The Raymer enterprise., 1919-07-31

wninnying Of frightened norses- Soma
one recalled the flashes Of light they
had seen on leaving town. sWhat
were those llghts-signalsT
aFrom the water-tower." MacLean's
voice split the wind. "The wires are
all down between the Crossing and the
towns, Coronel was on the tower-he
got the signal from the Heading-he's
been there each night for a week.
This was a great night-for bis CHIEF.
Richard!
Gerry Hardin caught the thrill Of
his hero-worship. How splendid. how
triumphant!
lines found herself in her brothers
buggy. His horse, under the whip
dashed forward. Suddenly he pulled
II back on Its launches, narrowly
averting jam. "Where's Mac.
Learn
The boy rode back. "Who's cali
ing meY
"Glve me your horse" demanded
Hardin. "You take my sister home"
Gerty Hardln's party was torn like
a bow of useless finery. Facing the
wind now. no one could talk; no one
wanted to talk. Each was threshinS
out his own thoughts; personal ruin
stared them in the face. Every man
was remembering that reckless eD
posed cut of Hardin's; pinning their
hope to that ridlculed levee. The
horses broke into a reckless GALLON
the buggies lurching wildly as they
lodged one another. The axlea
creaked and strained. The wind tore
away the hats of the women, rent
their pretty chiffon wells.
The dusty road was peopled with
dark formless shapes. The signals
had spread the alarm; the desert
world was focking to the gorge Of the
New river, to the levee.
The women were dumped without
ceremony on the sidewalk. under the
screened bird cage Of the Desert
hotel. Shivering. her pretty teetk
chattering. Gerty Hardin usheree
them Into the deserted hall. The
Chinese cook snored away his vigil IL
an armchair by the open fire. The
men had rushed away to the levee.
women must wait" Gerty's laugh
was hysterical. 1--WE can do no good
down there" She threw herself, con
scious Of heroineshlp, into the ordeal
Of her spollt entertainment.
1t was always an incoherent dream
to lines Hardin, that wild ride home
ward. the lurching scraping buggies
the apprehensiye silence. this budding
Of women like scared rabbits around 6
table that had else been gay. Tht
women's teeth shivered over the Ices
Their faces looked CHASTITY by the light
shed by Gerty's green shades. Shs
wished she were at the levee. Sht
simply must go to the levee. I'm 60
Ing to get wrap" she threw to Gerty
as she passed. II left 1t in the hail."
She stole through the deserted Of
fee, past the white and silver sodt
fountain, and out into the speeding
blur Of the night. Formless shapes
soft-footed, passed her. As she spet
past the French windows of the din
ing room she could get view Of thu
shattered party.
Innes made dive into the darkness
There was dim outline Of Fastening
figures In front Of her. She coult
hear some one breathing heavily b,
her side. They kept apace, stumbling
occasionally, the moving gloom betray
ing their feet. A man came running
back toward the town. TITS cuttinl
back" he cried. Nothing but tn
levee will save the townsl"
The levee!
The harsh breathing followed her
As they passed the wretched hut Of Z
Mexican gambler. a sputtering llghi
shone out. Innes looked back. Sh,
saw the wrinkled face Of Coronel, wht
had left his water tower. His blacl
coarse hair was streaming In thu
wind, his mouth, ajar, was express
sionless. though the fulf1lment Of tn,
Great Prophecy was at hand. Beneath
the cheek-splotches of green and rex
paint rested a curious dignity. Tn,
Indian was to come again into his own
What was his own. she questioned
as her feet stumbled over loosene<
boarding. ditch crossing she had mo-
seen. More corn, perhaps more fier
stun to wash down the corni Nor
white mans money in the brow,
mans pocket-that, his happiness
Why should he not thank the gods
His gods were speakingl For wheI
the waters of the great river ran bach
to the desert. the long ago outraged
gods were no longer angry. The town
might 60, but the great Indian god,
were showing their good will
She Joined a group at the levee
winding her veil over mouth and fore
head. Dark shapes swayed near her
The wind was making havoc Of thu
mad waters rushing down from thu
channel. The noise Of wind and wa
tiers was appalling. Strange lout
voices came through the din. Of In
dians. Mexicans; cultural sounds, Mex
ran past her. carrying shovels, pulllp( !;
sacks Of sand; lanterns, blown all 8
flashed their pale hight on her chillef