The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-10-18

| TIE jump. y spur track was ruSheu
across the by pass above the gate. as
| III" closing Of the Inflated gnte with
til" ilnshboards was no longer possible.
4 rock fiji was the only means of
were digging out rock to fill the call
from the river.
MarshHIl came down to see the com
plctcd spur Before he reached the
intake. the first rock train had moved
onto tx spur track The trestle had
settled. ,hc train had been thrown
from Tho rails and wrecked.
Marshall came in from the damaged
trestlc, bringing Richard and Crothcrs.
Mrs. Marshall had invited lines Ilar-
din to dine with them. Tnncs fell to
flushing, and chilling, ms II lithe-mus-
clcd figure came directly to her, Ills
eyes where was the look she had
feared of posscSSivc tcndcrneSs2 The
quizzical CLEAN was gone. On guard!
A solemn business loving, when you
know that II mcanS-lifel On guard.
though, to hcrl She pulled her fin
gers from his strong lingering clasp,
ana Joined Mrs. Marshall
Richard had his soldier look on, She
was watching him covcrtly ms he
talked with his host and Crothcrs, ms
though she were not there as though
something were not whiting for him to
claim How could he be talking, OBJ
livious Of everything else In the world
except the river? Was that-lovngf
Could she think of anything else when
he was In the same room with her?
He was n soldier of the modern army
II came to her, II sort of tender divl-
nation, that he would not divide his
thoughts, even with her. with love, I'M
III his battle WINS won. Well, couldn't
she understand that? What her accu-
sation against Gerty2 Sex honor
keep Off the track Wasn't that her
own notion2 Oughtn't she to be proud
of him?
She had brought nest of wasplsh
thoughts tumbling about her ears.
Gertyi He had loved Gcrty. He
couldn't love her, If his thoughts had
ever fingered, with that same serious
ly solemn look on the false little face
Of her sister-in-law.
After dinner they were standing in
the shade of the Palmyra. 1t was
soft still afternoon. The derceness of
the savage desert had melted to her
days of lure. Beyond, the turbid wa
ters of the Colorado bore Il smiling sur
face. There was nothing to hint OF
trenchery.
1t was a minute Of pleasant lassi-
tude, snatchcd from the turmoil. Rick
ard had succumbcd to the softness of
the day and his mood. lie was enjoy
ing the thought of lines ncarness,
though she kept her face turned from
him. He knew by the persistence of
those avcrted eyes that she was as
acutely conscious Of his presence IS he
was, restfully, of hers. Deliberately,
he was prolonging the instant.
A stir on the river had caught the
alert eye of Tod Marshall He swore
string of picturesque Marshallinn
onths. Richards eyes jumped toward
the bypass. The placid waters had
suddenly buckled. Majestically the
gate rose and went out. Months of
work swept awayl The gate drifted
hundred feet or more. Some unseen
obstruction caught 1t there to mock
Mt the labors Of man.
lines, aghast, turned toward Rick
ard His face was expressionless.
There was babel of excited voices
behind them, Bodefeldt, MacLean,
Tony, Crothers Bangs, all talking at
once. Her eyes demanded something
Of Richard. A fierce resentment rose
against his calmness. "He knew It,"
she rebelled. Hes been expecting
this to happen. It's no tragedy to
him" There was stab rs of physi-
cal pain; she was vlsualizing the blow
to Tom.
She heard Marshals voice, speak
Ing to Richard. "Well. you're rendy