The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-09-02


her, his corduroy breeches tucked
into calf-high climbing boots, his
flannel shirt open at the throat.
The little room was cozy, and
there wasn't enough telephoning to
interrupt conversation much.
It should have been perfect
afternoon, here in the little 1nnes-
vile Central C -ce, but Marge
sighed as she thought of how COM
pletely Tom had ruined it.
"Why look at me as if I was
poison?" he asked. After all, I'm
doing my job"
But that isn't enough, Tom,
How can you ever expect to get
ahead by showing the foreman
how tough you are? Everybody
knows you could be one OF the
best linemen in the business-you
could be foreman yourself, If
you'd go out of your way little"
Tom frowned. There was so
much she couldn't seem to under
stand. Wanting him to be a boot
ticker to Mike johnson. Anybody
who knew anything could tell that
Mike was down on him. Anybody,
that is, but Marge.
Listen" he said, looking out
the window at the sWirls of snow
almost hiding the other small
houses of the village. Il know
that guy so much better than you
do. He wouldn't give me a break
if it was the last thing he had a
chance to do in this world"
ONE LAST FLING
Marge's eyes flashed a reflec-
ton to the light in the switch
board before her which had begun
to flash intermittently. AS she
plugged in she permitted herself
one last fling. Il know this, Tom
Reuter-. Unless you snap out of it,
and get somewhere, you can leave
me out of your plans"
The hot reply stopped on his
lips as he saw the tenSity in her
face while she listened to the
caller. Certainly. Ed" she said
into the transmitter. Some one
will be right out, as soon as I
reach the office" She pulled her
plug.
"A tree fell across that stretch
Of high tension power line near
Ed Lippen's farm. I'll have to get
the electric company right away"
wait minute-they can't get
out here in less than three hours,
Marge." All the levity and in
dolence had left Toms expression.
And say-there's enough dried
brush under that power line to
start first rate forest fire if the
line breaks and sparks get into
it, SnoWstorm or no SnoWStorm.
I'll go out there myself"
He jumped to his feet, and be-
gan collecting his spikes, insulators
and other equipment. There's
just a chance I can do it-with-
out being whacked by the power"
"No-No" She had leaped up
from her swivel chair. Tom, it
isn't a job for the telephone COM
pany. Anyway, you can't go with
out JohnSon'S okay. I'll try to get
him over at RobinstoWn. If you
go at all you go with him"
Tom had fastened his belts over
his heavy mackinaW, and pulled
his wool cap on. His hand on the
door he turned and laughed.
little bitterly.
johnson would take so much
time making up his mind whether
company rules allowed it or not,
that the whole county'd be on fire
before we got there. I'm going
now" His eyes we're hard.
COMPANY RULES
"And from what you just said
to me, guess it shouldn't matter
very much to you anyway. All
you're worried about is company
rules" He slammed the door be-
hind him.
Hote tears of mingled rage and
anxiety started down Marge'S
cheeks as she put in her call to
johnson, but her heart was with
Tom Reuter-, battling the Storm
and the drifts. She knew he had
a three-mile hike to Lippen's place.
The hard dry snow particles
whipped a brisk tattoo on his
cheeks as he pushed through the
drifts. Every minute, Tom knew.
was precious. If the lines would
hold, he might succeed in ground
ing the current in time to keep it
from causing a countrywide holo.
caust.
He'd do this job, not because it
was company job, but because if
he didn't there was a chance that
thousands of dollars worth of tim
Der and many lives might be lost.
He knew that there was a chance
that he might be wiped out. One
false move, and the wires could
crash on him, making his body the
path for enough volts of electricity
to light city. He grinned as he
saw the lights of the farm in the
swiftly falling dusk.
1t waa the work of a few minutes
to cross the fields, and he breathed
a sigh of relief as he saw that the
wires were still up.
The tree that had crashed
against them had been the only
one for yards around, and luckily
it was one of the few not COM
pletely surrounded by brush.
Lppen and his two sons were
standing there, helpless to do any,