The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-03-28

had seen on lesEging town. what
were those hghts-signals3'
From the water-tower." MacLean's
voice split the wind. "The wireg are
all down between the Crossing and the
towns. CoroneI was on the t7wer-he
got the signal from the Heading
been there each night for a week r.
This was great night-for his CHIEF,
RickardI
Gerry Hardin caught the thrill of
his hero-worship. How splendid. how
triumphant
Innes found herself in her brothers
buggy, His horse, under the whip,
dashed forward. Suddenly he pulled
1t back on its launches. narrowly
averting jam. Where's Mac
Learn
The boy rode back. ~Who's call
ing meP'
"Give me your horse" demanded
Hardin. you take my sister home"
Gerry Hardin's party was torn like
q bow Of useless 6nery. Facing the
wind now, no one could talk; no one
wanted to talk. Each was threshing
out his own thoughts; personal ruin
stared them In the face. Every man
was remembering that reckless ex-
posed cut of Hardin's; pinning their
hope to that ridieuled levee. The
horses broke into a reckless gallop,
the buggies lurching wildly as they
lodged one another. The axles
creaked and strained. The wind tore
away the hats of the women, rent
their pretty chiffon wells.
The dusty road was peopled with
dark formIess shapes. The signals
had spread the alarm; the desert
world was fioeking to the gorge Of the
New river, to the Ievee.
The women were dumped without
ceremony on the sidewalk. under the
screened bird cage of the Desert
hotel. Shivering. her pretty teeth
chattering. Gerty Hardin ushered
them into the deserted hall. The
Chinese cook snored away his vigil in
an armchair by the open fire. The
men had rushed away to the leyee.
women must wait" Gerty's laugh
was hysterfcal. "We can do no good
down there" She threw herself, con
scious of heroineship, into the ordea
of her spoiIt entertainment.
1t was always an incoherent dream
to Innes Hardin, that wild ride home
ward. the lurehing scraping buggies
the apprehensive silence, this huddlint
of women like scared rabbits around
! table that had else been gay. TIL
women's teeth shivered over the ices
Their faces looked CHASTITY by the Ugh
shed by Gerty's green shades. Sh
| wished she were at the levee. Sh
simply must go to the leyee. "Tm &C
ing to get wrap" she threw to Cert
as she passed. Il left it in the hail."
She stole through the deserted OF
fee, past the white and silver sod
fountain, and out into the speedin
blur of the night. FOrmless shape.
soft-footed, passed her. AS she spe
past the French windows of the dir
ing room she could get a view Of th
shattered party.
lines made a dive into the darkness
There was a dim outline of hastenin
figures in front of her. She coul
hear some one breathing heavily
her side. They kept apace, stumbling
occasionally, the moving gloom betra,
ing their feet. A man came runnin
back toward the town. "It's cuttin
backw He cried. Nothing but tt
levee will save the towns u
The leveel
The harsh breathing followed he
AS they passed the wretched hut of
| Mexican gambler, a suffering ngi
shone out. lines looked back. ST
saw the wrinkled face of CoroneI, wi
had left his water tower. His blac
coarse hair was streaming in Il
wind, his mouth. ajar, was expire
sionless, though the fulflment Of Il
Great Prophecy was at hand. Beneai
the ,cheek-splotches of green and re
paint rested curious dignity. II
Indian was to come again into his ow
What was his own, she question:
| as her feet stumbled over loosene
boarding, ditch crossing she had n
seen. More corn, perhaps more fieI
stuff to wash down the cornl Mo
white mans money in the brow
mans pocket-that, his happines
Why should he not thank the god,
His gods were speaking For wht
the waters Of the great river ran bae
to the desert, the long ago outrage
gods were no longer angry. The town
might go, but the great Indian go,
were showing their good Wilt
She Joined group at the Ieve
winding her veil over mouth and for
head. Dark shapes swayed near he
The wind was making havoc Of Il
mad waters rushing down from Il
channel. The noise Of wind and W
ters was appalling. Strange Iot
voices came through the din, Of /
dians, Mexicans; cultural sounds. M,
ran past her. carrying shovels, pulliI
sacks of sand; lanterns, blown dill
flashed their pale hight on her chill,