The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-04-26

"Are You Going On With itT
week. Why does he rush so7 Why
doesn't he go next year? The Colo
radios so gentle, it'd wait for him, fm
that's what II Is. oh, ! cnn see through
n fence with knothole as big as your
head llc doesn't want TO finish the
headgnte. lie wants to put off going
until It's too late to go on with IL; /
know him. He'd risk the whole thing,
and all the money the q. T.. hns
chucked into II, just 20 start with n
ping the river himself. II turns my
stomach; It's a plot" The lower lip
shot out.
MacLean's attention was deferental.
He had always liked Hardin; all the
fellows did. But he was jumping of
wrong this time. He'd brought II all
on himself.
"IIe said something about n levee for
the towns. He's got 10 investigate that
before he goes to the front"
"a levee7 Wen. wouldn't that jar
your" Hardin addressed the stenog-
rapher in the transparent shlrtwaist.
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 out 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 dandy. bookman who
wanted to build levee. Oh, HE'LL
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 gatel' I'll see
them dead first. No. I'll be fool enough
to do 1t. I can't help myself. I'm a
Hardin. have TO finish what I've be-
gun"
II was not because this was n pet
enterprise, the great work of his life.
that he must engerly eat humble pie.
take the buffets, the falls, and come
whining back when they whlstled TO
him. He told himself II was because Of
his debt 10 the valley. TO the ranchers.
The colonists were about desperate.
Who could blame them? The last years
floods Ind worked havoc with their
crops; this year had been horror.
The district they called No. G was a
screaming irony of ruin. The last de-
bauch OF the river had made great
gashes through the ranches, had
secured deep gorges which had under
mined the canals on which the water
supply for No. O depended The suits
were pillng up against the ID. r.. dam
age suits, and they hold up his gate,
while he gets the curses OF the val
ley. And Mr.. Rlckard thinks he'll
build leveel
He flung himself on. the couch In the
tent. Gerty was laying careful
cloth for supper. A brave. determined
smile was arranged on her lips. The
noon storm had passed She hummed q
gay little tune. If there was anything
Hardin hated II was hummIng.
You'll have your dude 10 dinner all
right" her husband announced. He's
In town."
Eyes, I know" rejolned his spouse.
II had letter from him yesterday.
From Imperial"
Tom sat up glaring. "He wrote to
you from Imperlnli"
His wife misplaced the accent. She
misunderstood Toms scowl II was
the old story over again. Whenever
those two men came together the old
feeling of jealousy must be revived
again! IL was unpleasant. of course,
very unpleasant, to have men care like
that. but Ii made life exciting. Life
had been getting little stale lately
ike book of obvious, even Mot.
Rickard's entrance into the story gave
a new interest new twist. She
hummed an air from n new opera that
had set the world waltzlng.
Hardin's thoughts did not touch her
at the hem. lie was at the headrate,
his gate. Whnt the deuce had Rlckhrd /
gone TO Imperial for? If he wasn't The
darnedest ass Imperial And the
gate hung up
For Gods sake stop that buzzingl" |
The happy little noise was quenched. !
lnnes, entering at that moment, heard
the rough order. She looked implor-
lngly at her sIster-ln-law.
"Supper's on the table," cried Gerty,
the fixed, determined smile stlll on her
lips
(To be continued next week.