The Dolores star., 1917-09-07
CHAPTER xI-censInu.d.

CHAP En- AI-Conetnueo.
~
Again the train was delayed and
held up for half an hour Just as It
reached the Mississippi river. He left
his seat ln the dining car. his dinner
uneaten on the table. to go out and in
spsct the bridge during the half-hour
that the 'limited" lay Idle. The next
day some enormous irrigation works
In western Nebrnskn SO engrossed his
attention and aroused his interest TINT
In spite Of himself he stopped over
between trains to see them. And these
actions were typical.
Yet after every one Of these excur-
sions back into his own Geld, his con-
sctence smote him. WINS he never to
get away from this engineering7 Nvas
there nothing else for him but brick
and stone, steel and concrete. designs
and plans and undertaking md accom-
plishment In the world7 Because 1t
was the thing that he must abandon
and put out Of his mind, engineering
seemed the only thing hs cared for.
There would be no engineering on that
ranch on the slopes of the range. He
couid settle the question there.
Winters was glnd to see him. He and
Rodney and Meade had been the warm
est Of friends. OF course Meade could
not tell Rodney the truth on account
OF his newspaper connections, but he
decided finally that he could md would
tail Winters under assurance of absO-
fufe secrecy. For one thing the big
cattleinnn had bluntly refused to credit
his friends first statements: and. when
he Mt last heard the truth, he blamed
him roundly while he appreciated fully
clear-hended, practical Winters put 1t
this wny: Meade was capable Of do
ing splendid service to humanity as an
engineer aud bade falr to be even
greater thnn his father, yet for the
0ake Of the fame of dead man, to
Whum after all 1t would matter little,
be bad thrown away that splendid op-
portunity!
This was q new thought to Meade
and q disturbing one. Unfortunately.
as even Winters wns forced to &c
knowledge. the suggestion came too
late. The course had been entered up
on. It would be cowardly to try to
shange It now. Indeed 1t would have
been impossible with the disappear
ancs OF the written protests and notes.
Even II ShurtllH hnd been willing. no
one would have believed a delayed re-
traction and explanation. and Shurtliff
would not have been willing Meade
well knew. Neither for that matter
was Meade himself. He was glad that
the affair hnd been settled and would
mot change It even now though Win
asrs, rough-and-ready presentation Of
the Mtuation dlsquieted him.
Winters, who saw how greatly over
wrought and unstrung his friend was,
contented himself with the assertion.
He did not press the point or argue It
With him. He rested quietly confident
that matters would right themselves
some way in the long run. He treated
Meade exactly right. He left him to
his own devices. He did not force his
company upon him. Sometimes the en-
gineer would mount a horse and all
ut the ranch were at his disposal-and
would ride away Into the woods and
mountains with camping outfit. Some-
dimes he would be gone for several
days, coming back white and haggard
and exhausted but victor in some hard
Battle fought out alone.
One day there came to the ranch a
letter to Winters from Rodney. full Of
friendly chat and pleasant remini-
0cence.
AMeade has disappeared absolutely"
wr0te Rodney in closing. "Eyen Miss
ulingworth. to whom he was reported
engaged and upon whom have called
Occasionaily. says she does not know
his whereabouts. OF course you saw
in the papers his connection with the
tragedy and failure of the Internation-
ali Although his frank statement was
corroborated by TINT Of the older
Meade's private secretary. IhaEe never
been able to believe 1t. neither does
Miss nlingwofth. / know Bert, and 30
does she. We can't accept even his
own testimony. We have been work
ing together to establish the truth, but
with very faint prospects Of success 30
thr. There's some tremendous mystery
sAout 1t. have thought that maybe
hsaAAs might havs come to you. II he
xsp .Asw ~. th1s lstter and beg him