The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-01

fence. A surly wind whipped by their
heads. wave of mist trailed 1t. He
stepped behind Julie into the Richaud
kitchen, oblivious to the coming
storm. to children. to everything and
every one except Julie. He felt words
swell through him.
"Julie, I've been remembering what
we said when ! was here last
time
$50 have l, Normal"
"You have?" He caught both her
hands.
"Julie. Julie" callet. her mother.
Madame Richaud had rushed to the
window. Julie followed quickly. Nor
man stared after her, his eyes wide
by Mackinac. she was pretty
todayi Why. Su. Stocking didn't
show up at all In comparison.
Germaine was painting toward the
door, waving his hands.
at comes" he screamed, "Julie
Quick, rum. the cows. the team, the
sheepl QuickI Help me, 1t comes T.
Norman raced after the girl.
The river slashed past wei its low
banks. an excited yellow current. Far
up the valley rumbled the positive
voice of moving waters. In a black
c0nvulsive torrent the flood swept
down. The Delong dam had broken.
"Julie" Norman cried. A sudden
burst of rain BANKED his sight.
"JulieT I"
The believing river answered. II
struck the top of the farm and ripped
down the last steep descent. Waters
rOared like a bursting planet
half a mile away a quarter
mile IN eighth. In a minute
they would arrive . . half a min
ute.
"Juliew Norman shouted. "JuIiel'
James belongs car splashed heav-
lily through the mud. Water streaked
In a dozen arteries through the mid
die of the road. The bitches were
brooks.
He slowed the car that Sue might
view the Delong property from a
ridge. Sue gave a cry of delight. She
never had seen fields so clean and
well cared for. This was a country
place just like the one she had read
about a private drive, cattle
barn hidden in trees, an artificial
lake, tenants houses It might
be Long Island. Delong, stopping the
car, inhaled smoke lazily and threw
the stub of his cigarette sizzling into
a roadsid, pool.
"Here we are" ne cried cordially.
"and over there you see my brother
Fritz he stopped, frowning.
81 wonder what's up?" He pointed
toward the lake.
Rain was falling briskly again. Cir
clins a thin second-growth woods that
acted as a screen between stables and
dwelling house. Delong had halted.
He helped Sue down from the car.
"If you'll wait just a second !"
he hobbled toward the lake. "TIl be
right back. | want to see what's up
over there"
He left Sue by the car. She hest
tated a minute, uncertain what he
meant her TO do, and then started
after him.
The Tamarack river, which once
had flowed as II pleased out of the
hills, a slow idle stream that soaked
good soil into swamp, was tumbling
% ferociously over the spillways of
an artificial fall. Sue had expected
nothing so immense as this. She knew
very little about rivers. except to feel
that Lake Michigan was immeasur-
ably safer.
A half-dozen men swarmed the mar.
row embankment. They we're swing
ing spades, shouting. heaving sand
and mud.
whats wrong?" Delong cried.
"Fritzl What's happened"
A tall thin man In muddy fiannels
labored on his knees halfway across
the dam. He was much older than
his brother. ten years perhaps. with
a narrow sharp face shining now with
perspiration. He was crowding sand
desperately into q hole In the dixie.
When he heard his brother call he
shouted back, but did not stop work.
The artificial lake spread three-
quarters of a mile wide, twenty feet
deep behind its dam. a blue. swollen
circle in the contours of the hills.
Rain was falling with a suIlen hiss
upon the surface of the water. that
had already crawled to the very top
Of the embankment. Earth, caving
from its sides. fell into the water with
a cloudy yellow splash : 1t disappeared
and more slid after II.
Sue ran toward the embankment.
James Delong, after jerking of his
coat, had grasped a shovel from the
hands of a French Canadian and was
working beside his brother. She
moved out recklessly upon the en-
bankment.
81 can help !" she cried.
Delong jerked around.
"Get back on land" he ordered
sharply. sect up to the house |
QuIck It's SOiHS Iuu!
He was limping badly as he rushed
along the dam toward her. Fritz De.
long. the useless shovel In his hands,
his mouth wide open. already had
started toward solid earth on the 9TH
er side. The French Canadians were
scurrying for safety.
Sue retreated the half-dozen STEPS
she had come. Wet earth sank like
quicksand under her feet. Behind her
she saw the dam sliding out into
space. A broad cash spread where a
minute before men had been lab0ring.
She saw Fritz belong plunge into
the Tamarack river with the ripping
wall, his eyes wide, bis gray hair