Jerome County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1919-1920, 1919-09-25

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"Who's goingg' demanded Silent. his
tongue thick with thirst and exhaus-
ton. The whistle blew again.
y wilw The train moved out on
the trestle as the whistle blew angrily
twice. Only Molly and Silent saw Es-
trada 90. Silent staggered unseeingly
up the bank toward the camp, Molly
following.
The river was humping out yonder;
the rolling mass came roaring, flank
on, against the dam.
Quick. for Gods sake. quick!
yelled Richard His signals sounded
short and sharp. Dump il on. throw
the cars in" Marshall was dancing,
his mouth full Of oaths. on the bank
edge. Breathlessly all watched the
rushing water fling itself over the dam.
For several huShed seconds the Struc-
ture could not be seen. When the
foam fell a cheer went up. The dam
was standing. Silent. it was supposed.
WIS bringing in his train.
Above the distant jagged line Of
mountains rose Il red ball. A new day
began. And again the Dragon rose; a
mountain OF water came rolling dam
ward.
Three trains ran steaming on the
rails.
Don't stop now 10 blast the big
ones. Pour EN- on :" ordered Richard.
There was q long wait before any
rock fell. Marshall and Richard wait
ed for the pour. The Whistles blew
again. Then they saw what was
wrong. The morning light showed
rock weighing several tons which was
resisting the efforts OF the pressing
crew. Ont of the gloom sprang other
figures with crowbars. The rock tot
tered, fell. The river tossed it as
though it were a tennis ball. sent it
hurting down the lower face of the
dam.
Things began to 90 wild. The men
were growing reckless. They were
Sagging toward exhaustion; mistakes
were made. Another rock. as heavy as
the last, was worked toward the edge.
Men were thick about il with crow
bars. They hurried. One concerted
effort. drawing back as the rock top
pied over the edge. One man was too
slow. or too tired. He slipped. The
watchers on the bank saw a fash Of
waving arms, heard cry; they had
glimpse Of q blackened face as the
foam caught it. The waters closed
over him.
There was a hush of horror; q halt.
GOD himself couldn't save that poor
devil" cried Marshall. Have the
work go onr
Pour rocks on that wretch down
there? Pin him down? Never had it
seemed more like war; "a man
down? Ride over him, to victory p
Soberly Richard signaled for the work
10 go on.
The rock-pour suffered as if in hor-
ror. The women turned sick with fear.
No one knew who it was. Some poor
Mexican, probably.
Who was it," demanded Richard,
running down TO the track.
"The young Mexican, Hestrada. e
N-+N1 ~ Up l. WASH III.
who was it," Marshall had run
down TO see why the work paused.
Richard turned shocked eyes on his
chief. Estrada :" The beautiful
mournful eyes Of Eduardo were on
him, not Marshalls, Mortified. Now he
knew why Estrada had said, 7 can't
see it finished"
Richard :" The engineer did not
recognize the quenched voice. THE
work has got 10 90 on"
II came 10 Richard as he gave the
orders that Eduardo was closer to Mar
shall than 10 him. AS near a son as
hen ever have" He turned a minute
larer TO see his chief standing bare
headed. His own cap came of.
We're burying the lad said Mar
shall.
The minute Of funeral had to be
pushed aside. The river would not
wait Train after train was rushed on
10 the trestles; wave after wave hit
them. But perceptbly the dam was
steadying. The rapid IRE Of rock was
telling.
Another ridge OF yellow waters rose.
The roll Of water came slowly. dWin-
ding as It came; il broke against she
trestle weakly. For the first time The
trestle never shuddered. Workers and
watchers breathed as a unit the first
deep breath that night There was a
change. Every eye was on the river
where il touched the rim Of the dam.
Suddenly a chorused cry rose. The
river had stopped rising. The whistles
screamed themselves hoarse.
And then q girl. sitting on the bank,
saw two men grab each other by the
hand. She was too far away 10 hear
their voices. but, the sun. rising red
through the banks OF smoke, fell on
the blackened faces OF her brother and
Richard. She did not care who saw
her crying.