The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-03-10

ana compelling In the pressure OF his
strong hand upon the firm flesh of her
round arm. She shrank closer to him,
again unthinkingly, by natural i'm
pulse.
The moon was now well clear OF the
brow of the highest hill. Its yellow
was turning to silver and in its cold
and beautiful illumination the whole
river flowed bright beneath them. Ev-
cry inch of the bridge was now clearly
revealed in the white, passiOnless light.
Fifty feet away it ended in the air.
They were now almost directly be-
meath the traveller, near the end Of the
suspended span. Its huge legs sprawled
out like those Of gigantic animal on
the extreme edges of the bridge on Ell
Their side above their heads. The wood
Ell platform on the track ran out half
the distance to the bridge end. Slowly
the two walked along IT until but
few feet were left between them and
the naked floor beams and the string
ers carrying the ties to which the rails
were bOlted and the planks laid.
BY the side of the track on the top
of the stringers had been placed pile
of material surmOunted by large fiat
plate of steel, which lay level upon it.
1t was triangular in shape, the blunt
point inward. The base which was
about six feet wide paralleled the
course of the river. The plate on the
top of the pile was raised about three
feet above the level Of the track. They
stopped abreast Of 1t.
Cant we 60 any further?" asked
the girl In low tones, still close to the
young man, who still lightly clasped
her arm.
I'm afraid it wouldn't be safe to
go any farther" he said.
81 want to see the steamer. 1t will
pass directly under the bridge"
"They have no business to pass I'M
der the bridge" said Meade. They've
been warned hundreds Of times and or
ders have been issued. There is al
ways danger that something might
fall"
"Why can't stand up thereT
"On that gusset platter
as that what you call lit"
Eyes, Ii bears the same relation to
structural steel that a gusset does to
a woman's dress"
Exactly. But can't l stand on it?"
wait" he answered.
He climbed to the center of 1t, lifted
himself up and down on his feet to test
1t, and found it solid apparently.
II think so, but shall have to put
you up" he said at last as he lifted
her up and set her down on her feet In
the middle of the plate of steel.
"Oh, there comes the steamer" she
cried. 81 can see it beautifully from
here"
BE careful. You must not move
Stand perfectly steady. / am not so
sure of that plate" He reached over
from where he stood on the track be-
| low her and by her side and gathered
the material of her dress in an iron
grasp.
81 do not think that is necessary"
she said This plate seems as solid as
the rest of the bridge and-Oh, there's
the steamer! She's right under u.s."
The big river craft was filled with
light and laughter. The wind fortu-
nately blew the smoke away from the
bridge so that they had a clear and
perfect view Of her. There was band
playing aboard her. They heard the
music above the beat Of the whirling
paddles, the song of the rising wind.
The passengers were cOngregated
about the rails on the upper decks
staring upward. The bridge was as
fascinating to them as 1t was to the
people ashore evidently.
"How interesting" said the delight
ed girl. "Why don't you come up here
yourself, you can see so much betterr
The man had dropped her gown, lift
ed his right foot to the pile on the
stringers TO follow her suggestion.
Thoughtlessly she stepped toward the
outer end to give him room. quite for
getful of his caution. Before he could
complete his step or warn her of the
danger, 1t now bent forward. 1t tilted
distinctly. In spite of herself, Helen
Illingworth was carried still farther
forward as she sought to regain her
balance. The piece of steel began to
slip downward, grating on the pile of
beams as it moved; another second
, and 1t would be off and on its way ir-
revocably.
, Meade threw himself at the girl. He
lunged out and caught her just as she
was slipping downward with the plate
now almost perpendicular. To catch
her he had to step 10 the very edge of
the planking beyond which the rails
ran naked on the ties.
= With tremendous effort he caupbt
her by the weist, swung her up and in
and stood fast on the brink quiyerInp
: heaving himself desperately backward
as he sought TO maintain his balance
= and take the backward step that meant
!. safety.
A wild shout rose from the s,eamo-
' as the huge plate dropped. like tho
blade OF mighty guillotine. straight
down through the air. If it had strnck
: the boat, It would have cut tbrouoh
Ike a knife. Fortunately It cleared
. the gangway by inches. In a second
1t had disappeared. Screams shouts