The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-09-01
ITO come up here ard put Up with

Joe would have liked ii. Kitty. It's
like YOU to hide your real feeling"
She laughed and made a little face
at him. But after supper she grew
serious as he spoke of the work and
his success, about which he had writ
ten her.
Wilton asked her If she would walk
Over 10 the portage to see Molly.
"Tonight?' She asked doubtfully.
mot if you're tired. Kitty"
Il thought YOU might be content to
sit here ana chat"
Il should be, Kitty. But l told her
| was coming. And | said | had Il sur
prise for her. Can't you imagine how
pleased shell be to see you?"
"Why, of course I'll come with you,
WILL" She answered.
And they Strollcd down side by side
and made their way TO the trading.
store. They went in and, ut the sound
of their entrance, Molly came running
downstairs, stopped short ut the bot
tom and stared at Kitty as If she had
seen a ghost. She put her hand to her
heart with a sudden gesture of fear.
Molly, this is the surprise | prom.
ised yoI,' said Wilton. whats the
matter, dear? Did we startle your"
Molly shook her head and came
quickly forward, swallowing as il
something was choking her. The wom.-
en- kissed each other. Then Wilton was
aware that both were watching him.
All through the lively chat that fol.
lowed he was conscious of that. He
put the idea out of his mind with an
effort. for he did not like SubtletieS OF
Ieellng mat he could not understand.
Yet there was a chilliness under the
! girls chatter and laughter.
Presently Kitty said she was tired
II must get back. Molly promised to
come 10 see her as soon as possible.
Wilton and Kitty hardly spoke on
the way home. When he left her at
her door she turned to him and asked
abruptly
"Will, YOU are still as deeply in
love with Molly as ever, aren't you?'
"Of course | am, Kitty" he an.
swered.
Then | am glad, for your sake and
hers" answered Kitty, and went
quickly into the house.
Wilton walked back to his shack, a
little puzzled. He had arranged 10
show Kitty the progress Of the work on
the following morning; bat when he
called for her he found her in the midst
Of her unpackinG, and she put it off
until the afternoon. Wilton laughed.
chided her and went to his work.
She kept him waiting till three
o'clock, when they started. He felt the
pride Of the artist as he led Kitty from
II place To another. Locomotives were
snoring, and lines Of ballast trucks oc-
cupied the narrOw-gage that had been
laid down to the waters edge.
In the ballast pit, from which the
screech Of steam was heard from morn
till night, the great, unWieldy steam
shovel scraped its huge steel teeth INTO
the face Of the cut with the scrunch
Of an Ogre's feast, and, turning. dis
gorged it's plumber into the empty
trucks alongside.
Kitty %shuddered and pressed VIII
tons arm. Its like-it's like some
living monster, WILL" she said. Lets
go on"
He led her toward the muskeg. But
on the way he stopped suddenly beside
the summit Of the ridge.
kitty" he said, in a low voice, 81
don't know if | ought to tell you-per-
hars you'd like to know. This Is
where joe"
Her grasp upon his arm frightened
convulsively. "No, no., Will !" She said
hurriedly. 81 don't want to see it. ]
can't bear to think of it,"
They followed the line Of ballast
trucks along the narrow-gage down to
the swamp's edge. Construction upon
the foundations was well under way.
Tons OF debris had been poured into
the muskeg, and had simply spread
themselves over the bottom, finding
their level like water. Soundings'
taken had showed the bedrock hardly
raised from its level twenty feet be-
meath the surface.
Wilton and Lee Chambers had there
fore begun the construction Of trestle-
work. Teams hauled bundles OF logs,
bound with a chain, to the scene OF
operations. The uprights for the lower
tier were driven into the ground, and
the horizontal members and "diagOnals
were nailed up, completing VI crazy,
shaking structure just strong enough
to take a pair of metals at the top.
AS they reached the edge OF this
structure the whistle blew. The work.
men knocked off and came slowly past
them toward the caiap. Wilton and
Kitty stood alone at the edge Of the
embankment, where the tlimSy struc-
tIre Of the trestle began.
Kitty looked AT Wilton breath,cssly.
Its wonderful, WIN" she said. 1t
makes me feel so out Of Place and use
less
Wilton looked at her in surprise.
why, how can you feel that way, Kit
tyE" he asked reproachfuliy. You
have been loyal to the core to Joe"
Don't say that !" she cried iercely.