The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-08-29
CHAPTER xtV.-Continued.

-
The lantern was standing on the
roadway on top Of the dam. A man
was kneeling beyond it, his figure seen
dimly in the faint light Of the lantern.
He was staring intently down the
front Of the dam at the water. The
lantern was near the edge and it faint
ly illuminated the black, rain-lashed
surface below. Vandeventer realized
with shock of horror how much more
rapid the rise had been. A quick esti-
mate convinced him that the level of
the water was now within eight or nine
feet Of the dam-and it was still rain
ing!
The face of the kneeling man was
hidden by a souwester and he had on
heavy black rubber raincoat. Van
deventer reached over and touched
him on the shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" he
asked.
The kneellng man sprang up with an
exclamation. It was Meade. The re-
lief in Vandeventer's mind was great
at the recognition.
II just came out to look at the wa
ter, I couldn't sleep with all that
pounding on the iron roof Of the quar-
tiers, so I dressed and came out"
Vandeventer opened the slide Of his
own lantern and threw the light on the
reservoir.
cts risen eight or ten feet since we
saw it, and with this rain"
cts not coming down so hard as
it was when I first came out here"
said Meade. II think you can see it
slackening yourself"
eyes," said the resident engineer,
listening moment, II believe it is. If
it stops now," he continued thought
fully, 1--WE ought to be SAFE"
eyes, I think so," answered Meade.
In the night alone, together in that
crisis in their fortunes, the two men
were interchanging thoughts and ideas
on terms Of perfect equality. It did
not occur to Vandeventer to question
why, and that they were doing 50
aroused no surprise in the mind of
Meade.
"Of course" continued Meade, ''even
If it does stop raining We'll continue
to get lot Of runoff from the water
shed for some time"
eyes," said the resident engineer
shat Of course, but if the rain stops
everywhere we can scarcely have {
rise of more than five or six feet, ant
that would still be a little below thu
spillway."
cts stopping here now" pointed ou
Meade, and, indeed, the force Of thu
downpour was greatly diminished.
The two stood watching the dam ant
the black lake beyond it in silence fo1
O. few moments until the rain practical
~ ceased. The air was misty and heav,
with moisture, but the rain was Ger
tainly over for the time at any rate.
''Thank goodness" said the residen
engineer in great relief. "Now if it,
stopped everywhere We'll be all right
EYES," said Meade, land I'm incline.
to think it has stopped everywhere
Whoever thought it would rain in Jan
uary here? There hasn't a drop, t.
speak of, fallen in January for twent,
years, or since there have been an,
records. Why in heavens name i
had to come now don't see."
'Look here, Roberts," said vande
venter suddenly, you know you're
first-class engineer"
Meade shook his head.
''You can't fool me-" said the olde
man. 1--WE watched you. You knoy
more about the game than anybod
here except myself. You don't choos
to confide in me, although like yor
and am in position to help you"
II appreciate what you say, Mr.. Van
deventer,' returned the other; ether
Is. no one to whom should rather tel
the whole story than to you, but
can't-not yet"
"Well, keep your own counsel, bu
If you ever want a friend, count on me
meanwhile, as man of experience an
ability, what would you do?'
Sect out the men and build up
temporary dam on the top of the road
way here, to turn the flow over to tn
east bank and make the spillway d
more work. E-~~.
"But the rain has stopped"
"And in all probability will sta
Atopped-still you never can tell. .
few more hours Of rain like that we'v
hofl ond the whole thing would 90