The Meeker herald., 1919-08-16

averted angry syes.
A naughty Thusnelda followed him.
Sam was discovered asleep In the
only room where the windows had not
yet been attacked. His head rested ON
q bundle Of sacked trees which the
ladies Of the Improvement club had
planned to plant the next day. Deep
snores betrayed his refuge.
sHere, Saml I want you to take
these ladies' home. Chase yourself.
They've been working while you've
slept. thought you'd have all these
windows out By now"
Gerry had to supply the courts.y for
two. She told Mr.. Richard In her ap-
pealing way that no had been very
kind: that she would have been
frightened to death to 60 home alone"
Innes had to say something! Good
night" The words had an insulting
ring.
The wind covered q passionate H.
lence, ~ the two women. followed BY
Sam, yawning and stretching. made
their way down the shrieking street.
ut was true" lines was thinking. She
had at last stumbled on the rout, but
1t was not q matter Of personal. but
moral untidiness; not carelessness
Of pins or plates, Of tapes or dishes. 1t
was far worse; q slackness OF ethics.
It meant more unhappiness for Tom.
Her aching muscles told her that
she could not have slept four hours
when the darky was back, knocking at
her door.
Innes' horse Hoped through the
silent streets.
"Tn ran past the levee; perhaps
Tom has come back" It occurred to
her that there might be q message at
the hotel. She pulled ON her left rein.
and swept past the deserted adobe.
A. she refined In her horse. Richard
stepped out on the sidewalk. He. too.
was heAvy.eyed from snatched nap.
"Were you looking for mer'
The scorn in the girls face told him
that his question was stupid. For
himi
sHas my brother come backr
He said he did not know. you can
see I have been dreaminsi" She would
not smile back at him, but rode on
toward the levee.
Was this the riverf West Of the
levee, Q sea Of muddy water spread
over the land. There was yet chance
to save the towns, the town. she cor.
rected herself, ~ her eye fell on the
Mexican village across the ditch. For
Nsxicali was doomed. Come 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 20.
Che hailed Wooster. Ruin was pre-
saged in the lines Of his forehead.
Pretty badf' she cried.
He shook his head.
sIs Tom bAckr''
Hes over there, now. Fighting like
an possessed. Hen work TN 10
drops." Wooster was proud Of that
method.
We IA know Tomr' Her pride
speang up. But he's got to stop for
. while. I'm going up after him"
tit II my names Wooster. I'll 60.
Hen mind me-"
She watched the flowing river, swol.
len with wrsckage. She cav, with
comprehension. 4 section Of . fence;
somebody's crop gone. There was q
railway tie, anotherI The river was
eating up Estrada's new roadbedf A
cry broke from her a. Q mesquit on
the eonee-colored tide caught on
buried snag. The current swirisd dan
gerously around It. instantly, the va
ter rose toward the top Of the leves.
Men came running to pry away the
tree. A minute later. It was dancing
down the stream. They raised the
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.
pened, unless the obstruction were
swiftly dislodged, she knew It meant
an artificial fall somewhere, q quick
securing out Of the channel. The men
were working like silent parts Of q big
machine; the confusion Of the flrst
night was gone. From their faces one
would not guess that their fortunes,
their homes. hung on the subduins Of
that indomltable force which had not
yet known defeat, which had turned
back explorer and conquistador. All,
there was the lurking fear Of iii Vic
tory still lay to Its credit; the other
| column was blank.
She saw Wooster coming toward
hR. HIS mapping black eyes shot out
sparks Of anger.
He won't let me co."
who won't let yout" But abe knew.
sCasey. Says he'll send some one
else. I said ~ nobody elss'd make
Hardin stop. He said ~ that was up
10 Hardin"
OF course. he wouldn't let Wooster
sol
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