The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-05-26
CHAPTER XXI.
At Last TO the Stars.

deed the water was roaring down he
Meath the steel arch bridge. filling for
The first time in generations the chan
mel Of the Kicking Horse. Fortunate
" It could flow that way without dan
ger 70 the town or the viaduct below.
The colonel led his daughter to n
chair and then turned to Winters.
You were there" he began. Tell
no about IT,"
Graphically the big cattle rancher
-old the story Of Meade's mad rush
over the rocks with his two compan-
ions. Of the desperate assault on the
hog-baCk, Of the success that had met
their efforts 10 open the imprOviSed
Spillway, and then the final disaster.
The recital lost nothing in his graphic
relation.
1T 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
tiers.
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 Il thousand dollars of mine for
each of you" he said promptly.
1--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.
Il wish l could say he was all right,
| but there's a doctor with him and we
have sent for the best physician in
town. He's horribly hurt"
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
arc breathed similar prayer and with
his grimy, toil-stained hand he made
the same gesture.
Murphy" shouted a voice from the
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 10 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.
He's here in my car, sir" said Colo
mel IIlingwOrth.
and who are you, may aSk?" said
Vandeventer, crossing the track and
swinging himself upon the platform of
the car.
Il am Colonel Illingworth, president
of the Martlet Bridge company
But Roberts,"
His name is not Roberts. Its
Meade"
What? The International man?"
yes"
u 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?"
ITS a long. story"
ut can wait" said yandeventer
bru>qUely. Il 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"
Il don't know whether you can thank
him or not said the colonel.
You don't mean"
"!Ie was terribly hurt by the last ex-
pIoSion and they brought him here"
Can l see him."
For answer Colonel UingwOrtl
pointed to the door
This is my daughter. Your name Is
NautercEter, Is it not? Helen, this is
the engineer who i building The dam
II" has come to ask after his man"
I've done everything l cau fer him
sal. Seyegyuca, 'couiu- out uf tn,
>,atnrupm, followed hy tie porter. "a,
Fau.eyrur,r SHOOK h.nl, with The girl
Hes still unconscious. auJ seems L
lr.a,A. a Ii,,r. ua-t .r."
INTO the U... r.ru The woman AND
Oh, tour i... .ru.... Van lrveucer