New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-04-04

that's what it Is. Oh, l can see through
a fence with a knOthOle as big as your
head. He doesn't want to finish the
headgate. He wants to put off going
until it's too late to go on with it; l
know him. He'd risk the whole thinE,
and all the money the o. p. has
chucked into it, just to start with a
clean slate; to get the glory of stop
ping the river himself. 1t turns my
stomach; it's a plot" The lower lip
shot out. -
MacLean's attention was d%eferential.
He had always liked Hardin all the
fellows did. But he was jumping off
wrong this time. He'd brought it all
on himself.
He said something about a levee for
the towns. He's got to investigate that
before he goes to the front"
"a levee? Well. wouldn't that jar
your" Hardin addressed the stenOg-
rapher in the transparent shirtwaist.
Does he think we're going to have
another flood this season? Thinks it's
going to reach the hotel and wet his
clothes? Take the starch out of his
shirts?" He flung opt 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 a levee. Oh, hellI
They'll come crawling after me to
help them after this fellows buried
himself under river mud, come calling
to me as they did after Maitland failed.
Please, Mr.. Hardin. won't you come
back and finish your CATER I'll see
them dead first. No, I'll be fool enough
to do 1t. l can't help myself. I'm a
Hardin. I have to finish what I've be-
gum"
1t was not because this was q pet
enterprise, the great work of his life,
that he must eagerly eat humble pie,
the buffets, the falls. and come
whining back when they whistled 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
this year had been a horror.
The district they called No. 6 was a
screaming irony of ruin. The last de-
bauch Of the river had made great
through the ranches, had
secured deep gOrges which had under
mined the canals on which the water
supply for No. 6 depended. The suits
we're piling up against the D. R., DAM
lge suits, and they hold up his gate,
While he gets the curses Of the val
ey. And Mr.. Richard thinks he'll !
ouild a levee!
He flung himself on the couch in the
:ent. Gerty was laying a careful
10th for supper. A brave, determined
smile was arranged on her lips. The
storm had passed. She hummed a
gay little tune. II there was anything
Hardin hated 1t was humming.
You'll have your dude to dinner all
her husband announced. "He,s
n town."
Eyes. I know" rejoined his spouse.
I had a letter from him yesterday.
from Imperial"
Tom sat up glaring. HE wrote to
'ou from Imperial?"
His wife misplaced the accent. She
misunderstood Toms scowl. It was
he old story yer again. Whenever
hose two men came together the old
ceiling Of Jealousy must be revived
gain! It was unpleasant, of course.
cry unpleasant. to have men care like
hat, but 1t made life exciting. Life
ad been getting a little stale lately
Ike a book of obvious, even plot.
Iickard's entrance into the story gave
new interest, a new twist. She
ummed an air from a new opera that
ad set the world waltzing.
Hardin's thoughts did'not touch her
t the hem. He was at the headgate,
is gate. What the deuce had Richard
one to Imperial fort II he wasn't the