Mexico Missouri message., 1917-09-20
CHAPTER XVII.
The MeuaIomaniac.


Sixty-odd hours before the expiration
of the time limit, BARLEY Williams,
lean and somber-eyed from the strain
he had been under for many days and
nights, saw the presidents gray road
ster plowing its way through the mesa
sand on the approach to the construc-
tiOn camp, and was glad.
"Tve been trying all the morning to
squeeze out time to get into town." he
told Baldwin, when the roadster came
to a stand in front of the shack COM
missary. "Where is Smith,"
The colonel threw up his hand in a
gesture expressive of complete detach-
ment.
"Don't ask me. John has gone plumb
loco in these last two or three days.
It's as much as your lIfe's worth to
ask him where he has been or where
he is going or what he means to do
next"
"He hasn't stopped f1ghting" said
the engineer, half aghast at the bare
possibility.
"Oh, no; he Is at 1t harder than
ever-going it just a shaving too
strong, is what I'd tell him, IL he'd let
me get near enough to shout at him.
Last night, after the theater, he went
around to the Herald office, and the
way they're talking 1t on the street,
he was aiming to shoot up the whole
newspaper joint If Mark Allen, the edi-
tor, wouldn't take back a bunch of the
lies he's been publishing about the
High Line. 1t wound up in a scrap
of some sort. don't know who got
the worst of it, but John isn't crippled
up any, to speak of, this morning-Only
in his temper"
Williams shook his head. 81 guess
we'll have to stand for the crouch, If
he'll only keep busy. He has the hot
end of it. We couldn't very well get
along without him, right now, colonel.
With ali due respect to you and the
members Of the board, he is the fight
ing backbone of the whole outfit"
"He is that" was Baldwin's ready
admission. HE is just what we've
been calling him from the first, Bart
ley-a three-ply, dyed-ln-the-wOol Won
der in his speciality. He is fighting
now like a man in the last ditch, and
1 believe he thinks he is In the last
ditch"
''It will be only two days more"
said the engineer, saying 1t as one who
has been counting the days in keen
anxiety. And then: "Stillings told me
| khnk yafp fn not
an extension Of the time limit from the
state authorities"
mo; that little fire went out, blink,
Just as Smith said it would. Stanton's
hackers have the political pull-ln the
state as we'll as In Washington. They're
going to hold us to the letter of the
law"
"Let 'em do 1t. Wen win out yet
If we don't run up against one or both
Of the only two things I'm afraid OF
now: high water, or the railroad call.
down."
'1The railroad grab? Have you heard
anything more about thatT
'That is what was trying to get tC
town for; to talk the railroad business
ONtE Will yOu
They've had gang here this morn
lng-a bunch of engineers, with Q
stranger, who gave his name as Hal
lowell, In charge. They claimed to bt
verifying the old survey, md HalloweI
, notified me formally that our dam stOOi
: squarely in their right Of way for 4
bridge crossing of the river"
, 'They didn't serve any papers OF
you, did theyT" inquired the colOne
anxiously.
3 "No; the notice vas verbal, Blu
Hallowell wound up with threat. H
: said, You've had due warning, legdll.
l and otherwise, Mr.. Williams. This 4
h our right of way, bought and paid for
r. as we can prove when the matter get
\ into the courts. You mustn't be sur
!. prlsed If we take whatever steps ma,
0 be necessary to recover what belong
o to u.s."
4 "Force2" queried the Mlssouriar
/ with CLINT OF the border lighters fir
: In his eyes"
Maybe. But vera ready FOR that