Gilpin observer., 1919-06-12
CHAPTER XIV.
On the Levee.

Haruln ulQ eOS 20 nome tnaC 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
of 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
bunch of Indians working for a
week."
The confusion of the shy fellow did
not escape Hardin. Oh, he knew what
BOdefeldt 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 wasr His
orders scattered. He ran up and down
the levee. giving orders; recalling
them when he found he was repeating
Richards.
This new humiliation, coming on the
heels Of the dredge fiasco, put him in
execrable temper. He shouted his or
ders over the noises of the night. He
rated the men. bullied them. No one
did anything right Lord, what he
had to put up with The other men,
the ranchers and engineers, saw in
his excitement certainty of the valleys
doom.
The wind aid the darkness con-
tributed to the confusion. Eager
shovels were tossing up earth before
anyone could tell where the danger
point would be. The water was not
vet high enough to determine the place
of battle. Sacked sand was being
brought over from Mexicali. Fifty
pair Of hands made short work Of
Richards "hill." Lanterns were flash
Ine through the darkness like restless
arefiies. The wind and rushing water
ieadened the sound Of the voices. II
was u battle of giants against pyg-
niles. In the darkness, the giants
threatened to conquer.
At three in the morning, q horseman
rode in from Fassett's, one Of the big
ranches to the north, cnt by the New
liver.
"The river In cutting back" he
talled through the din. "cutting bacls
'oward the towns"
turn in the gorge, careless
lump-pit had pulled the river like a
md horse back on its launches. II
was kicking back.
'"rhey are short-handed up there
They need help"
Dynamite" cried Silent and Hnr
lin antiphonally. They happened tC
oe standing near.
"We must have dynamite" bawled
Hnrdin. Are the wires down between
here and Brawley? We must get O
wire somehow to Los Angeles. to rusf
down here this morning."
'It's here. There is carload OF
the siding" yelled Silent.
Hardin did not need to ask by
whose orders II was there. An angr,
scowl spoiled his face.
Put some on the machine" II,
was turning away.
Silent called after him. Did Mr.
Hardin think 1t was safe? There wa
no road between the towns and Fas
sett's. The night, the explosive-shoul,
they not wnit till morning? The Ques
tion threw his late chief Into rage.
"Did I ask you to take it?" II wa
the opening for his fury. "Safel VIII
the towns be safe II the river cuts bacl
acre? The channel has got to b
Sidened. and you talk Of your owl
.1recious skin Walt till ask you L
AXE II. Get out the machine. I'll TAX
!- to Fassett's myself"
Silent left the levee, smarting. II
backed the machine out OF the she
and sped through the darkness townr
Mexicali. where the car OF explosive
vas Isolated.
Hardin. buttoned up to the ears, hi
soft hat pulled tight over his forehead
sns waiting inpatientIy. Here wa
somethins u - done; he coveted th
oG3vi1y.