The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-04-24


had worried him yesterday because
she would not pledge herself to marry
him If he sued for his divorce. She
had told him TO ask her that after the
courts had set him free. She could
not have him sure Of her.
An exclamation from him recalled
her. She found that he was no longer
staring at her; his eyes were fixed on
the trembling structure over which a
"battleship." laden with rock, was
creeping.
81 want to stay with you, you know
that dearest. But it doesn't feel right
to see them all working like niggers
and me loafing here. You don't mind"
Oh, no, Gerty did not mind! She
was tired, anyway! She was going
back to her tent!
He thrust a yellow paper into her
hands. II sent that off today. Per-
haps you will be glad?"
She flung another of her inscrutable
smiles at him, and went up the bank,
the paper unread in her hands.
The long afternoon wore away. They
were now dynamiting the largest rocks
on the cars before unloading them.
The heavy loads could not be emptied
quickly enough. Not dribbled, the rock,
but dumped simultaneously, else the
gravel and rock might be washed
down stream faster than they could be
put together. Many cars must be un-
loaded at once; the din on Silents
train was terrific. His crew looked
like devils, drenched from, the spray
which rose from the river each time
the rock-pour begani blackened by the
smoke from the belching engine. The
river was ugly in its wrath. 1t was
humping itself for its final stand
against the absurdity Of human inten-
tion; its yellow tail swished through
the bents of the tSestle.
The order came for more speed.
Rickard moved from bank to raft
knee deep in water, screaming orders
through the din; directing the gangs |;
speeding the rock trains. Hardin oscil-
lated between the levee and dams, TAX
ing orders, giving orders. His energy
was superb. 1t had grown dark, but
no one yet had thought of the lights,
the great Wells burners stretched
across the channel. Suddenly, the
lights fared out brightly.
Not one of those who labored or
watched would ever forget that night.
The spirit Of recklessness entered
even into the stolid native. The men
of the Reclamation forgot this was not
their enterprise; the Hardin faction
jumped to Richards orders. The
watchers on the bank sat tense,
thrilled out Of recognition of aching
muscles, or the midnight creeping chill.
No one would go home.
To Innes, the struggle was vested
in two men, Rickard running down
yonder with that light foot Of his. and
Hardin with the fighting mouth tense.
And somewhere, she remembered,
working with the rest, was Estrada.
Those three were fighting for the justi-
fication of a vision-an idea was at
stake, a hope for the future. =
Rickard passed and repassed her.
And had not seen heri Not during;
those hours would he think of her, not
until the idea failed, or was triurn-
plant, would he turn to look for her.
Visibly, the drama moved toward Its
climax. Before many hours passed the
river would be captured or the idea
forever mocked. Each time a belching
engine pulled across that hazardous
track 1t flung a credit to the mansside.
Each time the waters, slowly rising,
hurled their weight against the creak-'
Ing trestles where the rock was thin,
point was gained by the militant riy-
er. Its roar sounded like the last cry
of wounded animal in Innes' ear;
the Dragon wasta reality that night as
1t spent Its rage against the shackles
Of puny men.
Molly Silent had seen her husbands
train pull in. She watched for it to
60 out again. The whistle blew twice.
Something was wrong; She left her
place in time to see Silent, his face
shining CHASTITY pale under the SCOT,
pull himself up from the "battleship"