Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-03-15

him!
''Has my brother come backT
He said he did not know. "You can
see | have been dreaming!" She would
not smile back at him, but rode off
toward the levee.
Was this the river? West of the
leyee, sea of muddy water spread
over the land. There was yet chance
to save the towns, the town, she cor
rected herself, as her eye fell on the
Mexican village across the ditch. For
Mexicali was doomed. Some of the
mud huts had already fallen; the wa
ter was running close to the station
house.
She saw Wooster standing near cal
culatlng the distance, the time, per-
haps, before the new station would go.
She hailed Wooster. Ruin was pre-
saged In the lines Of his forehead.
"Pretty bad?' she cried.
He shook his head.
SIS Tom backT
"He's over there, now. Fighting like
all possessed. He'll work till he
Drops Wooster was proud of that
method.
eve all know Toni" Her pride
sprang up. "But he's got to stop for
q while. I'm going up after him."
"Not If my names Wooster. I'll go.
He'll mind me-
She watched the flowing river, swol-
len with wreckage. She saw, with
comprehension, u section Of fence;
somebody's crop gone. There was a
railway tie, another The river was
eating up Estrada's new roadbedf A
cry broke from her as mesqult on
the coffee-colored tide caught on a
buried snag. The current swirled dam
gerously around It,. Instantly, the wa
ter rose toward the top of the levee.
Men came running to pry away the
tree. A minute later 1t was dancing
down. the stream. They raised the
bank against the pressing tapping
waves. There, the tree had struck
again. They ran down the levee with
their long poles. Each time that hap
pened, unless the obstruction were
swiftly dislodged, she knew 1t meant
an artificial fall somewhere, a quick
securing out of the channel. The men
were working like silent parts Of a big
machine; the confusion of the first
night was gone. From their faces one
would not guess that their fortunes,
their homes, hung on the subduing of
that indomltable force which had not
yet known defeat, which had turned
back explorer and conquistador. All,
there was the lurking fear Of I'll Vic
tory still lay TO Its credit; the other
column was blank.
She saw Wooster coming toward
her His swapping black eyes shot out
sparks of anger.
'He won't let me CO."
"Who won't let your" But she knew.
"Caseys Says he'll send some one
else said as nobody else'd make
Hardin stop. He said as that was up
to Hardin
OF course. he wouldn't let Wooster
gol
'0rders me to bed" spat Wooster.
wonder why ne didn't order cruel.
too. It's spite. antagonism to Hardin,
that's what 1t Isl" She believed that,
too. Tom was right. Richard did take
advantage of his authority.
She did not see Rickard until he
stood by her side.
"Tm sorry not 10 spare Wooster,
Miss Hardin. But there's stiff work
ahead. He's got to be ready for call.
II Hardin insists ON spelling one good
soldier. that's his affair. l can't let
him spoil two"
Wooster shrugged, and left them.
"SpoilIng good soldiers" |"
ave taken Bodefeldt off duty. ]
told him to relieve Hardin"
Bodefeldt who blushed when anyone
locked at him! He would be about as
persuasive to Tom us veil to des-
ert wIndl She turned away but not
before Rlckard saw again that trans
forming anger. Her eyes shoDe like
topazes Ia sunlight. She would not
trust herself to speak. Wooster was
waiting for her. Rlckard could hear
the man repeat. I'm sorry. Miss Har-
din. It's an outrage, That's what II
Is.e A2-ss = 49,