Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-08-25


eyes. at was you who let me come,
WILL" she said.
But you wanted TO come because
Joe would have liked It. Kitty. It's
Ike you to hide your real feeling"
She laughed and made 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 IL she would walk
over 10 the portage to see Molly.
'Tonight?" she asked doubtfuliy.
"Not II you're tired, Kitty"
Il thought you might be content to
sit here and chat"
II should be, Kitty. But told her
was coming. And said had sur
prise for her. Can't you Imagine how
pleased she'll be to see your"
"Why, of course I'll come with You,
Will" she answered
And they strolled down side by side
and made their way to the tradsnr-
store. They went In and, at the sound
of their entrance. Molly came running
downstairs, stopped short at the bot
tom and stared ut Kitty as If she had
seen ghost. She put her hand ID her
heart with a sudden gesture of fear.
molly, this Is the surprise prom
ised you," said Wilton whats the
matter, dear? Did we startle yougr
Molly shook her head and came
quickly forward, swallowing as Ii
something was choking her. The wom-
en- kissed each other. Then Wilton was
aware that both We're watching him. u
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 subtletes ok
feeling that he could not understand.
Yet there was chilliness under the
girls chatter and laughter.
Presently Kitty said she was tired
and must yet back. Molly promised to
come TO 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 aud asked
abruptly:
"Will, you are still as deeply In
love with Molly as ever, aren't your"
"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, q
little puzzled. He had arranged to
show Kitty the progress Of the work on
the following morning, but when he
called for her he found her III the midst
OF her unpacklng, and she put 1t 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
one place to another. Locomotives were
snortlng, and lines of ballast trucks oc.
eupied the nnrrowgage 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 It's huge steel teeth into
the face Of the cut with the scrunch
OF an ogre's feast, and, turning, dis.
gorged Its plumber into the empty
trucks alongside.
Kitty shuddered and pressed VIII
m IsF
living monster, Wili,' 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 low voice, II
don't know IL ought to tell you--per-
haps you'd like to know. This liz
where joe"
Her grasp upon his arm frightened
convuislvely. mo, no, Willl" she said
hurriedly. II don't want to see 1t.
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 It's level twenty feet be-
meath the surface.
,..l., t..x 4 at.
fore begun the construction OF trestle.
work Teams hauled bundles OF logs,
bound with chain, to the scene OF
operations. The uprights for the lower
tier were driven into the ground, and
the horizontal members and diagonaIs
were nailed up, completing 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 camp. Wilton and
Kitty stood alone at the edge of the
embankment, where the himsy struc-
ture Of the trestle began.
Kitty looked at Wilton breathlessly.
"It's wonderful VIII" 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
ty?" be asked reproachfully. "You
have been loyal to the core to Joel"
Don't say that" she cried fiercely,