The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-06-26
CHAPTER xxx.
The DRAGON Scores.

u
siding. Marshall was at the front
again; having made another Of his
swift dashes from Tucson. This time
he expected officially to close the gate.
Claudia was with him. She never left
the car. unless 1t were to step out to
the platform to see what she could
from there Of the river work.
Hardin and Rickard had been devot-
ing anxious weeks. A heavy rainfall
and cloudburst In the mountains Of
northern Arizona had swollen the feed
ers Of the Gila river which roared
down to the Colorado above Yuma.
The eroding streams carried noun
tains in solution which settled against
the gate. q scour starting above and
below t. Relief had to>be given on
the Jump. A spur track was rushed
across the bypass above the gate. as
the closing OK the Inflated gate with
the hashboa;ds was no longer possible.
A rock-nll was the only means Of
closure. In the distant Quarries men
were digging out rock to all the call
from the river.
L NAoAc cAhuh CoAuC OOWh " oCC thC COtAS-
pleted spur. Before he reached the
intake. the nrst rock train had moved
onto the spur track. The trestle had
settled, the train had been thrown
from the rails and wrecked.
Marshall came In from the damaged
trestle. bringing Rickard and Crothers.
Mrs. Marshall had invited Innes Har-
din to dine with them. Innes fell to
flushing, and chilling. as lithe-mus-
cled figure came directly to her. His
eyes-where was the look she had
feared, Of possessive tendernessf The
quixzical CLEAN was gone. On guard |!
A solemn business, loving. when you
know that II means-lifel On guard,
though. to heri She pulled her I'm.
gers from his strong lingering clasp.
and Joined Mrs. Marshall.
Richard had his soldier look on. She
was watching him covertly AZ he
talked with his host and Crothers, as
though she were not there; as though
something were not waiting for him to
claim. How could he be talking. OBJ
livious Of everything else in tn. world
except the riverf Was that-lovingl 2
Could she think Of anything else when
he was In the same room with her!
He was a soldier Of me modern army.
II came to her, sort Of tender divi-
nation. that he would not divide his
thoughts, even with her. with love. un-
til his battle was won. Well, couldn't
she understand that? What her accu-
sation against Gerty? Sex honor
keep OF the track! Wasn't that her
own notioni Oughtn't she to be proud
Of himf
She had brought a nest Of waspish
thoughts tumbling about her ears
Gerty! He had loved Gerty. He
couldn't love her. II 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 a
, soft still afternoon. The fierceness OF
the savage desert had melted to heI
days Of lure. Beyond, the turbid wa
ters of the Colorado bore a smiling sur
face. There was nothing to hint o,
! treachery.
: It was minute Of pleasant lassi
tude. snatched from the turmoil. Rick
| ard had succumbed to the softness OF
the day and his mood. He was enjoy
ing the thought OF Innes' nearness
though she kept her face turned from
him. He knew by the persistence OF
those averted eyes that she was q
acutely conscious Of his presence Is hs
/ was, restfully. of hers. Deliberately
he was prolonging the instant.
: A stir on the river had caught thu
} alert eye of Tod Marshall. He swors
} a string of picturesque Marshalliar
oaths. hicsard's eyes jumped t0wart
/ the bypass The placid waters hat
. suddenly buckled. Majestically tn,
J gate rose and went out. Months o.
+ work swept swayl The gate driftet
D hundred feet or more. Some unseel
: obstruction caught It there. to mocl
. at the labors of man.
) Innes, aghast, turned toward Rick