White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-03
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Dragon Scores.

The Palmyra was one again IN Its
siding. Marshall was Mt the front
again having made another of his
swift dashes from Tucson. This time
he expected officially to close the gate.
Claudia was with him. She never left
the ear. unless IL were to step out to
the platform TO see what she could
from there OF the river work.
Hardin and Richard had been devot-
ing anxious weeks. A heavy rainfall
and cloudburst In the mountains or
northern Arizona had swollen the feed
ers of the ella river which roared
down to the Colorado above Yuma. !
The eroding stream carried noun
talns In solution which settled against
the gate. IA scour starting above and
below II. Relief had TO be given on
the jump. A spur track WAS rushed
across the bypass above the gate. IA
the closing OF the Inflated gate with
the flashboards was no longer possible.
A rock-nii WINS the only means or
closure. IN the distant quarries men
were digging out rock To oil the cali
from the river.
Marshall came down TO see the com
pleted spur. Before he reached the
intake, the first rock train had moved
onto the spur track. The trestle had
settled. the train had been thrown
from the rails and wrecked.
Marshall came in from the damaged
t%restle, bringing Richard and Crothers.
Mrs. Marshall had invited lines Har-
din to dine with them. Innes fell to
flushing. aud chilling. ns a llthe-mus-
cled figure came directly To her. Ills
eyes-where was the look she had
feared. OF possesslve t~enderness7 The
Quizzieal CLEAN "A gone On guard
A solemn business. loving. when you
know that IL means-llfei on guard,
though. TO herl She pulled her fin
gers from his strong lingering clasp.
and Joined Mrs. Marshall.
Richard hal his soldier look on She
was watching him eovertly ms he
talked with his host and Crothers, as
though she were not there: as though
something were not waiting for him 20
claim. How could he be taking. OBJ
livious of everything else In the world
except the rtverf Was that-loving7
Could she think Of anything else when
he was In the same room with herf
He was n soldier OF the modern army.
IL came to her.. a sort of tender dlvi-
nation. that he would not divide his
thoughts. even with her. with love. un-
I'll his battle was won. Well. couldn't
she understand thatf What her accu-
sation against Gertyf Sex honor
keep on the tracki Wasn't that her
own notionl 0ughtn't she TO be proud
of hima
She had brought a nest OF waspish
thoughts tumbllng about her ears
Gerty' He had loved Gerty. Hell
couldn't love her. II his thoughts had
ever fingered, with that same serious
~ solemn look on the false little face
of her sister-in-iaw.
After dinner they were standing In
the shade OF the Palmyra. II was a
soft still afternoon. The Herceness Of
the savage desert had melted TO her
days OF lure. Beyond. the turbid wa
ters OF the Colorado bore a smiling sur
face. There was nothing to hint OF
treachery.
IL was a minute of pleasant lassi-
tude snatched from the turmoil. Rick
ard had succumbcd to the softness OF
the day and his mood. He was enjoy
Ing the thought OF Innes'
though she kept her face turned from
him. He knew by the persistence of
those averted eyes that she was as
acutely conscious Of his presence as he
was. restfully, OF hers. Deliberately,
be was ~prolonging the instant.
A stir on the river had caught thel
alert eye of Tod Marshall. He sworel
q string Of picturesque Marshallian
oaths. Richards eyes Jumped toward
the bypass. Tho placid waters had
suddenly buckled. Majesticnlly the
gate rose and went out. Months oil
work swept awayl The gate drifted
a hundred feet or MORE. Some unseen
obstruction caught II there, to mock
AT fha lnhnra nf mas