The Dermott news., 1917-08-30
CHAPTER XlV.-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. Vandeyenter 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 1t was still rain- ing,
 The face of the kneeling man was hidden by apu'wester and he had on a heavy black rubber raineoat. Van deventer reached over and touched him on the shoulder.
 "What are you doing heref" he asked.
 The kneellng man sprang up with an exclamation. If was Meade. The re- lief in vandeyenters mind was great at the recognition.
 .I just came out to look at the wa ter. couldn't sleep with all that pounding on the iron roof of the quar- ters. so I dressed and came out"
 vandeventer opened the slide of his own lantern and threw the light on the reservoir.
 'It's risen eight or ten feet since we cav fl. and with this rain"
 "It's not coming down so hard as 1t wns when l first came out here. Oaid Meade "I think you can see IL slackening yourself"
 "Yes." said the resident engineer. listening Il moment. II believe it is. If it stops now" he continued thought fully, we ought to be safe"
 ''Yes. 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. II did not occur to Vandeventer to question why, and that they were doing so aroused no surprise in the mind of Meade.
 .Of course" continued Meade, "even if 1t does stop raining we'll continue to get lot of runoff from the water ohed for some time"
 "Yes," said the resident engineer. ''that of course. but If the rain stops everywhere We can scarcely have n rise of mo-s han five or six feet. and that would still be n little below the spillway."
 Its stopping here now" pointed out Meade. and, indeed. the force of the downpour was greatly diminished.
 The two stood watching the dam and the black lake beyond 1t in silence for q few moments until the rain practical- ly ceased. The air was misty and heavy with moisture. but the rain was cer- tainly over for the time at any rate.
 "Thank goodness" said the resident engineer in great relief, "Now if its stopped everywhere we'll be all right
 "Yes." said Meade. land I'm inclined to think 1t has stopped everywhere. Whoever thought 1t would rain in Jan uary here? There hasn't a drop. to speak of, fallen in January for twenty years. or since there have been any records. Why in heavens name il had to come now I don't sec"
 "Look here, Roberts" said vande. venter suddenly. you know you're a first-class engineer"
 Meade shook his head.
 "You can't fool me" said the older man. Eve watched you. You know more about the game than anybody here except myself. You don't choose to coniide in me. although I like you. and am in a position to help you
 .I appreciate what you say. Mir. Van deventer." returned the other; "there is no one to whom I should rather tell the whole story than to you. but l can't--not yet"
 .Weli. keep your own counsel. but if you ever want a friend. count on me meanwhile. as man of experience and ability. what would you dof'
 "Get out the men and build up . temporary dam on the top of the road way here. to turn the flow over to the east bank and make the spillway do more work
 "But the rain has stopped"
 And In all probability will stay stopped-stiu you never can tell. A few nsrs AourS of rain file that we've hal ssA sAs whole thing would @. |