The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-06-21

that's what 1t is. Oh, l can see through
a fence with a knothOle as big as your
head. He doesn't want TO Finish the
headgate. He wants to put off going
until It's too late to go on with It; L
know him. He'd risk the whole thing,
and all the money the o. p. has
cbucked into 1t. just to start with
clean slate; to get the glory of STOP
ping the river himself. 1t turns my
stomach; it's a plot" The lower lip
shot out.
MacLean's attention was deferential.
He had always liked Hardin; all the
fellows did. But he was jumping Off
wrong this time He'd brought it all
on himself.
HE said something about levee for
the towns He's got to investigate that
before he goes to the front"
"a levee? Well, wouldn't that jar
your Hardin addressed the stenog-
rapher in the transparent shirtwaist.
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 a dandy, boOkman who
wanted to build levee. Oh, hell
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 gater Ill 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-
gum"
1t was not because this was a pet
enterprise, the great work of his life,
that he must eagerly eat humble pie,
take the Bullets. the falls, and come
whining back when they whistled to
him. He told himself II was because of
his debt to the valley. to the ranchers
|
Who could blame them? The last years
: floods had worked havoc with their
crops; this year had been a horror
: The district they called No. was 9
screaming irony Of ruin. The last de
bauch of the river had made great
gashes through the ranches, haC
secured deep gorges which had under
mined the canals on which the water
! supply for No. 8 depended. The suit.
were piling 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.. Richard thinks he'll
{ build a levee!
He flung himself on the couch in tn,
tent. Gerry was laying careful
cloth for supper. A brave, determine,
smile was arranged on her lips. Tn
noon storm had passed. She hummed
gay little tune If there was anythin
Hardin hated it was humming.
= You'll have your dude to dinner al
o right" her husband announced. He
In town."
A "Yes. / know" rejoined his spouse
o 81 had a letter from him yesterday
a From Imperial"
$ Tom sat up glaring. "He wrote t
n you from ImperialT
J. His wife misplaced the accent. Sh
II misunderstood Toms scowl. Ii wa
IS the old story over again. Wheneve
those two men came together the oil
e feeling of jealousy must be revive
again! 1t was unpleasant, of cours,
N very unpleasant, to have men care lik
that, but K made life exciting. Lii
,e had been getting little stale lately
n like q book of obvious. even plo
1t Richards entrance into the story CAV
r new interest, a new twist. 81
IS hummed an air from a new opera tn;
had set the world Waiting.
Hardin's thoughts did not touch hi
at the hem. He was at the headgat
r his gate. What the deuce had Rickal
gone to Imperial fort If he wasn't II