White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-20

jerks Of the railroad company a larg'
force was put on the river: these, tn
weavers of the brush mattresses tina
were to line the river bed. On tn
banks were the brush cutters tons o
willows were to be cut to weave int
the forty miles of woven wire CABLE
waiting for the cross strands. Da,
by day the piles of willow branches
grew higher. the brush cutters work
ing ahead of the mattress workers II
the stream. In the dense underground
the stolid Indians, Pimas and Marco
! pas and Papagoes. struggled with thu
fierce thorn of the mesquIt and this
overpowering smell of the arrow
weed. As tough as the hickory handles
they welded. they fought a clearing
through dense thickets in the intense
tropic heat.
Down stream the Brobdingnagian
arm of the dredge fell into the mud OF
the bypass. dropping its Shiny burden
on the far bank. Down the long
| stretch of leyee the "~skinners" drove
their mules and scrapers: two pile
drivers were setting In the treacher-
Gus stream the piles which were to
anchor the ~steel-cabled mattresses to
the river bed. 1t was n well-organized,
active scene. Richard. in his office,
debating letters and kilograms to Mae
Lean, Jr., felt his first satisfaction.
Things were beginning TO show the re-
suit of months of planning. Cars were
rushing In from north and east; every
quarry between Los Angeles and Tue
son requisitloned for their undertake
ing.
A shadow fell on the pine desk.
Ling, in blue ticking shirt and white
butcher apron, waited for the "boss'
to look I'D. He stood wiping the per-
spiration from his head, hairless ex-
cept for the long ~silk-tapered queue.
well, Lingo"
II go tamale." His voice was soft
as silk. Il no stay"
1t was "A thunderclap. There was
no one to replace Ling, who was
drawing down the salary Of a private
secretary. Lose Ling? 1t would be
more demorallzing to the camp than
to lose an engineer.
"Money all lite. Bossee all lite. No
likee woman. Woman she stay. Ling
60"
Mrs. Hardin I" Richard woke up.
"She all time makee trouble. She
Clay. She think woman vellee fine
cook. She show Ling cookee plunes.
Teachee Ling cookee plunes! | no
stay that woman" Unutterable final
ity in the leathern face. Richard and
MacLean. Jr., exchanged glances
which deepened from concern into
perplexity. They could not afford to
lose Ling. And offend Mrs. Hardin.
the camp already H~ardinesque?
Richard grew placating. He spent
a half hour wheedling. They met at
the starting place. "Ling 90 tamale."
"Oh, Lord" groaned the manager.
captivating. AL right. Ling"
With the dignity of an oriental
prince, Ling battered out of the tent,
Richard vas pickering his lips at his
secretary. "Td rather take castor
OIL"
A half hour later. MacLean saw his
chief leave his tent. He was In fresh
linens.
~ wouldn't swap places with him
this minutel She'll be as mad as a
wet hen !"
Mrs. Hardin, from her bed by her
screen window. saw him coming. She
slipped into a seminegligee of alter
nate rows of lace and swiss construct
ed for such possible emergencies. She
did not make the mistake of smooth
ing her hair: her instinct told her
that the fluffy disorder bore out the
use of the negllgee. She was sew
ing In her ramada when Richards
knock sounded on the screen door.
Despite his protests she started wa
ter boiling In her chatting dish. He
had not time for tea. he declared, but
she insisted ON making this call of a
social nature. She opened q box of
sugar waters. her zeal that of a child
with a toy kitchen: she was playing
dolls house.
Richard made several openings for
his errand, but her wits sped like
a gopher from his labored digging,
She met his mood with womanly dig
nifty; she tutored her coquetries. with.
held her archness.
He found he would have to discard
diplomacy, blurt out his message; use
bludgeons for this scampering agility
MY mission Is a little awkward
Mrs. Hardin. I hope you will take II
all right. that you will not be Of
Tended"
"Orended7" Her face showed
alarm.
Its about Ling. He's a queer Eel
low; they all are, you know" II,
was laundering like a schoolboy un
der the growing shadow In Gerty',
blue eyes. 'They resent authority
that Is, from women. He Is a tyrant
Ling Is"
"Yesf" An, she would not help him
Let him fiounderi
"He wants to be let alone; h
doesn't appreciate your kind heir
AIre Hardin