Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-03-31

where Rickard 8 forces are construct
ing lardin's gate. hines comes from
Los Angeles 10 stay with the Hardins
Richards revelation.
The engineers felt the whip Of ex-
element. Never man left the camp
in the morning who did not lOol. to-
ward that span crawling across the
troacherous stream. measure that
Widened bypass. Would the gate
stand? The Hardin men hallOed for
the gate. but looked each morning TO
see if 1t were stil there The Reclama-
ton Service men ana the engineers Of
the railroad were openly skeptical ;
SiSyphuS outdone at his own game
Estrada and Richard looked furtively
at the gate. with doubt at each other
Hardin, himself was rcprosSrd. an
eager live wire. His days he spent ON
them, open-eyed. on his back. watching
the SloW-WhcelinE. starpricked dome
of desert sky His was the suspense
Of thr man on trial; this was his
trial; Gerry Richard, the valley his
judge and jury. The gate grew to he
symbol with him of restored honor,
an ohSesSan OF desire. 1t must be all
right!
Richard was all over the place.
"Watchiue every piece Of rock that's
u Ia ~ ,s4 l,,tv ,,,I
Wooster. believe he marks them at
night I"
Whey We're preparing for the final
rush. In week or two, the work
would be continuous, night shifts to
begin when the rock-pouring com.
menced Large lamps were being sus.
pended across the channel, acetylene
whose candelp0Wer was that Of an arc
light. Soon there would be no night
at the break. When the time for the
quick coup would come the dam must
be closed without break or slip. one
mat was down. dropped on the floor
that had already swallowed two such
gigantic mouthfuls; covered with
d.
tom with piles Another mat was
ready to drop; rock was waiting to be
pou.,d over it: the deepest place I'm
the channel was reduced from fifteen
to seven feet. Each day the overpOur,
anXiouSly measured, increased 4 third
steam shovel had been added the rail
road sent in several work trains fully
equipped for service; attracted by the
excitement the hoboes were cUmmenc
ing to come in
Ii was battle Of big numbers
duel of great force where time was
the umpire. Any minute hot weather
might fall on those snowy peaks up
yonder and the released waters. rush
ing down, would tear out the defenses
as a wave breaks over chIds fort
made of sand. This was a race, and
al knew IT, A regular train dispatch
system was in force that the inrushing
ears might drop their burden of rock
and gravel and be off after more. The
Dragon was being fed rude meals, its
appetite whetted by the glut of pour
Ing rock,
Tod Marshall came down from Tue
son In his car. The coming of the
Palmyra and Claudia ripplcd the so
cial waters at the front for day
ahead Gerty Hardin, too proud to
tell her astonished family that she
wanted TO desert the mess tent, shook
herself from her injury, and did up
all her lingerie gowns. Mrs. Marshall
was not going TO patrOnize her, even
if her husband had SuuthCd Tom. 1t
was hot, ironing in her tent the doors
closed Everything carried a sting
those indoor hours. She WAS ailame
with hot vanity. Twice, she had
openly encouraged Richard: twice, he |
had nouted her. That was his kind /
Men who prefer MeXicans-. She ,
would never forgive him, never!
She followed devious channels TO in |
voye Toms responsibility. There was
a cahal against the wife Of Hardin. |
Working like Il servant. she called il |
necessity. Everything, every one pun |
ishcd her for that one act of folly. |
Life had caught her. She saw no way, |
as she lroned her null rullles, no way
out of her cage. Her spirit beat wild
wings against her bars. If she could /
see a way OUT Nothing to do but to |
stay with Tom!
Maddenng, too, that at the mess
table, she caught Richards eyes turning
toward. resting on. Innes Hardin. The |
girl herself did not seem to notice !
artful, subterranean, such stalking!
That was why she had come running !
back to the Heading! That the reason !
of her anger when she had limited of !
the MaldOnado. She learned to hate
lines. Bitterly she hated Richard.
"Tom," she said one day. He /.
turned with a swift thrill of eXpecta- |
ton. for her voice sounded kind; like /
the Gerty of old. Il have always
heard that Mr.. Marshall has terribly
strict ideas. | think he ought to hear
of that Mexican woman. 1t is demon
alizing In camp like this"
Il tell Marshall anything against his
pet clerk?" The Hardin lip shot cut.
He'd throw me out of the company"