The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-06-28


! They were ready to show their resent
ment against the man who had sup
planted Hardin, their Napoleon, if it
! cost them their places. BY this time
| the cause of the desert was as com
| polling to these hardy soldiers as were
| the lily banners of France to the fol-
! lowers of the Little Corporal
! Richard was not expected. He had
| been gone less than week. The eff
| feet of his return was that of a per
son who returns suddenly into a room,
! huShing an active babel of tongues.
| He knew what he would find, ample
reasons why! He was not given the
satisfaction of locating any particular
act of disObedience. The men pre-
sented "A blank wall of pOliteneSs, rea-
sonable and Intellectual. Silent ex-
planned briefly that he had not been
able to collect enough men. Most Of
the force was busy in the No. 6 dis
| trict. trying To push the shattered Wis
! taria through by a new route before
| that years crops were entirely ruined.
A gang was at Grants Heading; the
floor needed bracing. Another squad,
! Irish's. was In the Volcano Lake re-
gion, where they were excavating for
the new headgate.
mo hurry for that" Richard was
glad TO pick flaw in such a perfect
pattern. you might have withdrawn
those men and put them to work on
the levee."
Il was given no authority to do
that"
The chief pretended to accept the
reason; else it were case of chang
ing horses in midStream. What ne
had seen at the Heading, his peep at
the exposed valley, his cleaning OF
the rivers history had convinced him
| that in haste and concentration lay
the valleys only chance. He must re-
fuse to see the characterization OF the
engineers, the seasoned desert sol
diers. He needed them, must win
their confidence II he could. If not,
they must save the valley anyway
The imperturbable front of Silent. his
bland, big stare, exasperated him
easier to control the swapping terrier
Of Wooster. He had told Silent dis
.tinctly to gather his men and rush the
levee. A good soldier had made bet
ter guess than his, and had stopped
the casual work ut Black Butte. OF
had found Indians! ThOughtfrly
Richard followed that last suggestion
across the ditch into Mexicali.
He gathered all the recruits he
needed that morning. The Indians
lazy CocOpahs, crept out of their huts
to earn a few of the silver dollars held
out to them by the new white boss
A few Mexican labOrers were bribeC
to toss up earth to the west Of the
town. Estrada, at his request, put
squad of his road force at the service
of the manager. He could not spare
many men.
The railroad had already started
the line projected by Hardin to Mar
shall the year before. spur acros:
the desert, dipping into Mexico be
tween the lean, restless sandhills
from Calexico to Yuma. The Mexican
government had agreed to pay five
thousand dollars a mile were the roaC
completed at certain period. Estrads
was keeping his men on the jump t.
fill the contract, to make his nation
pay the price. The completion Of thu
road meant help to the valley; sup
/ rIf 10 q,
the break
In spite of his haunting sense o.
ultimate failure the growing belief il
the omnipotence of the Great yellow
Dragon as the Cocopahs visualized II
EStrada's work was as intense a!
though he were Fastening sure vic
tory. The dauntleSs spirit Of the eide
Estrada pushed the track over the no
sands where he must dance at time!
to keep his feet from burning. Man.
Of the rails they laid at night.
Richards gone hog-wild." Hardin
told his family the next morning
Building a levee between the towns
The mans off his head"
There isn't any danger?" Gerty'
anxiety made the deep blue eyes lool
black.
Innes looked up for Toms answer
His face was ugly with passion.
Danger! It's a bluff, a big show
Of activity here because he's buffa
lOed; he doesn't know how to tackl,
the job out there"
1t had begun to look that way t.
more than one. 1t was talked owe