The Benson signal., 1917-07-07

end. Helen Illingworth, praying as
she had never prayed before, sought to
support the unconscious mans head.
The Italian gathered up the tools and
went ahead to open up the path. Rod
ney followed after.
Their progress was slow Of neces-
sity. They had to handle Meade with
great care. Winters and Rodney, after
the brief inspection they had made,
him. Neither could Helen Illingworth.
They went along without conversation,
naturally, except for an outburst Of ad-
miration from Winters.
II tell you," he said, "it was mag
nificent thing for him to do. He risked
his life a hundred times in that mad
rush with the dynamite in his hands
and the detonators in his pocket. Yet
if he had only stayed back he would
have been safe."
"It was his anxiety for the dam and
the people that brought him down."
said Helen nlingworth. "He can't die,"
she murmured. "God surely will not
let him die. I love him so. And yet if
he does and I have lost him, innocent
or guilty, he has redeemed his fame"
"He saved Others" quoted Rodney
under his breath, 'himself he could
not save"
1t was work of great difficulty to
get the wounded engineer into the car,
but they finally managed it. BY the
woman's direction they laid him on her
bed in her own private stateroom.
"One of us must go for doctor at
once," said Rodney, "and that will be
my job"
"It's twenty miles to the town."
said the conductor, who had helped to
receive them. eff one of you could
telegraph we could tap WIRE"
None of them could.
"It's all down-grade and there's a
good roadbed and I was some sprinter
in my college days." said Rodney.
"And there was never greater need
Of haste than now" said Winters. 81
wish had horse here"
Don't give up, Miss Illingworth,' -
COlllll1uCu hOOucy, DIS uC Sldl LOO W
ward the door. "He's alive yet"
Just then, opportunely enough.
rounding the last curve before the arch
bridge, they saw the end of the other
car rapidly approaching them. Had
they not been so excited they could
have heard the furious putting of the
engine as it drove the car at great
speed up the heavy grade.
"Wait," said the conductor, 1--WE can
send the engine down for the doctor.
Thatll be the colonePs car"
In few minutes the car stopped on
the siding. Out of it came Colonel
Illingworth, Doctor Severance, Curtiss,
and some of the officials of the Bridge
company in town. They were all great
ly excited. The colonel did not stop to
put on his hat. He ran to the other
car and climbed aboard.
"The dams going" he shouted. "The
bridge and the town will be flooded.
We got word an hour ago by messen-
ger galloping down. The telephone
wires are down. I ran the car up here
as the quickest way to get oyer to the
reservoir and the dam. Some of you
who know the way come with me-"
By this time the observation room
of the car was filed with men.
"You need not worry about the dam,"
said Rodney.
"What do you mean|
"a man blew up the hog-back, made
spill-way, the water rushed out
through it into the ravine, you can
see it below there, relieving the pres
sure on the dam at once. Since it has
held up till now it will hold for good"
''Thank God!" cried the colonel, sink
ing down into chair and wiping the
sweat off his brow. "The bridge will
be safe then. By George" he gasped,
''the Martlet company could hardly
have stood another loss like that.
Who's the man who blew it up?''
"His name is Meade" said Rodney
quietly.
"Not-?"
EYES,"
There was a long pause. Every
man there knew of the failure of the
International and in what estimation
the old colonel held the name Of Meade
because of that.
"Well, it was fine thing" said the
colonel; 'it makes up for his blunder-
ing work on the bridge"
"Beg pardon, SIR" said Shurtlif, who
had stood wide-eyed and white and suf-
fering in silence ever since the engi-
neer had been brought to the car, lit
was not his blunder."
"Why, you said so yourself" cried
the colonel.
II lied," admitted the secretary.
Quick as a flash Rodney had his
notebook out. Here was the proof at
last.
"Whyw
"To save the reputation Of the man
I loved"
"And how do know you are not
nc1y1 h0