The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-03-28

wh,nnying of frightened horses. Some
one recalled the flashes of light they
had seen on leaving town. "What
were those lights-signalsY
"Froml the water-tower." MacLean's
voice split the-wind. v'Ths wires are
all down between the Crossing and the
towns. Coronel was on the tOwer-he
rot the signal from the Heading--he's
been there each night for a week !"
This was q great night-for his chief,
Richard!
Gerry Hardin caught the thrill Of
his hero-worship. How splendid. how
triumphant!
Innes found herself In her brothers
buggy. His horse, under the whip
dashed forward. Suddenly he pulled
1t back on Its launches, narrowly
averting a jam. "Where's Mac
Lpanf"
The boy rode back. "Who's call
ing met"
"Give me your HORSE" demanded
Hardin. you take my sister home"
Gerry Hardin's party was torn Hike
a bow Of useless finery. Facing the
wind now. no me could talk no one
wanted to talk. Each was threshine
out his own thoughts; personal ruin
stared them in the face. Every man
was remembering that reckless er
posed cut of Hardin's; pinning theil
hope to that ridiculed levee. The
horses broke into a reckless gallOp,
the buggies lurching wildly as they
lodged one another. The axles
creaked and strained. The wind TOT.
away the hats Of the women, rent
their pretty chiffon wells.
The dusty road was peopled with
dark formless shapes. The signals
had spread the alarm; the desert
world was fiocking to the gorge of the
New river, to the levee.
The women were dumped without
ceremony on the sidewalk. under the
screened bird cage of the Desert
hotel. Shivering, her pretty teeth
chattering, Gerty Hardin ushered
them into the deserted hafl. The
Chinese cook snored away his vigil IN
an armchair by the open fire. The
men had rushed away to the levee.
"Women must wait" Gerty's laugh
was hysterical. I'VE can do NJ good
down there" She threw. herself, con
scious of heroineship. into the ordeal
Of her spoiit entertainment.
1t vas always an incoherent dream
to Innes Hardin, that wild ride home.
ward. the lurching scraping buggies.
the a~pprehensive silence, this huddlint
Of women like scared rabbits around .
table that had else been gay. The
women's teeth shivered over the ices
Their faces looked CHASTITY by the light
shed by Gerty's green shades. SHE
wished she were at the leyee. She
simply must 60 to the levee. "Tm go
ing to get a wrap" she threw to Gerty
as she passed. II left it in the hail."
She stole through the deserted Of
fice, past the white and silver soda
fountain, and out into the speeding
blur of the night. FOrmless shapes
~soft-footed, passed her. As she sped
past the French windows of the din.
ing room she could get a view of the
shattered party.
Innes made a dive into the darkness
There was q dim outline of hastenins:
figures in front Of her. She coult
hear some one breathing heavily BY,
her side. They kept apace, stumbling
occasionally, the moving gloom betray
ing their feet. A man came running
back toward the town. ITS cuttlnt
backr" He cried. Nothing but thu
ievee will ave the towns!"
The levee!
The harsh breathing followed her
AS they passed the wretched hut of .
Mexican gambler. q suffering ligh.
shone out. Innes looked back. She
saw the wrinkled face Of Coronel, VIII.
had left his water tower. His blacl-
coarse hair was streaming in the
wind, his mouth, ajar, was express
sionless. though the fulflment Of tn
Great Prophecy was at hand. Beneath
the eheek-splotches Of green and res.
paint, rested q curious dignity. The
Indian was to come again into his own
What was his own, she questioned
as her feet stumbled over loosenee
boarding. q ditch crossing she had no
seen. More corn, perhaps more nerH
stun to wash down the corni More
white mans money In the hrowA
mans p0cket-that. his happiness
Why should he not thank the gods
His gods were speaking! For whel
the waters Of the great river . back
to the desert. the long ago outraged
gods were no longer angry. The town.
might 50: but The great-1ndian goda
were showing their good Wilt
She. Joined a group at the leves.
Winding her yell tove.. mouth and fers
head. Dark shapes ,5wayed near her
The wind Yas. making havoc OF the.
mad waters rdlhihg down. frolp. tho
cknppss ID noise 81 Wind and Va
ters was APPALLING. Strange lout
Sofcs. came through the .dip..sof N