Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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1 • : ‘ ' ~tflpspd of) thelow shexo, like a hoyts* /• cards ui»on which "tins Iweh’/laid k^Elie fimre ^ P „ cr/ „ ujM*n WHirTT-mis np*n/whj tne'4 ] bgp.'?—V— , _ ; t J , , „ . , ... weight of a massive hiiTf«i;r , The rn'cr/, “Ft Is. noble—rrf >011., I sfiu.lf love you • Shuetlifl might bsivie heett a at ~f irever, but—... r ^ vtqsngif >»'ft jiixusVtf or forced Ho turned rosoliTTPly nwav "and forhintscff Meade. The fatyerTiftd told jhljjj jq*t w.hnit t^4Hl+Htdejd r i+» d\» .wi[||ii‘it. - -y, great section, eniTyJug JJ^e* greater Time! at “forever, but— r '"man-if left to liints. If nr forced to net' .,• tbp top nnd^jDKl froTT^lts ha»e.,-plunged, 1 Jtfo turned resolOTPly away r and for himself. Uut pursuing a great-dpias- . r» an avalanche i»f' s*4-»-k- lT***r.t walked-do^ged}*'- out of 4* r <» rqnnv. :Sd- •' ^n-5<* long Us he- had. hr,* had rTTged dmvn Into the. .rfvw, throwing far o'n/tHlri-gnrir*ii- i -«iiitle -t**p to fo!l<n\ v '! him sc If trl.tt.Httl- of^Mst nslfrotm a giant rtjdnpiilt, him. ..." '' - y. ' ' i " i " tin* traveler on the ourw-itKii end of the "Jhdori," ' Jiiterposed her suspended spun utid^u. loc«nu*44Ve oh..patching 1her nUtiost rotlghly l>v> the I’entipn. hut had got into trotihle over *“ f4 T* .-.ttnordictlvttthy • .$====•.- 4»- : ' hi re-- *- Wil clings,* and the few* un^n safe on ^ you g»f out of“fTus door afby ll.tttt innh, p shored stood tromiflfng. Took mg at bib" the hnr't'Sdcr ! tif*;idr' : frti tjnt iiwfttl tan- k fded mass of Avri<.e;knge mj the short tudwWrT Vhe.pier god tile hank4 floor I dam and Stringer, girder and sffUt in the niore tit'gre^sive persop- •allty of his employer und friend.; He father, | h^id recrVv.*! H &r*o*«l engineering edu- *arly ' , i ji 'ie ver spf^tk to ytt+^ug'djo." 1 . , ho f7.rgiye n. or .eppeieulcd.. The V “Father. I; l.ovo you. -I'm sorry for M. '(de* had taken him: up*, hiiid * >'*11. I wjunflcJ do timahing'ft>r-you-htit .kind to/him. had offere d to fry. 4 •.this. .Sou have your friends. That hith on his feet niruiVi. hat his hi rmpi yoHder, ha^ ikiTTTdTrgrrnnTWrigrbut ^ry had Im/reasc-l Ins natural timidity. in hi 9. career, too Jog" to be Tee'tified, to older been do-put his ft et agaih. hut his big fall* r f 1’; lu-okrn ’in V'asz**<1 I must* i:«> t>» liiiTi. » v THE FAMOUS .ENGINEER LEARNS THAT HE MADEjTHE-BIG - MISTAKE OF HIS LIFE AND MANY LtVES MUST ‘ PAY THE PENALTY. 4. 1 ,Tht* .Martlet 0s»iv^Hw4idft‘ coih^any putting np^ a great'ifiterna- Iton,.'Bertram Meade, Jrk a resident engim*er at the bridge,'hives Helen f HHngworth, daugliter of \’olonel miiigNVtilffft. lli*a<l <»f the'construction company;, imd they will ma’rpy as soon as the bridge is .completed/ The yeting engineer (pics cer'taih^importa fled' when the Tiri his father’s judgment on the strcii^th of rs, hut was.^uigried at. Ills doubts tire verl- -guddenfy cotlliirscs, wlfh Tten\ y To.slj of life, ^ —— t— ; — * •••'• " , nothing to Ah hot t. inrtntTen^as horrihle ruin. M-tdlc t!<e water, deeper ] ...>he turned ^rfiTT .wiaiT' (mT‘ _ of~tTi« v f rmfnrf Urn ohl mTmLs.tlfc' Voting Melt?!** had never been s*r he stayed on; He j'uid b,e<*onie a everything. .That is not to siky^tni was ijhan. the. chivFTn' tt 'laid etd; rotlfiddts Voou, w ithout ^ hiiekw afd ld<>k df* an-' Ilearfless; but the Itrtdge trnrl it^Y^|^- ..ua»T T s’srnTK?th 1 yjyer;the ugitationsOf* -onherwnidlitetmt* detainlng.her.' N<>#■■ ti(*n Were supretne id h+i4 mind. he,great pktmgo hey4iud"the"pirr. it 'hirppiTicd »h;rrtiY*tieh Hiiy>|^|fiiwjWBi>a T.he material Was arriving ami every- stnyeilr sick and faiiii at the tangled, hili in the station wagon, Meade had . < d hirn, ^tiling was going on with siu h a swing interwoven >dass of steel, ribboning in ( jud caught a local train, which made; flon to* his fath**r..a%d he understood pf vigor that he would fain have ke}d every direct itrtfc«sd«r-iu'.,.fli.e njaLn-Hie ; eonj+eyt ions w ith the U«HuHiig -express and ndfnrfod'frftn. Aside from that able to-gW- very far into /Tie personality, of iie realized tho man’s devo- Ht work an lnnir. or. two longer. rivets held so it was tiot a try defeek nit Tile."'nUdHb.’nv ' ttiVit tl~t th» . ..... ^ t ^ . Thirteen themselves did not Jeef 'thaT ' of joirrf.s,. but sTFUetura! w< a4<t.iess in. ie‘ -eTnT'J7Ty"es of t h< v M' y dy.wn' "^' __ higtier gritd.es had-got the obsession of ITroflght it. down—tiiid inelosing urfjn --the bridgty but to most of tlumTlt; was a net many bodies that a few seeotids "the thing they\worked at^ hy \yhieh before .had been I i \ mg tun they got • their daily bread—nothing JiHjre. some twenty miles away, itnd l^elott•; Jcarousys^lh'-oW-nian coufd out but IHie Iiling*w'o'rth in drer: ear reaghed-Jlie sta the young TToh iilxittorni ji >arf t :aSlie rein CHAPTER'VI. - -L The Failure.../- In spite of hlmseTf'tind Id* In the hridgey Abbott tell a little un- easy the nyWt, morning. At bottom he had more respeft fur Meade’s tecll- nleal* knowledge than In* had displayed or cW‘l_r admitted to . himself. '1 he. ah'irm. liis rnen atfr|-lhri*lge. least had i*» susnici of disaster. The workmen at suspicions or premonitions. just in -Utue to see it ile falltet for Shurtliff to dislike him. The _ monthered-that‘ten-mitT-.s. .un rdnry ui»Wd loui u-eU-; across'. th<i^ <*oimtrv anydhyi*. railroad to see him a gretyt engineer. Of course 'ran-and if She drove hard site could lie could-never he the engineer that Tlie.v had seen body j'i.tt* r body hurled possibly catch train -w hich woijjd his father, w^i^. that would not be ip through, the air from the outward e!Hl *^'md her iu.XerSey'OHy a few’ minutes mhe pouor of man.." Hut still, even if Tlatse wholjyvorkeiitix the day were, and, its they gazed fearfully in In>ri<>r hefore tdn* train her hiverngitight. Sins he never att;liinnl that height, he cbnlt^ aTrcTidy^iiiyrfllg TTsidt^^Tictr "tools,'^ and lore and tk.%* daf’.. ! - fl^aii-d to tool t In*" clmnlTe.nr. ’ who scouted a r i o- • t i - * * \ • ■ ■ ■ 1 •. h SburtlifY wotilfl* not — - - fop tlicir departhyt*. They the surface of t.lju. wab r/Thcy caTYgiit mance and .drove mis he hud never admit that there was ynythirig on earth ' to equal Meade. Sr i f rytyviLS gr.»mitlv surprised prepamu always would.get ready so tint sigmil yfC that—was left to do V*.-,,. f .rt\7z~ gik.o ,.-i . dark n-giires the surface of tin; water. Tll( glimpses riveters, who were nrnteii i ... ... . ..5y catigl of w tlfed-dk; 1 1 faces-as_ tlio t+Hgfily current roiled tlietn under and swept them on. Ail’d ho sound cafne lit inancc and drove "as in* hud (iciVen -bef< > r» *, The. girl caughtThmexpres.s ul rode to the Hudson terminal fit- A? city*. from thehundred, uml lifty who had The tiewsbnys ott -street man, knew about tin* camber. It had not bothered him. As he approached last minute. -K TTn said jMo-U,” I Wilehihg*] lrti 'younger engineer’s terrjfied utfer^f»rgyifIllness of tin* amenities in'* twiun them, his frantic* hut futile ef- felbs.tf"* -t.clcplidthk d f j .which .the m* or>,.irr\libo!t inTbe-morning, his hunibil dep irture to New .Vork, were, to siiy'ubvhius't. sotmwvhat (bi-*<|Uietfog.. uiuch hnire than he was lain t*> ltd* init tie him: . AlflioUgli H inv^Kcd a hard soiiiewhat dangerousaifiidi downward _ynd tojdc upwards of if haliHtmr" of his valuable time, the tirst thing th>^<D*ct-; Hltg*engineer dbl in tin* morning wp^sto I uilown to'Tpr-pier head and niake a thormrgh and 'carofiii examination of the buckli’d nn nibet*. |ttlH I! "wns. 1 <>i C.iil *<«'*. a Terror the grent trnrer chord • yj 11 '. of ,the huge w iiicfi. w ith it bridge atpl it-vAsiif,' 1 ‘ .^Vt-rrl'b'F timet urr two «*\chnng»st preetlnprf ‘.‘You’re out t*arly, Mn Abbott,’ WilcHiijgs. • ;/ \ Vcs. I’ve been, down to examine lauglied. rimt litthp sprfng is nothing.. .^Abbott pad beep’ standing near the 11 N* rmr witli. tin* hridgt*. The -< M > would have, billed them vvilh- outer end of the cantilever andj. he turned atnl wirlked toWar> 1 tin* bank. Tin* pneumatic rivetiVs were nit-fht- talting.on-tlie rivet heads wlWyti^per fectly damnable iteration ofTdusisterit, snias'hlhg and biitb'rjtig and; crashi'hg of the grca.t-girders thiit had -fallen 11phii tlie-m or driven theiil from tin* floor and Imj-fod thwin, enlShed and , broken.' fitlirr+ie riv\*t* "... Meade had bee'll right. - Abbott had Wledgmeiit, one .1 with such rc- cia ry fed. I sound. A confused babel voices, tin*' He clatter of hammers,. miffing sounds of "m* swift lltiglu of iooked ofer the.track and through tin* sw inging steel gnuTng against *steel. i swift moment pickf maze of bracing at the member.-, "If, clanking of tru«h<f grinding’ of wheels, grets .ifsiiiight *wjivpad u piep..s<• nh• wIn*r.er \u»...£o;i 1 d . t-ho di*ep . lm»*athing" <»f •:bnt***m»>tivcs; ?. nity in u lieil Imlikup ibe. earth with that strut.' You laHmd*. d- idKari unhanucinious dini'asiiii i,.lik«v'the.rest,, h'ifji'.wuje down with the you?” of horrid sound. ’ bridge! fill a UfHtitin,*—nil uder- • >f reiuocJlS^TMlforti he,' . i dldikkJiinl out any thing, did and “Not<■ a'tliijvg i:\cept \some hair-Lim cracks in tin* pnii.it around the rivets. "You’ll often find those where there heavy fond to take up. This brr stand long after you midyT an nflnr'fiTTIT has quktyjvonk tor Yilclii’tfgs was ariniin of e.xperi- ilitv. if. Ablaut had on the otlielT •tWO 4 r| >| pi >stY«." ed* tin* w.lnd diaHiohd Alrrrpcd truss,, pa rail *1 sixty Tcckaway of th aCross tin* ri\er. .yill'f'Tt If miuludg l ^ufijev.-r on- the other T'Te 4n't'.di’*d any his careh il. 'll fo r ex:Y’’.7Im*v t he ation of liis iipiiih*#- 77jry Mitt*was right above the pier head : wv. Hi* hiMced down at if through: the struts and floor "beam* alid braces. . f.Tsfeiiing his gitv’.o on the i|U4Wtrru*'Tk' taemfier. There* it stood satisfactorily. ; df course. Yet. sonicijiiiui impefled him to walk <(iit-on tin* nearest lljidf ilieartt to tin* extreme .edgc'of the truss and •look dmvrt ~*-r CH^PtERtVIl. The message.was recciycirin ghast ly' silence. \n one spoko. for li moraentg Nniu*’ ThOyflfi (I'Imiel Illingworth's face was tierv- red. Hertratn Meade would- have did- lm acres' s¥t tie to ser- better view it at it otien more, lenrTing'fnr 1 l * u . in any■ other mail in the Ct~ it better. He could get a 1 , ' uuttrt ^ ,4 ‘ ".as.. tbfiTking ofhis Vat her,, on* -w-r* r^tt: w -tig. w ''Ttbc m-cgilicf'knhd: if gave w;c>.. the. Whmv Vnisr. Would go. ' Tin* other. 1 fuss 'wmild inevitably follow suit. m.ni tin* calitilev.T -w-wobl inmie<li- ately" A;l|afsi Abbott r*-*ali/.c*(l that, of course, a-- lie (’limbed carefully tpiwn Jo the jii. r, licdd and stood on tin'* s.lnVe. . ' , * . e Alihoft. as' lie stoo'd by! the mcnihdr and surveyed it throughout \ts_ length, could easily see that it had buckled, al though the dec iAtion— w as.slight^ about Two Inches at" Its Tn'ffXttmihlsJh Fflxty feet, lie tu-jiughtWith him a litH! and. with' infinite cure' and pains. InTi Avcg' (L'i:i J tTT» lisp el nir;il. tfWHi if- :4" xTr-.v *A\’iicliirig*» Ini. -1 his also which uirse, and a i fuss tlic-slight concacity -rring. 1 It* had r estimate! di^*nc.>*bcrwecir •tile ' 'ba^pcrhikps. Lu*.x\ mild luiv^puid uium iocv 1 fid' tlie String, at J nHcntimf to Mcaylc’s upjmhiI. So lie r iinfes. d ^ i hurried o?Rl care.ful nUjisirretuents, ' lightly lie mmlr lie disrov- eVet* ('me inn • It tap] „! a ho\v ciiniper. dr th (‘enter iif tin* oiu* and a.. 1 tali' tin ire civil that it wa • dred and twenty tliat. was seaYccly tin- ticeabb*. and. jt did riot seem - cvry ~~* nmdi to Abbott. * As hi*.sp>o(l there fceTing himself an insignificant ftgtirc y ; amid^thi* - great iiitcrwoci W nia'l-ot I.''.. -~7^ti*cI.' :Ygai11 flic" tviplc-oii' ps vp-cng-Th, and stabPTtv • a.no*, to him o vert woven ug- ly.'so muelr'si! that-pe brtttdied aloud ' In a Hither grim fashinij at th^-.^mi- wamted* m*rcousiti'ss which bar! licoh' i a ided to Xb'iieHt's cnutblctev. • Thctday. was ml in»n«Tlatl,v hardmin'. A great .quantity of structural stecl^ that had been deHiVcd and wiiich luyl tlitvatVncd to hold ti[i tin* work. arrivc<f that day .and t in* chief of construction was busier than he bail ever 4'ceu. lit* whs drivipg . the men - with . furious *invrgy. Kveii utnier thy best conditions lit would he well-nigh impossible to complete The tiridgi* on. time. "Abbott.’b had -pride in carrying out the'contra of and tin* financial question was a c«n- (1*‘fahie mn*'. Ilfnl it iiot-hccn for hurried th ir.g anvMiing t. tyurk at top*spe»»jd aftcrfioOTi. wtttioiiT sayr \VvTchings. who had re? ’dr ro nhyno'lr •in fae». AbbnrHr went Alwcn‘to loo! lie* member lignin. ■ l ie climbed a hundred fcuLox urora * other- I'Anmittn.l ir/n at... tip j^i •f it with nnlTinig between it and liim. ' Ir.stijl slood. lUmvcly. Jt^ fo.npleti'd' \\as. nil righb^f cnittfSv.- . He wished u h" 11 that in* had never safd a word about 1t Jo rtYT'otie. Hi- dbl licit ,-sT*i*.',\vTjv hevotild — . • ' -J,„ ' . . • • ait regard it‘with t b *«i nd i fT« rein'** that filed. * A4 Ii-" stared: down at it r t IK" edge uf the tl'llss tile whistle (piittTths^Vdijcv. b hlvery soutnKof Work c<*asy*d after rhw briefest of .-dtiSqw'iUs,. cxcefit hen* and there a few rivet!b«s driving hotnt* n final riveKkrpt at it foKa few sec ond. hut only fpr-tifew secotuTs^Then. for jt rnohientj a siletT self intervened. If see ever Mowing win'd had been ty* stilled. That s-hrilt wdiistb tIn*!conse.quen|; cessation of the work " always “an>ct(»d (‘veryhody jhq 'sann* w ay. Tljefe ‘ was inevitably qnd'In variably a 'pause*. The contrast be.- TTvfuhk4tje jioisc and its sudden stop- jalto was so great that the men iu- I - The tirirl 'fiTiived first.- Her fattier and th«> young engineer were till* tyyo TrrrrFf (h*e] .ly / t i ijh In Tl. They- w ere birftT ready cry i 11 g -fhe-4( »sk Sin* srtyv the story (lisplayed in lurid Ti'-d' headline filVshu- spnmg : into'the. taxi and pade flu* chauffeur hurry li* r to tin* I’pUft buiiilihg downtown. Tin*, bill sin* handl'd him in advance nmcbv 'trrni recklessly break the speed limit. * * * * * * ' » * • . - Itertnuu NIendc, Sr., had not left th .as he stopped hesifle his own desk to hear his name e,aiked from the inner flic**. He recognized lux einplbyer’? rain . lurfn; left tlu.' ofl'iee .during - the whole long -afternoon. Ily sat .alon(“(iui(*tIya waiting"4’or tin* cud. As to the drownitig life* uttrolM in rnj<j<t ri*vh»w v ,-s(, j»Ict-un/s of the past took form and/'shape in his mind, lb* recalled many failiitj'es. *^*(t success is uiri'tvterriviit-cib and Unbroken./.. It Is througTi .constant ldhinlering that we ‘failing, as'everiybdfijy else learns. Hut .failures amTmistakcS, which were par- dotiahle in the beginning bf his career, could 'not be cT>ti(h»m*d now; those -.should have taught him.— Hi* realized -, too title'that liis later achievement-.Pad begot in Jiyn a kind of conviction of "omtflscbdnv. a betief in his own Vrrfnrtll-" j)ilt.ty, biwl t.or a..inail. His prich* had in a got i y, both in need id iiej'J l t tj cr->i - jfc'i-i * r t * * before*, harifnpoti api>rOHehed tlu* b'dHtgl-y she sjrbtied to-thy-siyh- of lltt* I fait' Mv lnd been jjo sure of himself younger. And th»*-father sUw-ond un- | that even ivhen ftie possibilityltnit he midst («f iiis slrf- , might be mistaken had *peetj pointed ‘'out and even argued, lie hint laughed it coin- to. scorn..- His son’s argiun'cnfS hi* hadij *7o $ II u- (lersfl'oii 'even ill feeing. Stic had cluj/Va: "VVe. are ruined," gasped, thi tin I ^NVJr. Meade, What Is the Matter?” ‘We mad tin st-inctivolv waitei drew a breath b<*f a ((fo/e eyv secemJs a *;'! I'gitii to o il llwl lii ib‘»i4i | iiotimih m l. tugging at bis collar, 'stand the litiu'tu'iTil ios4~-hrTT our rejtuta Mon! We’ll never get' another eon-j tract. I til I ght as \Vell ('lyse tbe-yvorks. |. And it j savour fpther'^ Xuult. It’s up to i him. The blood of those men is upon ^ his head. Well, sir. I'll let the whole Id know lmw grossly Incompetent IOWt;" 'X * iihl young Meitde, standing the,.counsel of age very m^d’ahid vvhiter'Than ever, ‘‘the t-fwutt is nutTrsv^TYumle" tin* calculations. ■ I cheeked"anuT>*g^>sk('(l them. A'o- hrrdy could know witnrdJXHhiti* ccYtain- ty tin* ability of tin* lowvrcfetxil rn(*m- lu*rs to resist compression. ~ ltiiPxgliat- cviT tin* fault, it id's lTTfneT’ My d in his..mind by Meade's words -^rntbuicl imis,. ...g. ' . - iiidiyc Tbit In* was a conscientious'’man. so- pe pursued liis investigations, further. -TTeTclimbed up’on top of the tiiemho]^ which wnuT easy enough by tn'earrs of * ■■ tin* (Tias-c.rossed lacing. untd/T'arefill)y 1 Inspected' tire lacings at tin* center of —Uu.‘-g(tmaiv.itv^jor/shlcylsd spriug fro'tn ’ *' ' N." *' * ’ • . , thi* right 11m*. . , - , -lie noti;a'*jh by getting down on liis fare and surveying * the" .facing -liars* -wvqlosi'iy, a nuinhrr of tifte hairdnu* -cracks in the paint! surface* jr : "' , ' 1 *' , ‘ s appiiivfitlyy iHitmiiig here and there from the rHvt holes. Tly; ritvts thetn- s.(*lv(*s had rather, a straiued.jlJoOkVSoine of tin* outer' rivets ’“scented sliglply v loose, wflert* M*fope they ’hurst IuTve -been- Tight, for ".the liienjivKs," like all " ■ other parts of tin* pridge, had been carefully InsjfectraJ at tin* shop iitrrf 'any 1o,osiau*ss of the rivets would cef- •- ‘ ‘ •s.. • . , . ' * ■ tuiuly have been- noticed there. Hut AhlMitt’s ohsesvi-ou ttS to tin* stri'Ugtli up their .coats ntnl dinner pints, ■esufne thelr/couvcrsatio;) as they- cd alotig tin.* roadway to the -shoptbr ! It •seemed to Abbott that it had never n so silent dn the bridge'before: d'her.e was aluiost .;ilw\iys a breeze, srrtnetlmes a gale, blowing down or.up the* gorge through which," flic river flriWeld, hfrt Xliat. nftefun’oiffnot "rrhnMith- :id ativit^nTv^iiitiiitig to do wilii it. “lb 's got to bear fin* responsibility.’’ cried tlie Colonel passionately. VJl has Jiis name—” ' “N’o, I tell yitut 11 - thundered the younger man, “For I’ll proclaim fliy own rcsponsilffluy. Tin* fault is all Klim* ahdl'il publish the fact from ofli* end.of the world to tlie other.’*** lebj lightly mi uccognt ftf’hla youth and comparative' .Inexperience—to'his sorrow he realized It, too lute. Agtiin canie that strange^ feeling of j T>ride, th^ .only thing wjtich "could in 'any way alleviate his misery or lighten ’Ids despair It was his own gon who had pointed out tin* possihleL^efect. Youth more^often titan not disregards In this Case* age had made light of the warnings id’ youth. It was a strange* reversal, lie thought, grimly recognizing a touch of sardonic! arid terrible humor in tin* sit uation. ’ - * ** ’ j _ “Wlmnt the gods destroy they first alALYnad.” .Well, he^hsidbbeen mad iilj ii[y^Uol l l<rtUUi.iiiiin>iii In *' of" course.!, yet -there was a strange* note injt which somehow' gave him a sense oJ^mpeasiiies^: He w r ent* > into tlie room at rm^fe and stopped aghast. s • *"Nt/7 “Good. God, Mr.. Meade!*’ he ex claimed. Ordinarily he was the quietest and^ 'most undemonstrative of .men. There was something soft and subtle about his movements. An . exclamation of that kind had hardly esenped him .in tlu* thirty years of their ‘association. " lb* checked himself Instantly, but Meade, Sr.. Ntndcrstood; The. day be fore. Shurtliff had left him a hale,* - hearfr. vigorous somewhat rttddy man. \irtv in* found him old. white, trem- t,'.y • Wirt ^mv ir..T,*«■»»■ llolllillT |l'- , mt „ m , u ,, 1 ,. k+ , s „. r „ nd wlth a ...111,1- .1,, 4oit '«|H. 1-S. „s til" 1,.112 f „„. ,h„, (ntf'dMd nlift’s It nos vet was stirt;inf Abbott fotmd- himself waiting- in ^ ^ . ' \ 1 — v ‘ ■« — •s*(r?fIni*e 1 -atnl - .utt\\-rtnfct|—suspense—frrr flic nox,t. sccotid .or* two, his eyes fixed (’ii tin* mcnihkx. Tin* long warm ray's of the aft*.*rnooh >>smt ill«m)lnatefl it dearly'; In that second;, immediately •Im.Ho.wh him. far jjjiw ii towafd thc- ptt*r- IicikI lit* saw a" siiddi-n flash as*of tfroak- j ■ t— ' , , * i ittrst ci*h jf-.ow.ybtrt cftHfr cnojtgh w -tlpds .< V. yti. niy.coitM-icnce*," said CoJojicl 111 In u u,ft h. hours jiasueframl tJroaeun declined, and., tin* evening npi»r>uLchcd!'theri> sudden ly flashed upon him thgt some thing he could do pcVione^iTTome strange sations during lhat afternoon.^ tincas-r* in liis breast, sen tie sharp pains about U s a load J w'ouldtAt want^.to liav^ | his heart. Hc forgot-tliMn-fe+r- the mo-. !j! crcnci incut in the idea thutdiad cmnclih him. When the bridge f(*ll In* would ay/nv ll.lL'.L'JLULIL-!.*!...?LJLCl!Ut, estah 1 isin'm»nt j the whole. rcs[s»nsihimv. -take ad f|n* tluf Alartb't, ’ added I>octor .tScv- j blame. Fortunately for Pis plans, his i son had reduced to. writing his views. yet ■alive. , ' i ^d V ■" “Mr. Meade,** began-Mn* secretary a .* second'tlipe, “wfiat"Is The matter?” , yj- “The International bridge.*’ nn- 'd tpd other, and tin* secretary no- t jcf*(i ThPv§trang*.*a^ss of his vMce mora" and more. yHIs about to collapse. I’eiS u haps it has failetKytready.” Meade Hiassed hisduind over^hls '• ’i row mid then brought it ddYvqlieayiljr t he «b*sk. .—— •i 1 he dislionoFto. American enjfin-wr- -bn tin* ’compression "inctnbers, Which, ; lug, ■ -sa-id < urtiss. - j had almost taken the .-"form-of protest, intense silepe mnd lili.c the ,t he lu*ard a popplnc •tlap of a great linger. Then tin* bright gleam of f rp silly v He Made of the lirulge bad grown Nfrrvt^pr. l,iin -i-ng it mtf, cr-n w4i-ng- c*-^er-rd-t Another. Careful tjdfTJl - Examina- broken metal cauglit his excUed glance. The iaciiig. was giving way. .Meath* \v*iv i^ght.. Tin*, member would go with it—: Tin* first pop or t w el y\ as .s.uccc(‘(h*d h.V a liktlc rattle .its of revolver' shots^ heard' from-jjldistnncp. its tin*' lacings gave way ih'tmiik -suceessiom AbbiiUr; was a .iiutfl with ft powerful voiceTnaf hi* raised it to its,limit. •- . . . The idle workhieti. just he'ginninjg to laugh afni.jcs*t. heard a-great cry: 1 “Off tJn* bridge, for God’s sake!” Twi/or ..three, iwijo.n'g th'. in \Yileh- i nt»fi4vh'o tw 11] r “And Jhe aw tul loss j»f life,” con- atnl this letter had been ^handed to. tinned the colonel. ' / Ids father. His first mind had beenVo ’ Ml a->11 nil* Hu in Till,” protested tlfe.. tear It Uft^aficr fie had rptnl 'it flffiT y CHing man. ftercir.rgT lds Ups Jo Speak,, had oV!*rhorTn‘ _ the olijectjons-contaTht'd aliinJugh tl^^fuimdative* htifdens,-,-set therein, hut on- seci'tfd 'thought in* had tixth so (A^ms and so hiertilessjy hade carefully filed it aw ay with the* origi- tair to c^Pri Turn. " i; nal eliarwirigs'. It was. of course, iu the *'‘U w as only a tiiistake*,” protested j-.-yoiin.gef Meade’s own .hahdwrititigr Helen 'Illingworth, drawing- closer 'to her loMpr’s sielc. and w ith ■'difficultt: re- Ife wTit to.his privjtfe* safe. opcn<*d tin* drawings and fouml tln* letter.at-; siMing a tefhptntioH to Olasp him Urjdaoijred to”tIni sheet-oT .drhwingSi TI' 1 her arms. , , ■; put dotHy <Ip* - other 'drawings and v'fftTrrttifp-fl.Tue 1 . for Til* Hud hiVT i rignhty, In* d.M'i.led that these e^drnt;' Jja ^,.d sb busy a day as that om-sinhc - -r; ">’■•(* to ly PxjjecW Of e-oursc ^v pfiHge irr-att.^-KNerytl.iqg wqs , x- •tTn* lacings.tj,at l<igMthcr * a( . 1|v - ns it had beiuf; TlioVhajrf&e would have to take up a.ternfie stress, ( . r . l( , ks tI , (11 h lr .„ him u little despite hail been ^signed; for fl» nt l^ 1 ’-;W,in,i;ig's ivhihfl:.; IloTttieHcd t^fn a pose, Largely heycause he did ndt find •'vn„.v.Ava.re just as they could fell, tio- . The lacings chief of (djisti nction left tlie. jrfer head, bxyctlv the* santc'under his hsttii- and chmib'cilk'd up tot the floor, wjth nmr \ *■ ^ m-ir.'; satis|i.cti..n Indus ih'art JhanH.is j HeCliinhcd hack to the.flpoi^t the _sotne.w hat dupjgrismg - r ^which ‘chad *39-ww'iUHtsly' grow n umb F s|i*>cting the progress of the work. Tlie tititufus 1 - of Meadehi ,persistence. pe’sc, initgciy nocause he eliel mu him time." ’Tlnw-were ji anything, vefy glaring, and, became* he , iil(l{ so far as In-chi wanted to believe what he believed, tin* n „ numerous..' "A mistifke* !’ 4 exclaimed her fathe v r tcLwsegij. bit tenly.. 2 zt ''' ■ “You said veMirse'lf,” urgeej fhb wbm- an, turning to The chief jen"gi»i'e*r, '“fhat you didh'-vt . KiP'Vy^'w ln't-h»ir Un^eh^igas wovild Vyork oiijn tliat -firihbijy/coiihl ottd afe* without lockings it. Tig u he via iitdHh'k to the d*'sk"nn<l consoler* d the document. Ib* hatFhi** n liliiofjTii'fnl.. He laid fhe.j»ap(*r db'.ygi or* liis desk and put his ha*ml to his heart. V i Know, but you, were convinced f that j .(if coiirse he would su!unit those pa- j^M reyy \v on IdA___— —— ——• ^ j- * i.«(T : s-t«l-t4n^pibt1<; at' qhcm. -W»stt4(*rn Miwtr-r - in t cr t* u i u > -d—the '.father. ■ aiiyThintT efs»» lfe CodJff do*? \Tes.~ ,TTc fp'ijr (if Ttrff liJneTu'itnV'ehelr-wh'im'f 'flri:"fY "VVw» r ’ : r --interrupted—the dvTvtajieJitig w by. I mi t imp*-lied by the “^‘«<le. there is e,tie* cnnse.qtn-nce y'..|i agony, ihc appeal, tin*'horror in the have .got .'to beat ^thfti >’ou hn-veu"t groat shout df’ tin* master builder. 1 hpujglit off is wa* sit lie*re, maybe, ft Is falling/ 1 In* added som.imrly in a sort of dull, irnpersemul way. Into ttm mind of the secretary came ‘ a toeflislr'bid liner “London bridge is falling down/fulling down!” He must "iV mae.lpir Meaeje^ufust be tuajb/ 1 r “HcTTn! believe it,, sir. Why?” . ; ““There's a deflection in' one of' the lower chord im*mlK*rs of eirn* and three-’ quarters Inches. It’s hound to col lapse. Thi^Htby was right, ShurtUfT,” explained Meade. . “I was wrong. I am niftied.” --■ • “Don't say thaL'sk^' ^You have_nerer-l faired Iti anything.*.^ There must be Wane* tni-uns." ^ “Shuatliff. you. ought to know tbeFe is no power on earth tould save that meriihe'r. It’s Only a (Ju^stiop of tirpe Ah'i-a it wiij fail." , The* Secretary leaned back against. the. (logxjamh, put hij lihnd,over his iTnfl 'Vhook ItkeTT Tenf. Vf t—' 4 face The old h-'iiped TtvClf- ^llOUt elf' fop sunm the shofe. sti'ppvd < >n the*- bridge forwarek—so me t 1 (Lie* had le*ei him-to expect. * ’The*wjiisf4c was just blow ing for'tl; commemviUeiit* NhaclfTto tiie bridge llooi Nrw<ftiia nim^nthc swarm ^ tlfpegin thtdr day* the tracks work, Thorthe responsibility for *th It - lives lay with plni. Well. Abbott w as ji big man in his wjh he had assumed rcsjMmsfWfithSi beforeS««1 was per- suspendi*eb sfaTn h;j'i already been lAhjjd dut far f.M Vo'nel the* etui fif thi* Milever. Tib* work on the ( other [v of thq-rlieFhad been stopped,. As soonTb-i they got the suspended span hnifwyy dvoi itu'.v» utiujil iwmsfur Hit 17 w'hrk'mefi and finish the opposite canti lever. Abbott calculated that perhaps wateE. grudgingly observing that it fee tly Willing to do so aTa^bothJiar warnalmnat fira «^ro 1 stmief still staring, others pe-ered down-' AViirtJi Tlic,,gre 4 »t" sixty-foot webs of. sfehl waVe-red like rilvlions in the \TTad. ^. • -.. a*" 'The bridge*, shook us-ifein an. earth- quak(».'Thi*r.e wits a heavy.' shudele ring, swaying 'movement and tlien the* .IVhv rnptttcTrp ;-xiH7r "ptnuk-'d—thP-vn-" ‘What do you-tacan?”' - “Do von think I'd let mw dri-tighter' silt down at the* desk anfkMrew^ ir slie ; et bf paper .before* hlTa am) be;'*i av - -gan to wrih*., SfoWlyy fYt'iohliiigly, he perse-: vered..earcffiliy weigh4Hg.his words be* , ... ft ire ltd trti eed. t tiL'iti -utt p‘jt par. “Ifp JnnP marry.^_3han* w ho had ruined me. an not written very long before the* door 1 i iiqo rn pet e n t" on gj i u*e r by IksPttwu coni ofHhe outer btlie** *'.pelted and h>* heard fession.<.. the sottnd of soft fiMitstiqts entering 'Tt'Is just,” said Meade*. “I iiiiVe' the, rorttn.,. .ftw td *-giVir*-d ttnr new- w ard, as a great -ship falh^ irflo "the trough of tf mighty sea. SlpirJ> ; kcy,*<i sounds cracked out overhead' nv- tip* Truss parted at the apex. tlinouHvavd half inclining to *the water! the l n w a re 1 half sinking straight'doUrii'^ ■ ' _ T ^1! f y JOftt Ilk. - 1 ^ 1 j - ftigardT' faintly above fEe mighty bell-l.ike re quiem of" great girders, struts ai ■rU b'men." t|othing further to do h.ere»^g 1 imi,st go to ray fatli'er.'^T 222a: • worth, “I can’t til low you io’ehspose uf me in that Way, father.. If lh* is ax blaiptible^-ht*-saA's, hi*4s. ani^as you saj^ jbe ls.^now' Is the time, above till others for the Woman who loves him to 'stand by hTin.’* •"• -w " ^ "Miss liimgworlhT ’"jPWu' don IOW 1 what you are saying.” sa+tf Meade, forcing himself Into-nr^oid forntuHty An* another, week they Fould get It outi smi t ln R ‘Tther members and ringing If Tie drove the men. - Ho at Ttis tlieenfe of the helpless men Uke doom. thie eiute of the ‘Then, trirh 8 fasyfnt tfrash, w!th!a mightyvshlvec. the landward TuUX lie dm opt shamed. Ttfere la nothing in life for jne^>ily chosen profession—jny. repu : T- H" was^oid Slfurtliff.'‘li man ,td~"’berti his private;secretary: * :• **!■ iiiany yeaiw? Hy stoppdl xlifisiihg atijjf'^aiietTto Kina/ , Shurtliff was an edd bachelor, gray, thin, tall, rctieiirt.- I to-bad but- due puHsipn—Mtfitde. S.r.: hut one. glory—’ tlie^ecputjttion of- the ’■engineer: es, and /is' there is no ^re«nt passion •wttnotrt jcatenisy. jsuurtilFT was. filled- wirh wotnanly' Jealousy pfx;ihTTY&m Meade because his father loved, him man eyed'him. “Don't take it so hard.” he said. “Iff not your fault, you kn “Mr. Meade." hurst. oaPwpBh otheiP' ~man. “t.»u don’t know what itTneans to nie. A iailure' niysetf, I have gtt rted in-you. I—you have hfen every- thing to me. sir. I can't Stand it.” “I ^ixrow'." said Meade kindly He rosq 'jtid wHilked ove*r to "the *man, laid his'Tjhfhnd Ym tus shoulder, took, his otire^ttTnrTiTi m«' p’jkm: ■'“Tr'tramTnOTer" vl v x: fhn j U w ould to Tos*^-tlifejcpnfidenee of lhi* world.”- \ “I aift disgraced. Tind .was proud of hint JShurtltff knew all - about, the private affair? of the two {j enginei^, tatifrir'and son. all about tW jwpte*: of the younger How Abe gods coaspir* to x thaka complata tl reputations and ^hovt yroung - Meade, is oaet into outer dark- ; ness is fold In tha next install- «***- ' £ •* . - * -Ctajua cx)N7PnfKDj[ Smmm