Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-03-01

MacLean's attention was deferential
He had always liked Hardin; all the
Fellows did. But he was jumping off
wrong this time. He'd brought 1t all
on himself.
'He said something about levee for
the towns. He's got to investigate that
before he goes TO the 'front.'"
"a Ievce? Well wouldn't that jar
your" Hardin addressed the stenog-
rapher in the transparent shlrtwaist.
"Does he think we're going to have
another food this season? Thinks It's
going to reach the hotel and wet his
clothes? Take the starch out Of his
shirts?' He flung out of his chair,
throwing the papers back into the
drawer.
He stamped out of the office, mad
clear through. To this crisis they had
sent down a dandy a bookman who
wanted to build levee. oh, hell
They'll come crawling after me to
help them after this fellows buried
himself under river mud come calling
to nee as they did after Maitland faled.
please. Mr.. Hardin, won't you come
back and finish your gater I'll see
them dead first No. I'll be fool enough
to do 1t. / can't help myself. I'm a
Hardin. have to finish what I've be-
gun"
It was not because this was pet
enterprise, the great work Of his life,
that he must eagerly eat humble pie,
take the buifets, tie falls, and come
whining back when they whlstled to
him. He told himself 1t was because Of
his debt to the valley, to the ranchers.
The colonists were about desperate.
Who could blame them? The last years
floods had worked havoc with their
crops; this year had been horror.
The district they called No. 6 was a
screaming irony of ruin. The last dc.
bauch Of the river had made great
gashes through the ranches, had
secured deep gorges which had under.
mined the canals on which the water
supply for No. depended The suits
were piling up against the d. r., dam
age suits, and they hold up his gate,
while he gets the curses Of the val
ley. And Mr.. Rickard thinks he'll
build leyeel
He flung himself on the couch In the
tent. Gerty was laying careful
cloth for supper. A brave, determined
smile was arranged on her lips, The
noon storm had passed. She hummed q
gay little tune. If there was anything
Hardin hated II was hummlng.
''You'll have your dude to dinner oil
right her husband announced. "He's
Ia town."
"Ycs know" rejoined bis spouse
II had letter from him yesterday
From Imperial"
Tom sat up glarlng. ''He wrote t.
you from Imperlalw
His wife misplaced the accent. She
misunderstood Toms scowl. II was
the old story over again. Whenever
those two men came together the ole
feeling of jealousy must be revived
agalnl 1t was unpleasant, OF course
very unpleasant, TO have men care like
that, but It made life exciting. Life
Ind been getting a little stale lately
like book OF obvious, even plot
Richards entrance into the story gay,
new interest, a new twist. Shg
hummed an air from new opera tha
had set the world waltzing.
Hardln's thoughts did not touch hei
at the hem. He was at the headgate
his gate. What the deuce had Rickart
gone to Imperial for7 If he wasn't tn,
darnedest ass Imperlall And tn,
gate hung upl
''For Gods sake stop that buzzlng 7
The happy little noise was quenched
innes, entering at that moment. hear,
The rough order. She looked lmplor
ingly at her sister-in-law.
"Supper's on the table" cried Gerty
the Fixed, determined smile still on he
lips.