The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-03-17

Into the Room Burst Colonel Ellington.
Gus had happened. and She turned a
little pale herself as she asked the
question. not dreaming what the an
Swcr would be.
Helen said the young man. step
ping toward her and taking her hands
again, we're in awful trouble"
IF it is any trouble l can share
Bert" said the girl. flashing at him Il
look which set his pulses bounding-at
least she was to be depended on
you know you can count on me-"
Il know I can" he exclaimed crate
fully.
Now tell me-"
The International bridge is about to
fall"
The color came 10 her face again.
Was that all? came into her mind.
That was serious enough. of course.
but 1t would not matter in the long
run. Helen realized the awful gravity.
the terrible seriousness, of the Situa-
ton Of course. The bridge meant much
To her even if in quite a different way.
1t was there he had saved her from the
awful fall. 1t was there that he had
told her that he loved her. The bridge
might fall, but it was as eternal as her
affection in her memory. Their en-
Gagement. or their marriage. had been
made dependent upon the successful
completion of the bridge. What of
that? The prOviSO meant nothing 10
her when she looked at the white-faced
agoniZed man to whom she had given
herself.
1T is terrible, of course" she said
quietly. But you can do nothing?"
IF 1 could, do you think I'd let the
bridge, and you, go without
I'm not going with the bridge" was
her quick and decisive interruption.
They had both forgotten the pres
ence Of young Johnson. who was not
only decidedly uncomfortable. but des-
perately anxious. He was about 10
speak when, into this already broken
scene. came another interruption.
There was q rush of wheels on the
driveway outside, the roar of a motor.
Before Meade could answer the state
ment, into the room burst Colonel H.
his face was white, his eyes filled with
anxiety. The character of the sum-
mons had disquieted him beyond meas
ure. Back of him came Severance, the
vice president, and Curtiss, the chief
engineer.
Meade, what of the bridge?" he
burst out, with n quick nod to his
daughter. Colonel IllingwOrth had not
stopped to hunt for wayside tele-
phone. The automobile driven madly,
recklesSly through the hills and over
the rough roads. had brought him d.
rectly to the office in the shortest pos
sible time.
There is a detection one inch and
three-quarters deep in one of the COM
preston members, C-10-R," was the
prompt and terrible answer.
Colonel IllingwOrth had not been
president of the Martlet Bridge COM
Tany for so long without learning some
thing of practical construction. He
was easily enough Of an engineer TO
realize instantly what that statement
meant.
when did you discover 80" he
snapped out.
Last night"
as the bridge gomez"
Not yet"
"Why didn't you let Us know"
81 telegraphed father and. not hear
ing from him, came down on the mid
night train. 1t IS holiday In New York
as well as here. l just happened TO
meet father in the office. He sent a
telegram to you and not hearing from
you. duplicated 1t an hour later. /
tried half a dozen times to get you on
the telephone and finally, by a happy
chance, got hold of young Johnson"
where are your fathers tele-
grams?"
Here"
Colonel Illingworth tore the first
open with trembling fingers.
"Why didn't you tell AbbottT asked
the chief engineer.
you know Abbott. He said the
bridge would stand until the world
,aved in. Said he could jack the mem
Der into line. He wouldn't do thing
except on direct orders from here"