The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-07


 better from the water tower he'd spied at entering. Another flood, and a gamble whether Mexicali or Calexico would get the worst of 1t. Unless one was ready. A levee-west of the American town!
 Excuse me, sir-do you need mep' He turned back into the room. He could see that MacLean was aching to get out of the room. Ogilvie had wis ibly withered. A blight seemed to fall on him as his white, blue-yeined fin gers made a bluff among his papers. 'Thank you" Rickard nodded at MacLean, who burst into the outer of flee.
 Its the new general manager from Tucson-Rickard' his name." His whisper ran around the walls of the room, where other arrivals were tilt ing their chairs. ''The new general manager! Ogilvie wooded for noth- ing. You should have seen his face !'' "Did anyone know that he was com ing?" Silent, the tanned giant, spoke,
 That's Marshall all over," said Wooster, bright-eyed and wiry, re moving his pipe. He likes to move in q mysterious way his wonders to per form. (Used to sing that when I was kidD No announcement. Simply, Enter Rickard'"
 More like this" said Silent. Exit Hardin. Enter OgilVie. Enter Rick ard"
 And exit Ogilvie," cried MacLean. 'It's a-d--d shame" burst out | Wooster, No one asked him what he meant. Every man in the room was thinking of Hardin, whose shadow this reclamation work was. What's Rickard dolng?" asked the infantile Hercules at the checkerboard. The force called him Pete, which was short cut to Frederick Augustus Bodefeldt-
 Taking Ogllvie's measure"-this from MacLean.
 ''Then he's doing something else by this time. That wouldn't take him five minutes unless he's a gull" snapped Wooster, who hated Ogilvie as a rat does a snake.
 The door opened and Rickard came in. Almost simultaneously the outer door opened to admit Hardin. Who would introduce the new general man. ager to the dismissed one? The thought flashed from MacLean to Si. lent, to the telegraph operator. .Bode- feldt doubled over the checkerboard, pretending not to see them. Confu- sion, embarrassment was on every face. Nobody spoke. Hardin was coming closer.
 Hello, Hardin"
 Hello, Rickard."
 It appeared friendly enough to the surprised office. Both men were glad that it was over.
 "Nice offices" remarked Hardin, his legs outspread, his hands in his pock- cts.
 "Og1lvie is satisfied with them" " The men rather overdid the laugh.
 Finding the dust pretty tough?'' in. Quired Hardin.
 T spent a month in San Francisco last Summery" was the rejoinder This is a haven, though, from the street. Thought I'd loaf for today .'' Was Hardin game to do the right thing, introduce him as the new chief to his subordinates? Nothing, 1t de. yeloped, was further from his inten. ton. Hardin, his legs outstretched kept before his face the bland, i'm. penetrnble smile of the oriental Ii was clearly not Richards move. The checker players f1dgeted- Richards silence was interrogative. Hardin ! still smiled.
 The outer door opened.
 The newcomer, evidently a favorite walked into a noisy welcome, the boys" embarrassment overriding it He was of middle height, slender-a Mexican with Castilian ancestry writ. ten in his high-bred features, his grace and his straight, dark hair"
 Good morning, Estrada" said Har din with the same meaningless smile
 Good morning, gentlemen" The Mexican's greeting paused at Rickard "Mr. Estrada, MT. Rickard."
 Everyone in the office saw Hardin snub his other opportunity. He had betrayed to everyone his deep hurt his raw wound. When he had stepped down, under cover of a resfg nation, he had saved his face by tell ing everyone that a rupture witt Maitland, one of the directors of the reorganized company, had made fl l impossible for them to serve together and that Maitland's wealth and i'm i port nee to the company demanded his 1 own sacrifice. Two months before 1 Richards appearance Maitland haC been discovered dead in his bath in z l Los Angeles hotel. Though no on' had been witless enough to speak o1 their hope to Hardin, he knew that all his force was daily expecting hi reinstatement. Richards entrance was another stab to their chief.
 "The son of the general2' The new
 manager held out his hand. Genera Estrada, friend of Mexican liberty founder of steamship companies ana father of the Imperial valley?" That makes me a brother of tht valley''-Estrada's smile was sensitive 1 and sweet
 Estrada looked at Hardin, hesitated then passed on to the checker player: ] and addressed MacLeAn:
 T saw your father in Los Angeles He has been chosen to fill the vacancy made by Maitland's death"
 MacLean's eyes wayered toward Hardin, whose nonchalance had moi