The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-05-22

only room where the windows had not
yet been attacked. His head rested on
a bundle Of sacked trees which the
ladies Of the Improvement club had
planned to plant the next dag. Deep
snores betrayed his refuge.
"Here. Sami I want you to take
these ladies home. Chase yourself.
They've been working while you've
slept. I thought you'd have all these
windows out by now"
Gerry had to supply the courtesy for
two. She told Mr.. Richard in her APP
pealing way that he had been very
kind; that she would have been
frightened to death to 90 home alone"
Innes had to say something! Good
night" The words had an insulting
ring.
The wind covered a passionate ST
lence, as the two women. followed by
Sam, yawning and stretching. made
their way down the shrieking street.
ut was true" Innes was thinking. She
had at last stumbled on the rout, but
~ was NV n ~ VI oeN
moral untidiness not a carelessness
Of pins or plates, of tapes or dishes. 1t
was far worse; d slackness of ethics.
1t meant more unhappiness for Tom.
Her aching muscles told her that
she could not have slept four hours
| when the darby was back. knocking at
her door.
Innes' horse loped through the
| silent streets.
"rn run past the levee; perhaps
Tom has come back" 1t occurred to
her that there might be a message at
the hotel. She pulled on her left rein,
and swept past the deserted adobe.
As she refined in her horse. Richard
stepped out ON the sidewalk. He, too,
was heavy-eyed from a snatched nap.
"Were you looking for met"
The scorn In the girls face told him
that his question was stupid. For
him!
HAS my brother come backr'
He said he did not know. "You can
see ! have>been dreaming" She would
not smile back at him, but rode of
toward the levee.
Was this the river7 West Of the
levee, a sea Of muddy water spread
over the land. There was yet a chance
to save the towns, the town. she cor
rected herself, as her eye fell on the
Mexican village across the ditch. For
Mexicali was doomed. Some Of the
mud huts had already fallen: the wa
ter was running close to the station
house.
She saw Wooster standing near. cal
culating the distance, the time, per-
haps, before the new station would go.
She hailed Wooster. Ruin was pre-
saged in the lines of his forehead.
pretty bad?" she cried.
He shook his head.
ais Tom backY"
"He's " there. now. Fighting like
all possessed. He'll work till he
drops" Wooster was proud of that
method.
1--WE all know Tom, !" Her pride
sprang up. "But he's got to stop for
a while. I'm going up after him."
mot II my names Wooster. I'll 60.
He'll mind me-"
She watched the flowing river. swol-
len with wreckage. She saw. with
comprehension, a section Of a fence;
somebody's crop gone. There was a
railway tie. another! The river was
eating up Estrada's new roadbedf A
cry broke from her as a mesquit on
the coffee-colored tide caught on a
buried snag. The current swirIed dan
gerously around 1t. Instantly. the wa
ter r0se toward the top Of the levee.
Men came running to pry away the
tree. A minute later, 1t was dancing
down the stream. They raised the
bank against the pressing tapping
waves There, the tree had struck
again They al down the levee with
their long poles. Each time that hap
pened, unless the obstruction were
swiftly dislodged. she knew II meant
an artificial fall somewhere, q quick
| securing out of the channel. The men
were working like silent parts Of q big
machine; the confusion Of the 6rst
| night was gone. From their faces one
wonId not guess that their fortunes,
their homes, hung on the subduing Of
that fndomitable force which had not
yet known defeat, which had turned
back explorer and conquistador. An.
there was the lurking fear Of 1T Vic
tory still lay to its credit; the ether
column was blank.
She saw Wooster coming townrd
her. His swapping black eyss shot out
sparks Of anger.
HE won't let me CO."
sWho won't let your But she knew.
Casey. Says he'll send some ono
else. I said as nobody else'd make
Hardin stop. He said ~ that wa up
to Hardin"
OF course. he wouldn't lst Wooster
goi
'Orders me to bed," spat Wooster.
"Wonder why he didn't order Cruel,
too. It's spite. antasonism to Hardin.
that's what 1t Isl" She believed that,
too. Tom was right. Richard did take
advantage or his authority.
She did not sec Richard until be
stood by her side.