The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1919-05-03
CHAPTER xi.
The Fighting Chance.

| tNSty DuNht SUyUiH uHHOulNtu
Wooster Mt mess one evening. by that
time the feeling against "Marshall's
man" wns actively hostile. There had
been smuige of slumberlng fires be-
fore Richard had lcfta the towns.
Famed by much talk during his ab-
sence, II had burst into active blaze.
They were rendy TO show their resent
ment against the man who had sup
planted Hardin. their Napoleon, IL 1t
cost them their places. BY this time
the cause of the desert was as COM
pelling to these hardy soldiers as were
the lily banners OF France to the fol-
lowers of the Little Corporal.
Ricknrd was not expected. He had
been gone less than week. The ef.
feet OF his return was that Of per-
son who returns suddenly into room.
hushing an active babel of tongues.
| lie knew what he would find, ample
reasons why! lie was not given the
satisfaction of locating any particular
act OF dlsobedlence. The men pre-
sented blank wall of polltencss, rea-
sonabe and Intellectual. Silent ex-
planned briefly that he had not been
nble TO collect enough men. Most OF
the force was busy In the No. @ dis
trict, trying TO push the shattered Wis
tnria through by new route before
that years crops were entirely ruined.
A gang was at Grants Heading; the
floor needed bracing. Another squad.
Irish's, was In the Volcano Lake re-
gion, where they were excavating for
the new headgate.
"No hurry for that" Rickard was
glad 10 pick u flaw In such a perfect
pnttern. "You might have withdrawn
those men and put them to work on
the lcvee."
II was given no authority to do
that"
The chief pretended 10 accept the
reason; else II were u case of chang
Ing horses In midstream. What he
had seen at the Heading. his peep at
the exposed valley, his cleaning OF
the rivers history had convinced him
that In haste and concentration lay
the valleys only chance. He must re-
fuse TO see the Decentralization OF the
engineers. the seasoned desert SOL
diers. He needed them. must win
their confidence II he could. II not.
they must save the valley anyway
The imperturbnble front OF Silent, his
bland. big stare, exasperated him:
easier TO control the swapping terrier
OF Wooster. He had told Silent dis
tlnctly TO gather his men and rush the
inNnR A hnH
ter guess than his, and had stopped
the casual work at Black Butte. or
had found Indiansl Thoughtfully
lticknrd followed that last suggestion
across the ditch into Mexicall.
He gathered all the recruits he
needed that morning. The Indians,
lazy Cocopahs, crept out OF their huts
to earn a few OF the silver dollars held
out to them by the new white boss.
few Mexican laborers were brlbed
to toss up earth TO the west of the
town. Estrada, at his request. put
squad of his road force mt the service
OF the manager. Hs could not spare
many men.
The railroad had already started
the line projected by Hardin to Mar
shall the year before, spur across
the desert, dipping into Mexico be-
tween the lean. restless sandhills.
from Calexlco TO Yuma. The Mexican
government had agreed to pay Ave
thousand dollars mile were the road
completed at certain period. Estrada
was keplng his men on the jump to
NIL the contract. to make his nation
pay the price. The completion of the
road meant help TO the valley; sup
plies, men. could be rushed through to
the, break.
In spite OF his haunting sense OF
ultimate failure the growing belief In
the omnipotence OF the Great Yellow
Dragon as the Cocopahs visuallzed II,
Estrada's work was ms intense as
though he were Fastening a sure Vic
tory. The dauntless spirit Of the elder
Estrada pushed the track over the hot
sands where he must dance at times
10 keep his feet from burning. Many
OF the rails they laid at night.
"nlckard's gone hog-wlld." Hardin
told his family the next morning.
"Bulldlng levee between the towns
The mans Off his head"
"Ihere isn't any danger?" Gerty's
anxiety made the deep blue eyes look
hlnck.
(To be continued next week.