The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-07-26
CHAPTER VII.
For the Son.

For the Son.
The message was received in ghast-
~ silence. No one spoke for a moment,
None moved. Colonel nlingworth's
face was fiery red. Bertram Meade
was whittier than any other man in the
room. He was thinking Of his father.
The girl moved first. Her father
and the young engineer were the two
most deeply touched. They were both
in agony, both in need Of her. Unhesi-
tatingly she stepped to the side of the
younger. And the father saw and IN
derstood even in the midst Of his suf-
fering. She had chosen.
eve are ruined" gasped the colo
| mel, Juggling at his collar. eve could
stand the financial loss, but our reputa-
toni Well never get another con-
tract. I might as we'll close the works.
And it is your fathers fault. It's up to
him. The blood of those men is upon
his head. Well, sir, I'll let the whole
world know how grossly incompetent
he is, how"
"Sir," said young Meade, standing
very erect and winter than ever, "the
fault is mine. made the calculations.
T checked and rechecked them. No
body could know with absolute certain
ty the ability of the lower chord men,
bers to resist compression. But what
ever the fault, it is mine. My father
had absolutely nothing to do with 1t.
He is"
"He's got to bear the responsibility"
cried the colonel passionately. 1T has
his name"
mo, I tell you" numbered the
younger man. "For I'll proclaim my
own responsibility. The fault is all
mine and I'll publish the fact from one
end of the world to the other"
"It's load wouldn't want to have
on my conscience" said Colonel Hing
worth.
"The ruin Of a great establishment
like the Martlet," added Doctor Sew
erence.
"The dishonor to American engineer
ing" said Curtiss.
"And the awful loss Of life," con-
tinued the colonel.
II assume them ALL" protested the
young man, forcing his lips to speak,
although the cumulative burdens set
forth so clearly and so mercilessly babe
fair to crush him.
1T was only mistake" protested
Helen Illingworth, drawing closer to
her lovers side, and with difficulty re-
sisting a temptation to clasp him in
her arms.
"A mistaken" exclaimed her father
bitterly. -
"You said yourself" urged the wom-
an, turning to the chief engineer, "that
you didn't know whether the designs
would work out, that nobody could
know, but you were convinced that
they would"
"Wait," interrupted the father.
Meade, there is one consequence you
have got to bear that you haven't
thought Of"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think I'd let my daughter
marry q man who had ruined me, an
incompetent engineer by his own con-
fessfon, a"
ut Is just" said Meade. II have
nothing further to do here, gentlemen.
I must 60 to my father"
"Just or not" cried Helen Hing
worth, II can't allow you to dispose of
me, in that way, father. If he is as
blamable as he says he is, and as you
say he is, now is the time above all
others for the woman who loves him to
stand by him."
"Miss Illingworth, you don't know
what you are saying" said Meade,
forcing himself into a cold Formally
he did not feel. II am disgraced,
shamed. There is nothing in life for
me. My chosen professionally repu-
tation-eyerxthin2 Is gone"