Mexico Missouri message., 1917-10-11
CHAPTER XXI.
Witnesses.


Driven by Starbuck in the brand
new car, Smith reached the dam at
half-past ten and was in time to see
the swarming carpenters begin the
placing of forms for the pouring of the
final section of the great wall. Though
the high water was tapping at the foot
timbers Of the forming, and the wealth.
er reports were still portentous, Will
liams was in fine fettle. There had
been no further interferences on the
part of the railroad people, every man
on the job was squirting for the finish.
and the successful end was now fairly
In sight.
"We'l be pouring this afternoon"
he told Smith, "and with a twenty
four-hour set for the concrete, and the
forms left In place for additional Sc
Curlty, we can shut the spillway gates
and back the water into the main
ditch. Instead of being a hindrance,
then, the flood-tide will help. Under
slack-water conditions, 1t would take
day or two to finish filling the reser-
voir lake, but now Wen get the few
feet rise needed to fill the sluices al
most while you wait"
'You have your guards out, as we
planned?" Smith inquired.
'aTwenty Of the best men could
find. They are patrOlling on both
sides of the river, with instructions to
report If they see so much as a rabbit
jump up"
"Good. I'm going to let Starbuck
drive me around the lake limits to
see to 1t personally that your pickets
are on the job. But, first, I'd like
TO use your phone for a minute or
two" and with that Smith shut him
self up In the small field Office and
called Martin, the bookkeeper, at the
town headquarters.
The result of the brief talk with
Martin seemed satisfactory, for when
it was concluded, Smith rang OFF and
asked for the Hophra House. Being
given the hotel exchange, he called
the number of Miss Richlander's suite,
and the answer came promptly in her
full, throaty voice:
"Is that you, Montague2"
"Yes. I'm out at the dam. Moth
ing has been done yet. No telegraph
ing, 1 mean. You understand"
Perfectly. But something is go
ing to be done. Mr.. X. has had Colonel
B. with him in the bank. l saw the
colonel go in while was at breakfast.
When are you coming back to town?"
"Not for some time; have a drive
to make that will keep me out until
afternoon"
every well; you'd better stay away
as long as you can, and then you'd
better communicate with me before
you show yourself much in public. I'll
have Jibbey looking out for you"
Smith said "good-by" and hung up
the receiver with fresh twinge Of
dissatisfaction. Every step made his
dependence upon Vera Richlander
more complete. Corona Baldwin:
what would she say to this newest al
lancer Would she not say again, and
this time with greater truth, that he
was a coward Of the basest sort; OF
the type that makes no scruple Of hid
Ing Denlnu WOLnhu . ohlIlog
Between the noon-hour and the
one-o'clock Hophra House luncheon,
Mr.. David Kinzie, still halting be,
tween two opinions, left his desk and
the bank and crossed the street to
the hotel. He wrote his name on a
card and let the clerk send 1t up. The
boy came back almost Immediately
with word that Miss Rlchlander was
waiting in the mezzanine parlors.
The banker tipped the call-boy and
went up alone. He had seen Miss
RIchlander, once when she was driving
with Smith and again at the theater In
the same company. So he knew what
to expect when he tramped heavily
into the parIor overlooking the street.
None the less, the dazzling beauty Of
the young woman who rose to shake
hands with him and call him by name
rather took him off his feet. David
KInzie was a hopeless bachelor, from
choice, but there are women, and wom-
en-.
''Do you know, Mr.. Kinzie, / have
been expecting you all day" she said
sweetly, making him sit down beside
her on one of the flaming red monstros-
tiles billed in the hotel inventories as
'Louls Quinze sofas" ''My father sent
| ms note by one Of youi young men