The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-06-14
CHAPTER XIV.
Riekard Makes New Enemy and a
New Friend.

Riekard Makes . New Enemy and q
New Friend.
Tho coming of the Indians gave the
impetus the work had lncked. Under
Icnks of the rnlirond company large
force was put on the river; these the
weavers OF the brush mattresses TINT
We're to lne thS river bed On the
bnnks were the brush cutters; tons OF
willows were TO he cut TO weave into
the forty miles of woven wire cable
waiting for the cross strands. Day
by day the piles Of willow branches
grew higher, the brush cutters work
ng ahend OF the mattress workers In
the stream. On the dense underground
the stolld Indians, Plulns and Mnrlco-
pas and Pnpagocs, struggled with the
fierce thorn Of the mcsqult and the
oVcrpowcring slnell nf the arrow
weed. As tough ns the Hickory handles
thcy welded, they fought n clearing
| through dense thickets in the intense
tropic heat.
Down stream the Brohdlngnaglnn
arm Of the drcdge fell into the mud of
the bypass, dropping It's sIluy burden
on the far bank. Down the long
stretch of lcvcc the "skinnCrs" drove
their mules ana scrapers; two pile
drivers were setting In tho treacher-
Gus st7cnin the plies which were 90
anchor the stccl-cnblcd mattresses to
the river bed. It wns wcll-orgnnlzcd.
active scene. Rickard. IN his Office
| debating letters and tclcgrams 10 Mac
Lean. .Jr., felt his first satisfaction.
Things were beginning to show the re-
suit of months of planning. Cnrs were
! rushing I'm from north and e0st every
quarry between Los Angeles and Tue
son rcqulstioned for their undertak-
ing.
A slul fell on the pine desk.
Ling. In biur ticking shirt aui white
butcher apron, waited for tie 'boss"
TO look ~. lie stood w.pIng the per-
splration from his head. hairless ex-
cept for the long sllls-tapered queue.
"Wcll, Llngf"
81 go tamnle." His voice was soft
us sllk Il no stay"
IL was thundcrclnp. There was
no one To replace Ling, who was
drawing down the salary OF private
secretary. Lose Lingf II would be
more demorallzlng TO the camp than
TO lose an engineer.
money all lite. Bossce all lite. No
lIkee woman. Woman she stay, Ling
go"
"hirs. Hardln" Ricknrd woke up.
"She all time makee trouble. She
clazy. She think woman velee fine
cook. She show Ling cookee plunes. |
Tcachee Ling cookee plunesl no
stay that woman" Unuttcrablc final |
Ity In the leathern face. Richard and
MncLean. Jr., exchanged glanccs
which deepened from concern into
perplexity. They could not afford TO
lose Ling. And offend Mrs. Hardin.
the camp already HardInesquc?
Rickard grew placnting. He spent |
a half hour wheedling. They met ut |
the starting place. Ling 60 tamale."
"Oh, Lord" groaned the manager,
capitulating. "All right. Ling"
With the dignity of an oriental
prince, Ling pattered out of the tent,
Rlckard was puckering his lips az HIS
secretary. 'I'd rather take castor
OIL"
A hnlf hour Inter, MacLean saw hi
chief leave his tent. lie was In fresh
linens.
II wouldn't swap places with HIN
this mInutei She'll be as mad as n
wet henl"
Mrs. Hardin, from her bed by her
screen window. saw him coming. Sho
slipped into seminegllgce of alter
nate rows of lncc and swiss construct
cd for such possible emergencies. Size
did not make the mistake of smooth
ing her hair; her instinct told her
that the fluffy disorder bore out tic
use OF the negllgce. She was Sow
Ing In her ramadu when Richards
knock sounded on the screen door
Despite his protests she started wa-
ter boiling In her chaing dish. Ec
had not time for ten, he declared. hut /,
she insisted on making this call OF II
social nature. She opened box Of
sugar waters, her zeal that of child
with toy kitchen; che was playing
dolls house
Richard made several openings for
his errand, but her wits sped Ike
a gopher from his labored digging.
She met his mood with womanly dig
lity; she tutorcd her coquetrles, with
held her nrchness.
lie found he would have TO discard |
diplomacy, blurt out his message; use
Judgeons for this scamperlng agility
"My mission Is a little awkward,
Mrs. Hardin. | hope you will take II
Ill right that you win not be Of
'ended.'
"OffendedT Her face showed
llarm.
'Its about Ling. He's n queer fell
ow; they all are, you know" He
A.