Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-08-18

Joe would have liked 1t, Kitty. It's
Ike 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 II she would walk
over to the portage TO see Molly.
"Tooight?' she asked doubtfully.
"Not IL you're tired, Kitty"
81 thought you might be content to
sit here and chat"
II should be, Kitty. But I told her
| was coming. And | said had a 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 Strolled down side hy side
and made their way to the trading
store, They went in and, at the sound
Of their entrance, Molly came running
downstairs, stopped short at the bot.
tom and stared at Kitty as II she had
seen Il ghost. She put her hand to her
heart with n sudden gesture Of fear.
molly, this is the surprise | prom.
ises you" said Wilton. whats the
matter, dear2 Did we startle your"
Molly shook her head ana came
quickly forward, swallowing as II
something was choking her. The wom-
EN- kissed each other. Then Wilton "a
aware that both were watching him.
All through the lively chat that fol-
lowed he IA conscious of that. He
put the idea out of his mind with an
effort, for he did not like subtleties OF
feeling that he could not understand.
Yet there was u chilliness under the
girls chatter and laughter.
Presently Kitty said she was tired
and must get 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 and asked
abruptly:
"Will. you are stlll as deeply In
love with Molly as ever, aren't your"
"Of course l am, Kitty" he an
swered.
Then l am glad, for your sake and
hers" answered Kitty, and went
quickly into the house.
Wilton walked back to his shack, n
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 In the midst
or her unpacking, and she put II 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
n place to another. Locomotives were
snorting. 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 Its plumber into the empty
trucks alongside.
Kitty shuddered and pressed VII.
toms arm. TITS like-lt'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 u low voice, II
don't know II ought to tell you-per-
haps you'd like to know. This Is
where Joe"
Her grasp upon his arm frightened
convulsively. mo, no, WIFI" she said
hurriedly. ~ don't want to see 1t. I
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 q 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 flimsy struc-
ture OF the trestle began.
Kitty looked at Wilton breathlessIy.
ITS wonderful, Will" 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
tvI" hp asked rpuroa phfuIlv avon