Evening star., 1934-04-19
Judith Lane
br JEANNE BOWMAN

have remembered him as being her
husband. Prof. Jackson. Was he
spying there Tor Lampere?
No use thinking about 1t, her
weary mind protested. A sleep and
tomorrow she would go back and look
for him.
But when she awakened she did
not call for a horse and ride over as
she had intended. What could she
say If she located him? If he had
wanted to see her he'd had a month
in which to visit BIZ Tom Town.
She stuck, literally and figurative-
ly. 1t seemed as the Summer pro-
gressed that she was glued to the high
stool over her drawing board, check
ing progress with Big Toms specifi-
cations. The heat burned down
through the boards Of her shack un-
til even Delphy, who usually con-
gealed in the Winter and thawed into
comfort at Midsummer, admitted it
''am quite VAIN"
Cunard sent insulating board up
from Laredo, which helped a little.
Awnings at the windows, made by
some Of the engineers from old can
vas and daubed with varicolored
paint, added to the comfort. Del
phys window boxes, with their pro-
fusion of petunias and nasturtiums,
broke the drabness of the outlook.
Down in Big Tom Town tents and
motor houses were graced with coffee
tins, sprouting blossoms, gifts of seed
from Delphy.
And then the storm season an
nounced its approach with brasSy sky
and sultry heat. For days it seemed
the air was filled with flinty bits of
bronze. Judith watched the sky with
apprehension, held long consultations
with Scoggins and Scofield. The dam
town had grown to dangerous size,
II one were to try to find place for
them in the safety of the ship rock.
1T wouldn't come flood two years
together" comforted Scoggins.
1T wouldn't any place else in the
world" Judith agreed, but let's be
sure our people are above the dan
ger line at the time of the first
Storm
She saw the first storm coming, a
blue-black mist which spread like
smoke against the northern skies,
then rose and deepened in color. She
went back to the house, sent Delphy
with messages to the stables and had
the boys ride out to warn the men
working In the river channel. The
women and children were brought to
her house.
They laughed at her for her alarm.
and she laughed with them, but she
wanted no loss of life.
She watched the storms approach.
grateful that it did not look as for
mldable as the previous year, but for
midable enough at that.
"Old Mother Summer is sweepin'
tn sky" chanted Tommy Scoggins.
who had discovered her retreat. He
looked up at her and smiled a tooth
less smile which seemed strangely
charming on his fat, freckled face.
Judith smiled back, tears behind
her smile. Last year, how different
1t had been. Big Tom had been there
and she had sat snugly in the curve
OF Norman'S arm. She wondered
where he was now.
Know what it makes me think of.
Miss Judy?" inquired Tommy, point
ing to black clouds which had sepa-
rated from the mass and were blow
ing forward slashed with red, forked
lightning. witches, black ones, ridin'
brooms. Say. Miss Judy. d'y' reckon
you could talk Pop into buyin' me an
alrplane stead of a car? Gee, there
amt no place here fellow can drive
a car"
Judith turned from the storm
swept sky. Would you be terribly
disappointed if you didn't get either
one?"
You mean maybe there won't be
no :. I mean any. oil?"
How far down are they now?"
Past two thousand he admitted.
Then, with bravado, Gee, I could get
along with a horse just as well, If I
could have two guns with it."
The near cannonade of thunder
sent them back down hill and a few
moments later the storm struck. Day.
light this time, excepting for the
twilight of greenish-black clouds.
They could see the blue white flame
Of lightning zinging down in Snaky
darts, crashing with brittle force.
The river was rising. Judith, Lar
son and the engineers watched it with
interest and apprehension. 1t flooded
the low basin, Tapped the base of
Scoggins No. l. They saw it tapping
the lowest tents and then, with one
big roar, Scoggins No. l burst into
fame, a flame that seemed to rise
to meet red dart hurled from the
clouds.
She's gone she struck the
derrick
Judith stood white Tipped. silent.
She had no more reserve funds to
rebuild.