
structural weakness In the trusscs, but
| | overhorc his objections. | alon. am
To blame. The Mnrtlet Bridge company
employed Us both. They said they
wanted the benefit of my fathers long
experience and my later training and
research"
'bo You realize. Meade" said Rod.
n"y, aS the pencils OF the reporters
flew across their pnds. 'thnt In aSsum.
Ing this responsibility which. your IN.
thrr being dead, cannot be"
| Il know 1t means the end of my ca
r""r," said Meade. forcing himself to
speak. my fathers reputation Is
dearcr to me thnn anything on earth"
Even than II" whispered the
woman.
"oh, my Cod burst out the man,
and then he checked himself and con
| tlnn"d with tn" same monOtOnOus de-
| liberation ns before, and with even
more emphnSis, II can allow no other
/ interest In life, however gr"nt. to pre-
vent mo from doing my full duty to my
fnlhrr"
II" had been fully resolved TO pro.
tcct his old fathers fame had the IA
| th"r survived III" shock. The appeal
of ih" dead man was even more power
ful than II he had lived. Meade could
not glnncc down at that crushed.
| broken, impotcnt figure and full to re-.
/ spnud. II was not 50 much lovc--nrv"r
had h" loved Helen llllnE%orth 50
| much M th"n-ns II was honor. The
| obligation must be met though his
heart broke like his fathers: even II II
Killed him, too.
And the woman How II Il Killed
herr lie could not think or tnut. lie
could think OF nothing but OF that In.
"rt body and its demand
HAY" YOU no Witnesses. no evidence
to suhSlaniin,c your extraordinary
statements" asked Rodney.
Il can suhstuntIntc H." said Shurt.
lin, coming into the room. having I'm.
ishcd his trlrphonlng, The doctor aud
the police will be here Immediately.
but bcior" they come" and hc drew
himself ~ aud faced the reporters
boldly Gentlemen, cnn testify tha,
everything that Mr.. Bcrtrum Meade
has said Is true. happened 10 hr here
when my dead friend nnd employer got
the telegram announcing the failure of
the bridge mud, although he know I,
was his sons fnult, he hrnvply offered
to assume the responsibility and hc