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

their enOrtS TO open the lmprOylSed |
spillway, and then the final disaster. |
The recital lost nothing in his graphic |
relation.
"It was fine, it was magnificent" |
said the colonel, patting his daughters |
shoulder. "Where are the two who |
went with him?"
They're outside there" said Win |
ters.
The old colonel went to the door of |
the car and called the two men into the |
car.
''In the bank down In Coronado |
there's a thousand dollars of mine for
each of you," he said promptly.
"We didn't do it for money, sor,"
said the big Irishman, although twill
be welcome enough, but how is Mr..
Roberts?"
You mean that man who blew up
the hog-back?'
ISL, signore, a greata man he ees,"
said the little Italian.
II wish could say he was all right,
but there's a doctor with him and we
have sent for the best physician in
! IONL. ne ) horribly Hurl.
'But plaise God, he may pull through,
sor. The Holy Virgin an the Saints
presarve him." said the Irishman. max
ing the sign of the cross.
And in his own language little Fun
aro breathed a simil-r prayer and with
his grimy, toil-stained hand he made
the same gesture.
oh &ha
pines on the side of the hill between
the car and the mesa.
"That'll be Mr.. Vandeventer, the
resident engineer" said Murphy.
Colonel Illingworth turned to the
door again.
"Where's Roberts? cried Vandeven-
ter, stumbling down the hill. He was
haggard and worn and weary to the
point of exhaustion, but as soon as he
had been assured of the safety of the.
dam-and before he left the water was
visibly receding-he had started out to
seek the engineer whom he had, in his
mind in the excitement of the moment,
accused of desertion.
Hes here in my car, SIR" said Colo
mel Illingworth.
"And who are you, may 1 ask?" said
Vandeventer, crossing the track and
swinging himself upon the platform of
the car.
81 am Colonel Illingworth, president
of the Martlet Bridge company"
But RobertsF"
'His name is not Roberts. It's
Meade"
''What? The international man?"
"Yes."
81 knew he was an engineer. WE'LL
he's made up for his failure there"
''He did not fail there any more than
he failed here" said the colonel.
'"Where is he?"
Its a long story"
"It can wait" said Vandeventer
brusquely 81 want to thank him for
saving the dam and the lives of the
men on it, and the town, and the rail-
road, and the bridge"
81 don't know whether you can thank
him or not" said the colonel.
"YOu don't mean"
"He was terribly hurt by the last ex-
plosion and they brought him here
"Can / see him."
For answer Colonel Illingworth
pointed to the door.
This is my daughter Your name is
Vandeventer, is it not? Helen, this is
the engineer who is building the dam.
He has come to ask after his man."
1--WE done everything 1 can for him, -
said Severence, coming out of the
stateroom, followed by the porter, as
Vandeventer shook hands with the girl
He's still unconscious, but seems to
breathe a little easier"
Into the little room the woman and
the four men crowded. Vandeventer
accompanied by Murphy and Funaro
followed the colonel. Neither of the
workmen would be left out. There Law
the engineer, his face as white as the
linen of the pillow or the bandage
which had been deftly tied around his
head. One hand, still grimy and mud.
stained, lay on the sheet. Helen n
| lingworth knelt down and kissed it ana
laid her head on the bed.
HE is to be my husband if he lives
she said simply.
"a man and an engineer he is" whis
| pered Vandeventer.
81 misjudged you, Meade" said the
| colonel softly, speaking as if the un
| conscious man could hear. 81 con
| demned you. 1 wish to Heaven Vol
could hear me make amends now"
e "Begob," whispered Murphy, "you't
ought to seen him run wild the dinna
mite"
1t The voice of the Italian murmuret
Il words which they knew were prayer
L and though they came from humbl
: lips they brought relief to all. The,
. entered deeply into Helen nlingworth'
heart and mingled with her own peti
% tons, frantic, fervent, imperative, al
y. though she offered them to Almight
u God as from woman broken. Pres
!e emily they all filed out of the room
Is leaving Helen Illingworth alone wit
&c what was left of life in the crushe
= body of the man she had never love
so much before.
~ In the observation room Vandevente
y told them of the fight for the dam an
= : how they had reached their maximum
P""Oi VI IoolStdHce anu lnOFe, anu tud
~, the relief came in the very nick G
time. Meanwhile the engine drive
had burned up the track going and con
ing and in less than an hour he wa
', back with two surgeons and trafne
~ nurse. Was it their skill and care an
watchfulness that finally brougf
: Meade back to consciousness, or was
3 | the passionate consuming intensity {
will and purpose of the woman wh