Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-04-18
,cross the ditch into Mexicall.

He gathered all the recruits he
needed that morning. The Indians,
lazy COcopahs, crept out Of their huts
TO earn few of the silver dollars held
out to them by the new white boss.
A few Mexican laborers We're bribed
to toss up earth TO the west of the
town. Estrada, at his request, put a
squad of his road force at the service
Of the manager. He could not spare
many men.
The railroad had already started
the line projected by Hardin to Mar
shall the year before, a spur across
the desert, dipping into Mexico be-
tween the lean, restless Sandhills,
from Calexico to Yuma. The Mexican
government had agreed TO pay five
thousand dollars a mile We're the road
completed at a certain period. Estrada
was keeping his men on the jump to
all the contract, to make his nation
pay the price. The completion of the
road meant help to the valley; sup
lilies, men, could be rushed through to
he break.
In spite of his haunting sense of
Ultimate failure the growing belief in
Dragon as the Cocopahs visualized it,
.Gstrada's work was as intense as
-hough he were Fastening sure VIC
DRY. The dauntless spirit of the elder
Estrada pushed the track over the hot
sands where he must dance at times
to keep his feet from burning. Man?
Of the rails they laid at night.
''Rickard's gone hog-wild," Hardin
told his family the next morning.
Building a levee between the towns !!
The mans off his head"
''There isn't any danger?" Gerty's
anxiety made the deep blue eyes look
black.
Innes looked up for Toms answer.
His face was ugly with passion.
Danger! It's a bluff, big show
Of activity here because he's buffa-
loed; he doesn't know how to tackle
the job out there"
| 1t had begun to look that way to
more than one. 1t was talked over
at Coulters store; in the outer office
Of the d. r. company where the engi-
neers foregathered; among the. chair
filters who idled in front of the Des-
| ert hotel. ",The man does not know
how to tackle his job,'' A levee, and
the gate held up! What protection to
the towns would be that toy levee If
the river should return on one of its
| spectacular sprees? A levee, and the
intake itself not guarded? He was
whispered of as incompetent; one Of
| Marshalls clerks. He was given q
short time to blow himself out. A
! bOokman, theorist.
"As well put sentinels few miles
from prison and leave the Jail doors
open!" This was Wooster's gibe. All
saw the Colorado as a marauder at
large. "And little heap of sand
stacked up to scare it off! It's a
scream ~
Mrs. Hardin found it difficult to
meet with diplomacy the condolences
which inevitably came her way. AS
Hardin's wife she was expected to en-
| joy the universal censure the new man
was acquiring. Gerty's light touches,
too slight for championship. passed as
sweet charity. Her own position
those days was trying. She did not
yet know her diplomatic lesson.
Apparently unaware of the talk,
Richard spent the greater part of his
| time experimenting the levee. He
could trust no one else to do ii, no
one unless it were Estrada, who was
rushing his steel rails through to the
front and was needed there.
Things were moving under his con-
slant goading. The extra pay was
! showing results. He should be at the