The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-05-02
CHAPTER xxx.
The DRAGON Scores.

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 it were to step out to
the platform to see what she could
from there Of the river work.
Hardin and Richard had been devot-
ing anxious weeks. A heavy rainfall
and cloudburst in the mountains of
northern Arizona had swollen the feed
ers of the ella river which reared
down to the Colorado above Yuma
The erodlng streams carried noun
tains In solution which settled against
the gate, scour starting above and
below 1t. Relief had to be given on
the jump. A spur track was. rushed
across the bypass above the gate, as
the closing of the Inflated gate with
the flashboards was no longer possible.
A rock-fill was the only means of
closure. In the distant quarries men
were digging out rock to fill the call
from the river.
Marshall came down to see the COM
pleted spur. Before he reached the
intake, the first 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 Richard and Crothers.
Mrs. Marshall had invited lines Har-
din to dine with them. Innes fell to
flushing, and chilling, as a lithe-mus-
cled figure came directly to her. His
eyes-where was the look she had
feared, of possessive tenderness? The
quizzieal CLEAN was gone. On guard!
A solemn business, loving, when you
know that 1t means-lifel On guard,
though, to her! She pulled her fin
gers from his strong lingering clasp,
and Joined Mrs. Marshall.
Richard had his soldier look on. She
was watching him covertly as 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 river? Was that-loving?
Gould she think of anything else when
he was in the same room with her?
He was soldier of the modern army.
1t came to her, sort of tender divi-
nation, that he would not divide his
thoughts, even with her, with love, I'M
til his battle was won. Well, couldn't
she understand that? What her accu-
sation against Gerty? Sex honor
keep off the tracki Wasn't that her
own notionf Oughtn't she to be proud
of him2
She had brought nest of waspish
thoughts tumbling about her ears.
Gertyl He had loved Gerty. He
couldn't love her. if his thoughts had
ever fingered, with that same serious
ly solemn look on the false little face
of her sister-ip-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 her
days of lure. Beyond, the turbid wa
tiers of the Colorado bore a smiling sur
face. There was nothing to hint of
treachery.
1t was a minute of pleasant Iassi-
tude. snatched from the turmoil. Rick
ard had suceumhed to the softness of
the day and his mood. He was enioy-
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 as
aeutely conscious Of his presence as he
was, restfully, Of hers. Deliberately
he was prolonging the instant.
A stir on the river had caught tha
alert eye of Tod. Marshall. He swore
a string of picturesque Marshallian
oaths. Richards eyes jumped toward
the bypass. The placid waters had
suddenly buckled. MajesticalIy he
gate rose and went out. Months of
work swept awayl The gate drifted
hundred feet or more. Some unseen
obstruction caught it there. TO mock
at the lahors Of man,
Innes aghast, turned toward Rick.
ard. His face was expressionlesa
! There was babel of excited, voices