Jerome County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1919-1920, 1919-09-11
CHAPTER Xxx.



The Palmyra was once again on its
siding Marshall was ~ the front
ngalni having mnde another Of his
swift dashrs from Tucson. This time
he expected officially 10 close the gate.
Claudia Was with him She never lcf,
the car unless il We're 10 step out to
the platform 10 See what She could
from There ~ the river work.
Hardin and Rlckurd had been dcyot.
lng anxious weeks. a heavy rainfall
and cluudbussi ia the mountains ~
northern Arizona had swollen the feed
crs OF the ella river which roared
down 10 the Colorado nboV, Yuma
The crodlng streams carried noun
tains To- solution which settled against
the gate scour starting above and
below H. Relief hud 90 Dee given on
the jump A spur track was rushed
across the bypass above ihc gate. as
the closing ~ the 800 ntcd gate with
The hn.hhoArd~ -,.uS uu longer possible
A ro,k.hll Was ihr only means of
closure In the distant quarfles mon
were digging out rock 20 hll the call
from the river
Marshall came down 20 see the COM
plcfcd spur Before be- reached The
intake. the first rock train had moved
onto the spur track The ircstle had
settled. the train had neon thrown
from the rails and wrecked.
Marshall came ln from the damaged
frcsilc bringing Richard aud Crothcrs.
Mr.. Marshall had invited lines liar-
din 90 dine with them. lnucs fell to
flushing aud chilling. as Il llthe-mus-
clcd figure cam, directly to her. Ills
eycs-where was the look she had
fcnrcd Of possc,siyc tonderncssi The
qulzzicni CLEAN wns gone. ON guard
A solemn business. loving, when you
know that n menns-llfei On guard
though to her She pulled her fin
gers from his strong lingering clasp,
and Joined Mrs. Marshall.
Richard had his soldier look on She
was watching him covertly ms he
talked with his host and Crothers. as
though she were not there; as though
something were not waiting for him to
claim How could he be talking OBJ
livious az everything else in the world
exccpt the river? Was that-lovlngt
Could she think Of anything else when
he was in the same room with herf
lie was a soldier Of the modern army
II cnme 10 her sort of tender diVi-
nation that he would nor divide his
thoughts. even with her with love I'M
IN his battle was won. Well. couldn't
she understand that1 What her accu-
sntion against Gcrty? Sex honor
keen Off the truck Wasn't that her
own notion? Oughtn't she to Zee proud
OF him?
She had brought a nest Of wasp'sh
thoughts tumhling about her ears
Gertvi lie had loved Gerry. he
couldn't love her, II his thonght- hno
ever fingered. with that same .ri"uS-
~ solemn look ON the false lltNe ince
of her sistcr-in.law.
After dinner they were standing IN
the shade Of the Palmyra. II was Il
soft still afternoon. The iiorcenrss "l
the savage desert had melted 20 neF
dnvs Of lure. Beyond. the iurmd WIZ
ters of the Colorado bore a smiling sur.
fncc. There was nothing 60 mint OF
trcachery.
II was minute of pleasant iass''
tude. snntchcd from the turned t'".
nrd had succumbed TO the soiIn'' "'
the day and his mood. ilc Was c'J'H
ing the thought of Times r"a'n''>'
though she kept her face turned IRON,
him. He knew by the persistence Oh
those avcrted eyes that she Was as
acutely conscious of his presence "s TIC
was. restfully. Of hers. Dciibern'''''