The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-05-09

Mnrhhall.
Mrs Hardin, fIoated by in her crisr
lmusllns. A few feet behind stalked
Godfrey. his eyes on the pretty figure
! by his side. Innes turned from his
Hook. abashed as though she had been
peering Though q locked door.
| Gayiy, with Entering Of rufiIes
Gerty established herself on the bank
! a trlne out OF hearing distance. A
hard little smile played on the lips ac-
cented with Partisan rouge. The child.
lsh expression was gone; her look ac-
cused life OF having trified with her.
But they would see---
Don't look so unhappy, dearest"
whispered the man at her side. sTm
going to make you happy. dearr'
She flushed brilliant, finished smile
at him. Yes, she was proud OF him.
He satisfied her sense Of romance, or
would, later, when she was away from
here. dull pain pFieklng at her delIb-
crate planning, Godfrey found her
young, young and distractlng. His
life had been hungry, too; the wife.
| up there In Canada somewhere, had
never understood him. Godfrey was
ambitious, ambitious as she was. She
would be HIS wife; she would see the
cities Of the world with him, the well
coined wife of Godfrey; she would
share the plaudits his wonderful voice
won.
His eyes were on her now, she knew,
a.. gft.
had worried him yesterday because
she would not pledge herself to marry
him u he sued for his divorce. She
had told him TO ask her that after the
courts had set him free. She could
not hnye him sure Of her.
An exclamation from him recalled
her. She found that he was no longer
starring az her; his eyes were fixed on
the trembling structure over which
"battleship," laden with rock, was
creeping.
II want 10 stay with you, you know
that dearest, But II doesn't feel right
10 see them all working Hike .niggers
aud me loafing here. You don't mlnd7'
oh, no. Gerty did not mlndi She
was tired. anyway She was going
back 10 her tent
lie thrust a yellow paper into her
hands. Il sent that of today. Per-
hnps you win be gladp'
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 dynamlting the largest rocks
on the cars before unloading them.
The heavy loads could not be emptIed
quickly enough. Not drlbbled. the rock,
but dumped simultaneously. else the
gravel and rock might bo washed
down stream faster than they could be
put together. Many cars must be un-
loaded at once; the din on Sllent's
train was terrific. His crew looked
like devils, drenehed from the spray
which rose from the river each time
the rock-pour began; blackened by the
smoke from the belching engine. The
river was ugly In its wrath. II was
humping itself for its final stand
against the nbsurdlty of human inten-
thon; It's yellow tail swlshed through
the bents Of the trestle.
The order came for more speed.
Richard moved from bank to raft;
knee deep In water, screaming orders
through the din. directing the gangs;
speeding the rock trains. Hardin oscll.
lated between the leyee and dams, TAX.
Ing orders giving orders. His energy
was superb, II had grown dark, but
no one yet had thought OF the lights.
the great Wells burners stretched
across the channel. Suddenly. the
lights flared out brightly.
Not one OF those who labored or
watched would ever forget that night.
The spirit OF recklessness entered
even into the stolld native. The men
OF the Reclamation forgot this was not
their enterprise; the Hardin faction
jumped 70 Richards orders. Tho
watchers on the bank sat tense.
thrilled cut of recognition OF aching
muscles. or the midnight creeping chill.
No one would go home.
To Innes. the struggle was vested
In two men. Richard 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 justl-
flcution Of n Wisconsin idea was at
stake hope for the future.
Richard passed and repassed her.
Aud had not seen her. Not during
those hours would he think OF her. not
until the idea failed. or was trium-
plant, would he turn To look for her.
Visibly the drama moved toward It's
climax. Before many hours passed the
river would be captured or the idea
forever Knocked. Each time a belching
engine pulled across that hazardous
track Il flung credit to the man-side.
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 riv-
II. A 4 IA