The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1919-09-12
CHAPTER XIV.
On the Ievee.

On tne IeveSs
Hardin did not so home that night
He was feeling to the quick the irony
of his position: his duty now to pro-
tect the levee he'd ridiculed; now the
only hope Of the towns! The integrity
NJ the man never faltered. though his
thoughts ran wild. Like the relentless
hounds Of Actaeon. they pursued him,
barking at his vanity.
He started the anxious ranchers at
sacking sand. Bodefeldt ran up to tell
him that there was a hill Of filled
sacks over in Mexicali. "Rickard had
a bunch of Indians working for a
week"
The confusion Of the shy fellow did
not escape Hardin. Oh. he knew what
Rodefeldt was thinking. what every
one was saying! They were all laugh
ing at him. The coincidence Of this
extraordinary flood had upheld Rick
ards wild guess. haloed his judgment.
1t Was all piece Of his Internal luck.
Sickening. that's what it was! His
orders scattered. He ran up and down
the tevee, giving orders; recalling
them when he found he was repeating
Richards. #..m...
This new humiliation, coming on the
heels Of the dredge tiasco. put him in
sxecrabie temper. He shouted his or
iers over the noises of the night. He
rated the men. bullied them. No one
Aid anything right, Lord. what he
had to put mp with. The other men.
the ranchers aud engineers. saw in
his excitement certainty of the valleys
ioorn
The wind and the darkness con-
sributed to the confusion. Eager
sdoveis Were tossing up earth before
anyone could tell where the danger
point would be. The water was not
yet nigh enough to determine the place
If battle. Sacked sand was being
Drought over from Mexical. Fifty
pair of hands made short work OF
ing through the darkness like restless
sirei!ies. The wind and rushing water
deatened the sound of the voices. II
vas Il battle OF giants against pyg-
o:es. In the darkness, the giants
threatened to conquer.
Ar three in the morning, a horseman
rode in from Fassett'S. one of the big
ranches TO the north, cnt by the New
Ssver
"The river is cutting back" he
called through the din, cutting back
toward the towns
4 in, hn
dunp-pit had pulled the river like
mad horse back on its launches. 1t
was kicking back.
They are short-handed up there.
They need help
'Dynamite." cried Silent and Har-
din ant,phonally. They happened to
TIE standing near.
We must have dynamite" bawled
Hardin. Are the wires down between
here and Brawley? We must get Il
wire somehow to Los Angeles. to rush
II down here this morning.
ITS here. There is carload on
the siding" yelled Silent
Hardin did not need to ask by
whose orders it was there. An angry
Scout spoiled his face.
Put some on the machine" He
was turning away.
Silent called after him. Did Mr.
Hardin think it was safe? There was
no road between the towns and Fas-
sctt's. The night. the explosive-should
they not wait till morning? The ques-
ton threw his late chief into a rage.
did ask you to take it?" 1t was
the opening for his fury. Safe! Will
the towns be safe if the river cuts back
here? The channel has got to be
widened. and you talk of your own
precious skin. Wait till ask you to
take it, Get out the machine. I'll take
1t to Fassett's myself"
Silent left the levee. smarting. He
backed the machine out Of the shed
and sped through the darkness toward
Aexicaii. where the car of explosives
was isolated.
Hardin. huttoned up to the ears. MS
sOft hat pulled tight over his forehead.
wss waiting impatiently. Here was
something 70 be done: he coveted the
0ctivity