The Benson signal., 1917-07-07

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"Yes."
II knew he was an engineer. Well,
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?"
"It's long story"
"It can watt" said Vandeventer
brusquely. II 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"
II 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 himY'
For answer Colonel nlingworth
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."
"I've done everything 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 lay
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 Il
lingworth knelt down and kissed it and
laid her head on the bed.
''He is to be my husband if he lives"
she said simply.
"a man and an engineer he u.s." whis-
pered Vandeventer.
''I misjudged you, Meade" said the
colonel softly, speaking as if the un-
conscious man could hear. "I con-
demned you. I wish to heaven you
could hear me make amends now"
"Begob," whispered Murphy "you'd
ought to seen him run wild the dinna-
mite"
The voice of the Italian murmured
words which they knew were prayers
and though they came from humble
lips they brought relief to all. They
entered deeply into Helen nlingworth's
heart and mingled with her own peti-
tiOns, frantic, fervent imperative, al
though she offered them to Almighty
God as from woman broken. Pres
emily they all filed out Of the room,
leaving Helen Illingworth alone with
what was left of life in the crushed
body of the man she had never loved
so much before.
In the observation room Vandeventer
told them of the fight for the dam and
how they had reached their maximum
power of resistance and more, and that
the relief came in the very nick of
time. Meanwhile the engine driver
had burned up the track going and COM
ing and in less than an hour he was
back with two surgeons and trained
nurse. Was it their skill and care and
watchfulness that finally brought
Meade back to consciousness, or was it
the passionate, consuming intensity of
will and purpose of the woman who
loved him, who could scarcely be driv-
en- from his side? Well, whatever the
reason, after many days he passed
from death into life and came back
again.
He was conscious Of Helen's pres
ence and lay quietly envelOped in her
love before he could talk cOherently or
question. Indeed, with Rodney and
Winters, and old Shurtliffss who swore
to himself that he would never forgive
himself if Meade did not recover, and
the colonel, and Vandeventer, and all
the men Of the force, who used to stroll
over after hours and just sit on the
side Of the track and stare at the car
where the man who had saved them
was fighting for his life as desperately
as they had fought to save the dam,
Meade was surrounded by such an at
mosphere Of admiration and devotion
as might have stayed the hand Of death
itself. There came a day when the
physician said he could talk a little.
II saw you," Helen whispered. II
was standing on the high hill watch
ing, looking down upon you just be-
| fore"
"But shall look up to you all the
rest of my life," said the man, as the
woman knelt, as was her wont, by the
side of the bed. She kissed his hand,
thin, wasted, but white and clean now.
"No, I to you," she murmured, as
she pressed her lips to his fingers.
"Look up little higher, then," whis-
pered Meade with some of the old hu-
NOR.
"YOu mean?"
The voiceless movement of his lips
told her the story. She raised herself
and kissed them lightly.
II haven't dared to ask that before"
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