Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-03-29

u Hc>cIL tAf. his was the >lsueil>t
sf the nsa en- trial: this was his
trial; Gerry. Richard. the valley, his
jadse and jHry. The gate grew to be
sgabsl vita him Of restored honor,
a. s5sessleA Of desire. II must be all
righti
hieksrd was all over the place.
Watching every piece Of rock that's
Suaped in the river" complained
WEBSTER. Believe he marks them az
zightl"
They were preparing for the final
rEsk. In a week or two, the work
vsala be continuous, night shifts to
sesiH uheR the rock-pourlng COM
zeaced. Large lamps were being sus-
sezaed across the channel, acetylene
WAsse csndelpoWer was that OF an are
light. Soon there would be no night
at the break. When the time for the
quick csup would come, the dam must
be closed without break or slip. One
mat was down, dropped on the floor
that had already swallowed two such
/ gigantic mOuthfuls; covered with
rock pinRed down TO the slippery bot
tom with piles. Another mat was
ready to drop; rock was waiting to be
poured over il; the deepest place In
I the channel was reduced from fifteen
to seven feet Each day the oyerpour.
anxiously measured. increased. A third
steam shovel had been added: the rail
road sent in several work trains fully
equipped for service; attracted by the
excitement, the hOboes were commenc-
ing to come In.
1t was battle Of big numbers. a
duel OF great force where time was
the umpire. ANY minute hot weather
might fan on those snowy peaks up
yOnder, and the released waters. rush /
Ing down, would tear out the defenses
as wave breaks over a chlld's fort 1
made of sand. This was race. and
all knew it. A regular train dispatch
system was in force that the inrushlue
cars might drop their burden Of rocl,
and gravel and be of after more. The
Dragon was being fed rude meals, its
appetite whetted by the glut of pour.
ing rock.
Tod Marshall came down from Tue
son in his car. The coming of the
Palmyra and Claudia rlppled the So
cial waters at the front for DAYS
ahead. Gerty Hardin. too proud to
tell her astonlshed family that she
wanted to desert the mess tent, shook
herself from her injury, and "did up
all her lingerie gowns. Mrs. Marshall
was not going to patronize her, even
il her husband had snubbed Tom. 1t
was hot, Ironing in her tent the doors
closed. Everything carried a sting
those indoor hours. She was ahame
with bet vanity. Twice, she had
openly encouraged Richard; twice, he
had houted her That was his kind
Men who prefer Mexicans-! She
woald AeVer forgive him. never!
She followed devious channels to in
TOlve Toms responsibility. There was
4 eabsl against the wife of Hardin.
Working like servant she called il
necessity. Everything, every one pun
shed her for that one act OF folly.
Life had caught her. She saw no way,
Is she iroHed her null ruiTles, no way
out OF her cage. Her spirit beat wild
wings against her bars. II she could
Zee a wsy ont Nothing to do hut to
ltay with Toni
Aaddening, too, that at the mess
able, she caught Richards eyes turning
oward, resting on. Innes Hardin. The
;irl herself did not seem to notice
Irtful, subterranean, such stalking!
That was why she had come running
'ack to the Heading That the reason
II her anger when she had hinted OF
he MaldonsdO. She learned to hate
nnes. Bitterly she hated Rickard. ;,
"Tom." she said one day. He :
urned with a swift thrill Of expecta-
lon, for her voice sounded kind; like q,
he Gerty Of old. Il have always :
card that Mr.. Marshall has terribly =
trlct ideas. | think he ought to hear " =
( that Mexican woman It is demor-
llzing in a camp like this"
II tell Marshall anything against his " "
ct elerk?" The Hardin lip shot out. "
He'd throw me out Of the company" "
The pretty scene was spoiled. To n
Is dismay she burst into storm Of :.
sars, tears OF self-pltS. Her life lay
tatters at her feet, the pretty fabric -.
mt, torn between the rude handling
those two men. She could not have
'asoned out her injury, made II con- ~
neing built out Of dreams as II was, ~
nartless, scheming dreams. Because ~
le could not tell it, her sobblng was
le more violent, her complaints lnco- !
'rent Tom gathered enough frag- W
ents 10 piece the old story. hl
Ashamed Of him. He had dragged a
'r down into his humiliation" His rh
Veet moment had passed. ho
He spent few futile moments try
e 10 comfort her Va
Don't come near me-" II burst .h
omf her; a cry Of reyulsion. He "e
ared at her, the woman meeting his
es In flushed defiance. The hatred thI
hich he saw, her bitterness, corroded lh'
pride. scorched his self-love. Moth. mn
would kill his love for her; he tei
lew that In that blnckest of no- PEE
ants. He would never forget that tai
ok OF dread Of hate He left her 'lli
M ma