Jerome County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1919-1920, 1919-07-03


her that there might be a message at
the hotel. She pulled on her left rein.
and swept past the deserted adobe.
AS she refined In her horse, Richard
stepped out on the sidewalk. He, too,
was heavy-eyed from d snatched nap.
"Were you looking for met"
The scorn in the girls face told him
that his question was stupid. For
himl
HAS my brother come backT
He said he did not know. "You can
see have been dreaming" She would
not smile back at him, but rode of
toward the levee.
Was this the river? West of the
levee, a, sea of muddy water spread
over the land. There was yet chance
to save the towns, the town, she cor
rected herself, as her eye fell on the
Mexican village across the ditch. For
Mexicali was doomed. Some of the
mud huts had already fallen; the wa
ter was running close to the station
house.
She saw Wooster standing near, cal
culating the distance, the time, per-
haps, before the new station would go.
/ She hailed Wooster. Ruin was pre-
saged in the lines of his forehead.
pretty bad?" she cried.
He shook his head.
rs Tom backf"
He's over there. now. Fighting like
an possessed. He'll work till he
drops" Wooster was proud of that
method.
1--WE all know TOmr' Her pride
sprang up. But he's got TO stop for
a while. I'm going up after him."
Not If my names Wooster. I'll go.
He'll mind me-"
She watched the flowing river, swol-
len with wreckage. She saw. with
comprehension, section of a fence;
somebody's crop gone. There was
railway tie, another The river was
eating up Estrada's new roadbed? A
cry broke from her as a mesquit on
the coffee-colored tide caught on a
buried snag. The current swirled dan
p serously around ii. Instantly, the wa
Ter rose toward the top of the levee.
Men came running TO pry away the
tree. minute later, 1t was dancing
2 down the stream. They raised the
q bank against the pressing tapping
/ waves. There, the tree had struck
again. They ran down the levee with
their long poles. Each time that hap
ucned. unless the obstruction were
swiftly dislodged, she knew it meant
an artificial fall somewhere, a quick
-. Oh 81
e were working like silent parts of big
a machine; the confusion of the first
Y night was gone. From their faces one
= would not guess that their fortunes,
their homes. hung on the subduing Of
l. thar indomitable force which had not
e vet known defeat. which had turned
d back explorer and cOnqustadOr. All,
there was the lurking fear of it, Vic
IS tory still lay to its credit; the other
e column was blank.
u She saw Wooster coming toward
e her His swapping black eyes shot oul
sparks of anger
/? HE won't let me 60"
II "Who won't let you?" But she knew
+ Casey. Says he'll send some on,
at else. said aS nobody else'd maxi
lie Hardin stop. he said as that was w
o. to Hardin.
Id OF course, he wouldn't let Wooster
lie gol
n "Orders me to bed" spat Wooster
b. 'Wondel why he didn't order Cruel
too. It's spite, antagonism to Hardin
rt that's what il isl" She believed that
.ftr1,T frl- I'd
advantage of his authority.
m She did not see Richard until b
rn stood by her side.
Tin sorry not to spare Wooster
o. Miss Hardin But there's stif wor
- ahead He's got To be ready for cal
"a If Hardin insists on spelling one goo
~ soldier. that's his affair. l can't lie
~ him spoil two
~ Wooster shrugged, and left then
49,, "Spoiling good soldiers"
- I've taken Bodefeldt off duty.
~ told him TO relieve Hardin"
nv Bodefeldt who bluShed when anyon
~ looked at him. He would be about Il
persuasive to Tom. as n veil 10 de
ert wind She turned away. but III
y" before Richard SAW again that tran
~ forming anger. Her eyes shone lii
topazeS IN sunlight. She would NJ
80. trust herself To speak. Wooster W;
49, waiting for her. Richard could hes
the man repeat. I'm sorry, Miss Ha
din. It's an outrage. That's what
~, is"
~" ~. Queer. they couldn't see that it WI
s Hardin's fault Hardin who was
w. the river fighting like melodramat
Wy hero: fighting without caution or 7
NV serve, demoralizing discipline;
'P couldn't help admiring the bulldog e
crgy. himself That was what all the
'N 'S men adored. He'd clenched tile CIR
81" antagoniSm, now. for surel How h
w eyes had flashed at him
'So llelloi There was tree tioati
down toward the station house. Z.
lor Bring your poles :" he yelled.
az IS "a
cry
con A Want Ad in Tines saves MI
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