Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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By CYRUS TOWNSEND BR^DY and CYRUS TOWNSEND ' Author and Clergyman Civil Engineer i RADY, Jr. This Is a Thrilling Story of American Life as Strong, Courageous Men. Live It Copyright by fUmlnf H, Revell Co. m -—k CHAPTER XVII—Continued. , “He wouldn’t—Im> ii common work- thln-llpped, dose-mouthed, ltiox;ornldy rcsolyoil-still. j'~ I ” od ! Roxhtoy. them,” continue man, would ho?" asked the girl, more “1 11 adrn.lt to yoR that the vvliole tldng disappointed than she could e,\press. \\oni,d jjuf he worth' the paper it's “(VrtijTnly- fil'd. He’d he keeping track of matKr’nl. or running a. t ruhslt, writt**n on in a Court of law., Or even In' a newspaper report, but It’s Con or acting as a gang firrcmaiu--.MiUSt of vlriclng to, us, and you can make it the workmen are foreigners, although convincing -toeverybody. You’ve got the bridge eryctol’S are Americans." “You’re sure that lie’s not here?’’, , “Absolutely.” , J 1 "There’s--the- da 111.“ said ■ Winteife. A **TVc’H try "that in The-morning, ‘HVhat goed is it going* to-do tis, Tvii r k?” asked Rodney a litlle'drritrddy. "Even if wo do lin’d him, we can't make liini speak.” “I don't Know," answered the woman slowly. “Hut if I couhi Just see him -once again, - Mr. Rodney”—she spoke to speak.” “I*o you think, pd\ver in your st in your,^ rude volo< fir. W# >P or fir. that them’s any tphed-out frrrn,. or In your , three t- j-ning gesture to nSake me speak 5 ?" J “By the Lord." exclaimed Winters, I’m going to ask you gentlemen to ex- progress of work^n_UuUiJ'fage. Shurt* Helen was protected I from the Wot. cuse me. “We’ll 'see dam tomorro Ik If -he is working onMWel w,” ■{. / Win You will stay all night, Mr tors?”, j - , .. ■ 1 “Your father invited .me to take a bunk in his ear, and, to he -per/eotly frank with-you, I’d sle'ep~out in tli Wpen rajn rathef than miss a-ehanct of being In on tliis\” ' J. trior n tjli 1 ITT, who went irtirmt lds Tnisinexs grave ly reserved, frigidly fold -and sc If-con tained, had work to do at his dost;.- The woman and the two young men were for the dam.. / After an early breakfast. therefore, yj, the second'cry 1 was uncJufiJcd^aLyl the el engine bricked lt down afouruMhemesa toward the viaduct twenty miles below. legend of a game like Rodney and Winters prepared to go -and^lKftr thenil 1 ed lslarrd~, with its~ cresting of .sloiicv ‘Thesaid Rodney slowly at last, so to speak, that lay between the ra- wftli Miss Illingworth across tjhe wooi|- as tije two sat smoking together in tin vine and the valley. The conductor of-the train, a local employee of the o railroad, told them that the. shortest ravine, which led to the top of. the big red sandstone plateau, r- -' :Y >She had tramped hills and mountains many a Uric. camp a udf forest,were faf milhir to her. Sne ] were a short- skirted dress, stout W **nd leg gings, and a yellow western kec- TUe exertion of tlje-upward^c'luTA ling over* broken branches and J tie e ^furridin uproAteil proofed logs and floundering throtjglr boggy -places on the trail, brought ji touch~o£ color to her face, and though damp, the|* air'sweet stud fragrant, iliutli and pure, rofroshefl ami .pleased her greatly: tjie mem too. ft was a hard pull, and she was out of ht'enth when she reachetl thb'broken coulee'. suddctfSy whipping out a jolt’s .In silence of complete undersdiindPh' from the hnlsler at his .belt—he was go'od ■■comradeship, which requires dressoij-just as he had been wliPTj lie i expression in .talk, “you’re not the,miljYway was directly ov^ the mesa. Tin fode away from the ran eh.--“opt \fest 1 nnm wfio thinks .that girl would be a satHjstone of which this huge’ mound ‘Tin "terribly out of practi we’ve ^Ot ways for persuading, m«*n to ^ood wife to a man.”' .. < • , j WHsmrqinly composed [had been broken said to the two.men, “but I < speak, kmd this Is one of them.” - Winters, was a bigger man than Ho'rl- ney. Mis life luid been wild and rough, ami his manner when ho wanted wms lighting this thing through for .Meade.” scents at both ends The nearest ascent -—M.C-L- by fleorgi^ sald Ure ,big was at the side of tmxfti-g tableland di- ranchman, you re as -good a man as r e _ ctly opposite w’hich''Hhe car Was e any day,-fine fellow as he Is. p]acedi — , , . The trails" through the pinoYwhtCh -Hiis game' Rnd make myself worthy of * ' v "All,” said Winters, "sits the wind raIK j dlsuhtWrated'on idl sides by e’en- j Heve I'm in in that quarter, Rod?’*”’" - lurries of- m^lon and i weathering, "'and tire. Mr. Wir Yes, answered the other, “hut I’m (hero were practicably ascents «nd-~de--l told—yi according, lie would fain add ..physical compulsion umter threat of deat.li. to Rodney’s mental insisteni’k. “And do you think, sir, that I’r+e, kwikh I (had some chance to get in afraid of any lethal- weapon -you can ‘produce or even rise, any more than I am (if Mr. Rodney’s words?” The old rnnn’s eyes flushed, and shook, hut he hafh-aJJ the a soldier as he looked Into the two of you, fet alomUfie lady.” * It was r?-are confidence that Rodney.- covered the hill -up to the Very'sfoot of .the big butte were tmfrequenu and in had repair, but practicable if act ice,” sltw - don’t hi*- uiv worse state-than you firs." you I wasn’t any good on foot.” said Winters, who was blpwing like a grampus. ■ " Yr" libdney laughed at the two of them. “Look at me,” he said. ‘T’ni.as fresh as when I began.” ’••Well, you’re used to walking," re- The next moment, wit ha cv ; fainHt- n gY e reaElitc tne shrink of atV nrie lost souls of eryatlon heard afWe the furious detonati^ig^roar of the thunder, the wind added-its qiiota t 0 Onstration of natural forye, -atpl how the rnlii fairly dropped lipdfi them in hpprireritly solid sheets. Of' course clouds do not burst. Such a thing i^ scientifically and meteorologically (Im possible, hut anyone jwlip Iras ever e?- periehced the suddenness and fury and weight of a western 1 deluge in.a nor mally dry land will understand the..' term. The* wind swept over the pla teau, where it hail free course like « hurricanef the rain came down - tn_ musses apparmitly. Until their eyes became accustomed to. it, the falling yv.u.tex. ULaUfd out. the landscape. The woman wa s hurled a gal fist 4he side of tife house by thi sudden and .violent assault of thi> hurricane. The two :»,e5i half drugge.d, half carried her i.Mound to tl’.(e lee side of'jlq* cabin. Tlje roof of the hut'had given way here iuW there, and w ithfn ft was soon flooded, 'Where they .sfood, howeygr, by chance happerleil-to he the-solidest part of the overhangvjofeihe roof, and fht-> -wgrf js<nm L degree protected, that is, from the direct violence ofTfie dow tipunr. They were, of"' cojii-re, drtr cho'd in n few ■■-minutes- irr spite of - their raincoats. With one man on eh flfe^ woman anit stajed through the rain down the val-- seeking. tis> .see-the (lam. perhaps a mile and a half away^—Of coursy th? . maximum of the downpour could mil last anymore than the inaximunVof the gale.d'iit tin* deluge was succeeded by ii heavy, driving rain still swept on by a {strong wind. . the mesa the lake was •i f n side of~lu'r to give her as much pr<>tert4«^U?^,possii)le, tin leaned "against the stone .wall jRelow I turned ^ infers. Its, this plugging j whipped- Jnto r fpHm by the, heat, of the ‘ong this’ broken trail That h>is rnfn an( , {. ol | tMl int0 wav es by the as- stern face,, full of .threat and liiMfae* Ills thin .voice took on a certain <pjal ... , ’ hMd’ vouchsafed to hie fHenrl nrv.t in-,. ..... u rain.and rolled into waves ny tne as- h j, r*- every Other Anglo Six,m having s-dd ' th< ‘ a ""et- knAgk,‘d W out. ^ rich, they ride ' ault of tho wlnd . All three, of them ^‘ 4y he did not wdsh’to-discuss ltl tins " The sh,,rtest aI,, \ on ^ whole ,m--hW]iQS..you kndr.^ ^ knew what this deluge portended. The ku Winters Qt ■ ’ p ’ 11 1 the easiest way to tbi dam would he “WhenNye get rd top of the mesa lown ^, r w 'ouid' raise the ievel of the i p| to make their way to mesa; climb ft throng further. Do you know,” he"began, changing Ity of courage. It even rang a little, j ! he .and cros^it to the lowjiT end, less than wAs an you wish, but you can’t make me say a word I don’t want to say of rny ; own free will," he cried out at last, his voice strangidy rising. terpositiijn When you and I were the foot of the we will find k. easier going,” said Rod : lithe big^ravine^jTiey encouragin “Let us start, 1 ’ aaid the, girl, sud denly serious, os smv-tlinught what might be at the end of the journey. “Before we go any. farther,” saHl Winters, staring Up the ravine, at th e rain,” likely. ‘Bent emen: gentlemen,” said Helen “He Wouldn’t Be '9 Common Work man, Would He?” Asked the Girl. without hesitation or reserve, and both men felt deeply for her—"if 1 could Just speak to him, If he would only—” "I believe you cun persuade him,". Bald Winters. “Yesr perhaps, hut I wftnt ShurtlifT to speak first, then we can upprdaeh our friend himself with more confi-- denee," said Rodney. / V \ CHAPTER XVIII. Brute Force or Finesse. "Whut-dnj'ou want me to say, Mr. Rodneym usj^ii] ShurtlifT, coming through the diwir, having (might Rod- Bey’s use of his name. "Oh, .ShurtlifT- 1 -” began Rodney, somewhat embarrassed at having been overheard. “What do you want me .to speak about?” continued the old man sus piciously, not giving the younger man time to finish. "And what friend can you then approach, sir?” . "I'll tell you what I want,” said Rodney?’ He quickly came to n decision. Standing up ami facing thc r old mail, he staked everytlrfng' on une liolil throw. Orasping the situation, Helen Illingworth held her. breath. Winters moved to take his own part In the game at the proper time. j “What is it, sir?” aske'd tho secre tary. ; / i - ''I “Shut tho door and come in,” was the answer. " ■ . I Rodney spoke* sharply, and it was Illinfcwuirth, rising and swjftly inter posing between .the secretary and tho two angry men. -She realized that the aftalr had gone" far enough and that she joust Intervene. They had cerl a In ly failed lamentably, almost ludicrous ly. "You are \vrong to threatefr'Mr. ShurtlifT. He Is old enough to he! the father of either of you. Drop your arm, Mr. Rodney. But up that pistol, Mr. Winters. Mr. ShurtlifT.” said the girl quickly, “as I am In a certain sense your hostess, and as you are In a cer tain sense my gqost here, I apologize to youjfor the Improper and impulsive conduct of these youngs men. They love Bertram Meade dearly, as I do. Let that he their excuse?- 'Meanwhile? they will apologize’ to you he.re an,d iuuv r Y am sure , ..j , *. . , * . -for it’s already rained more in the last skv which showed about it, "just tak » , n.B Wk nn, h,r rrfus.1 to allow tw( , nty . f „ ur Wora .. th , n ln , h( . ,„ st . - |wk 7. • ’ m r o » flue' uni ( a i r._ w --*- -twenfy-four yAars, it Seems to me, . . He pointed to the black clouds nip- i i h * Vhi ’i t & m ' e . , wT .* i l '! r there’s a. htit, half stone and half tlm- idlv rising, apparently against- the vlul e links Royer he R he about |Jp on - t|l „ mesa that campers wind. wWgh swayed rather violently “ a, ’ V ° ' sometimes mahe use of when they want the tops of the tallesf pines, although downpdur lake so^-that it 4 .-would overflow dh®- . j- •' - * * dam, which would'be.swept away, the valley wj^uld he inundated by a' tlohd, like a tidal w-ovp. tlu* ineomnleted via duct .would-be ruined, the town would he overwhelmed, the loss of life and. property wjSuhl “be appalling." —J “The spillway ought to take .lt,” shouted Winters, knowing-what was <w »' There was a moment of silence. Rod- Bey and Winters stared at each other, and both looked at tin* girl, confront ing them so confidently" in her superb a‘nd beautiful way. Winters spilled a little shamefftepdly as he shoved his gun hack into its imlster. His had In deed been the greaterofTense. “Mr. Winters, Mr. lto girl Insistently. “Uh, 1 apologize. I suppostt it was wrong to threaten him,” said Roduey disgustedly. ’ ^ “Hang It,” said Winters, now utterly y,” said the thing to.do,to draw a gun on a little old man. and I’m "sorry I did it." “And now that we’ve apologized you'll.Ml us the truth, won’t you?” asked Rodney swiftly, with no appre- ciahh* -ehaftge-of ■-niamier r , i - “Yes, we beg fit now, hinnhly^' chiuied in Winters, wijh anything hut tiu humble air or voice. “I w-oii’l" litive Mr. ShurtlifT even :ip- pealed to|now," said jMiss Illingworth. "Yuu lia^e' threatened him and you have,apologized. Whether he forgives a sort of indication, charnel eristic of,. , . .. .. . , . ... i you or-not-Is tor him to decide, but be the difference In station between an I , ,, . . ~ . ’shall not he worried,.or questioned, or Independent young man and a subser vient old njnn. “Hiq-e I am, sir,” answered .ShurtlifT*.. closfng the door and standing Indore it Hb shot a quick glance at the young bowing slightly to he wpmnn. Ilo-opserved her tense posi- | u,, stejipYM^Vjlftte 'S tJon. lie saw fhj^BmrrtTrms-^iuittilK’d hep soul in her face and hearing^ AIT ’hts oULsuspicions rose like a tlood. -For L U moment he ruTTongercared for lmr msultqd any more. “Thunk you, Miss filing worth caim* Tor that book <Vn The desR'^yiiiur father wants it,” s«*d ShurtlifT grinuy, r. T tremblingly—t he sciyie -had heeij “Are'you sure he has anything to tell?” * , “Certain.” • “Well.T guess you’re right. It sort of consttlejc jno'.for having drawn my* gun; without using it. too. And tf he tells in the morning and we find Meade, everything will be lovely.” “For Everybody hut hie,” said Rod ney. . “I’ll tell you what, old man, wh(;n this thing’s over, you're coming out fo spend the rest of the winter with me oil ’the ranch. It’s the greatest .plq,ce^ on earth for a mao to buck up. There’s noMVoman within fifty mile*,' Rodney laughefTn: tittle gr “I’ll go you,” he said. inly. 1HAPTER XIX. The Baftle From Above. The rain had stopped hy jnorhin^ to the great relief, ,of Colonel Illing worth, Sevepence and Curtiss, .and the satisfaction of Helen.-^Thefe was^ittle sun to dry the big, red sandstone mesa, its sides*seirfned Into fantastic shapes, which rose grandly between the val ley of the Picket Wire and the ravine^ of the Kicking Horse, uml which the young woman intended to cross in her walk toward the dam with Rodney and tlve qifiet where they stood in the ra vine. V r “It looks as If theTe were more rain there,” said Rodney. • “It’s incredible,” answered Winters, “after* what we’ve had.” “But it -certuinly is coming down ’ again, and if I’m any judg/\ it will be another cloudburst." “Perhaps we’d better go gested Winters to Ml^si II back,’\sugs ingworth. you forgetful of conventions, “it wasn’t the^ UJnhufS. The siding'near the steej- arch hrhlge was close .to the rock wall <|f the raving, which here had lieen so scoured out optdhe rocky side of the mesa by torrents ->of other days that •it could fairly he culled a gorgb. Con sequently the hank, of cibuds alftive the horizon to the" ifortliW« 4 st was. hid be hind the big huttufroMi the (WKiniants of the two private cars. Altliougtfdhi day did not promise to he h to see-the sun rise, which Is a mighty j they were, protected and in compara- fine sight front there. It was in pretty fair shape when I visited it last year, and you Can find shelter there. It’s at the highest.point on the mesa. You carj see a long way up the gulch tjiere', and a longer way dnwtwand tip the Picket M’ire valley. Above the dam it used to show a level, fertile stretch between the hills, but It’s all a lake now.” ShurtitfT, of Cdjirse, declined Miss Illingworth’s invitathm to accompuny the party on plea of urgent duties anil important papers to prqpnre.., He had spoken no words to Rodney or Winters, and those gentlemen made no effort to engage hint in conversation. They were,.In truth', a little ushamed of their actions'of the night before. They were exceedingly anxious as to whether their" theories as to the possible effect of "Miss IWingworth’s action would be jus tified. so | they carefully avoided the secretary, letting, the B aven work if it would. * To their”"disappointment, it gave no sign of life or action. , Of the four mopt Interested in Meade, Winters, was the only one who had slept soundly that night. Rodney wnsT too much ln love with the woman ever to sleep soundly again' he thought— certainly not until her futurejlad been settled and her - relations to Meade finally determined. ShurtlifTs feelings vrPrp painful in the extreme. Torn be- tween the old habit of affection for iho (Dad. his now habit of affection for the wAtnan, his oft-recurring com* f * a moment he iuTTonger car^d for Inu^'Miss IliimaturHi'-alone. ; ! f | He almost hated her. A He lookedxfl^'iiA/jf u u , ( - ar tj u . j londr! v , K- | -f her to the'dark-fliced. determinbd Rod ‘ p> r wore ceftainlv his. ney, to„hig, powerful, qufbt Winters. Was this^tt trap? Were thcy-gotng to try to force hlqi’to speuk? lie Ivas a brave man, old ShurtlifT, lurt his heart heat a little faster as he faced them. He was quite master of hllnself. though, cool, Watchful, determined; In their eyes rather admirable* than otherwise. • “The time has eome-Tor you to tell us The truth,” began Rodhcy^empluit- Ically. “You know that theYi blame and responsibility for the fail ure of the' International bridge is loaded on the wrong man. You know that you permitted, and even made possible, the sacrifice of the reputation of the son for the suke of thejfame of the father. 'You know, tha yVtifltg men. picked-up the hook, bowed ^agipn formally and Unmistakably - fo and went out if the eucouit- puhctlon of consei’enee. his^ Immediate resentment of tlie treatment of the two men, his acknowledgment .of the splen did action, of the woman, hfs suspl* lir, they, clpn.i, his uncertainty; as to how the ger Meatie would take-it h»* toldSfhe truth, he slejit not at all. - Iuto iLMen Illingworth's nt.inil also had come/BltJiough, to her credit he it said, not untiNshe had retired and had thought* over lief action in the light of the hints’ given., that perhaps her gen erous interposition. In behalf of iShurt- iifT might move his gratitude and that he might at last* vouch.SiLfe.her the help which shejflelf more certain than ever he alone could give. She was glad w hen the thought cattle to her that-she c-puld look herself squarely in the fare "CIo back!” exclaimed the “When I'm ns near as this?” “But -It’s’ only a possibility, know.” “Possibility or not, it 'would take a deluge ln my path to stop me. Cotne.”’ \ It was an entirely practicable climb, hut rather n hard one on the wet. crumbling ropks. It (^id not- take the three young people long-'to surmount the (IHffcultles, however, and after u few minutes they stood on top of the- inesa k - Near at'hand was the hut of w hich the conductor had‘spoken. It'SIOodY upon a little rise uhove" the general level, and from it one Could see far in’ everydirection. Between the hills" and over the lower crest of Baldwin's knob they could even see dimly Ithe far-off plains, a little sickly yeI!o\Jv' light still lingering there before the advance of the storm. * x - Th-p hut was-mnde.of stone nnjl logs.. They durd not-'ntry mArc than reached it before, the storm began. Claps of thunder, flashes of lightning under which the army on the dam were fight ing, i were heard and seen with tenfold * clearness -by the little group, on the huge upland. It was a sight to awe the very soul of humanity. Miles and miles doWn the mountain side and,among tluj hflls the whirling battalions of 'clouds, rolled and tumbled nhd tossed - and clashed like aerial nnnjesv The liglitning, while it w-ns* not in slieets, was prac- fIcnll.v continuous. • flash succeeding li 4j \ oared Hoilneyi is hands. 1 1 It?” cried ma in tji,e...mjnds of the other two .by what was in his own. “It’s not finished,” roared Rodney^ Winters, thre\y up his “Will thA dam - hold woman, understanding. “Until the water rises-above it. lust as soon as it begins to wash over, it „ will go, and tfe Quicker fof thCsa w;nves,” an,swered Rodney at the top of hlsArojcjey ' i "And' the hridge and Hie town.* screamed tho-worltan.' - * "They, tqp.” “And father?” . T .. 7. x It edare to her corrscienew-thttp not been back of her action. ! rifle. gjrl here is hreaklng her heart, that Meade’s life Is ruined, anil you’re To "Well; "Miss Illingworth;” said Win ters, "1 doiT^Jknow whether you made ! a mistake (Tf not. I think I could have seared It out of him* with this little persuader of mine—He tapped^ the butt of tho pistbh “Y’ott couldn’t have done it If you had killed fydtn,” said the woman, who had read, the old secret a ry^cor rect ly. "He Isn't what I call a (hiring.man. hut he has eournge Unit \yould take# him to the stake.- rather Than make- ilvy way; the courage of endur ance rJrfhgr than of action. When he speaks. If he^eyer dofis, it will be of his own free will, “Or because youTnay-pebsuade him,” said*Rodney. “By Jove. when'T''HUuk this ; it over, It was the,finest thing you ev which had been purely spontaneous. j They stood staring through door qnd that Meade hilght be working ''on thA dam and that she might see him on "He’ll he all right; they’ve hAd .warn ing.. The engineers on the dam., irnrnt know the danger naw. They’re work ing like mad.” He had .brought- a small six-power fleldglnss with him and he was strain ing his eyes through it. The violene» flash in uncountable and blinding site- ra j n '. an d wind .ha'd>sensihfy abated, nlthmigh It was still coming Mown, In torrents. With his kjrowt?M?go "of what“ yvoithl probnhly^bemttetnpted, Rodney *w*ns-pple ^pseMhrrmgb his glass ,sotn4 tiling of what was being done, even at that distance. . “They’re hPlTdlng aalisades op t of 'the (lain, and backing if with a .earth- mound. See, they are dropping cession. Again they noticed the strange* coruscating, bursting effect as bplt- after holt apparently struck some grijn-, ife ledge-und Was then thrown hack in face j sjdinters of fire. The lieavy, a,wful roll LLWiBT'the thum thunder Was continuous and ter- the morrow would luiyiTsufTieed to give hem wakeful tTigjjt. Rodney was a m'fire caroTtirYobserve™ ,tlian_ -Winters, but even the (*atth*jir|an noticed tna^sbo^dtj^anTYn• thfiUwild tumult. Jookeft worn njul strained as he helped her out of the car for their tramp across the mesp.to the datti. me tow qudst forgot in | pesjt; by all except imt i|eir ling jem- was The possibility, although it faint one, [windows In silenye. Mende ntitj till lie appajiing ^t(jm- ;he werman. shej Who recalled Tjthem.. “Let us hasten-cn,” she said, and sjt<T Ttad almost to screapi to make hersc+f 'it’s mag nificent, wonderful, bpt—’ As a matter-of' fact, all the mani festations of njature, at^lts grandest You knbw/ he said, with rough- woufa not hav# N sufficed tP" turn her sandbags-over,” he stotpd, hp.nding tl*e glassT<flhe other mttn.' "My heavetC’ shotted Winters, f they’re making a rnaunificent tight.” In his-excitement he Jeft tin* shelter of the rc J rain ■ Here’s our evidence J’ ./ t ,- He drew * handful of papers from his inside breast* pocket and shook them in the face of the old mao, who had shrunk back against the side of the ear and stood staring, white-faced. did.’ “Bert Meade’s a lucky fellow,” sfId prevailed Wwaep Wow the Butt liu.i Conn for WBtrfgrsr ™¥fiu*re the kTnd 'of'a ’ girl j They co^ ryou to ^peak. We know as well as _you that young M^ade^ is Innocent. up, Out West We’ve Got Way* J for Per suading Men to Speakl” | \ hnd no idea of the further threat cff stonn presaged by the’ black masses to northwest. - . porous soils,-such as here alu is..absorbed qulckl] ©H* dnd-ready sympathy,} “we haven’t the ’head away from her lover’s face if she least assurance that Mem^e Is there. ! c „uld have Seen him. ' . . ^ - It’s only a chance, and pbolmbly aYotig i “You ; can’t go now,” said inters ^t^u l e’.r ai n and tile assault of the ; hut> and stnlke 7 d through the oward the edge of the mesa, where he copld have a better and near er view. In spite of Rodney’s remon- stranbes, evyn though backed by his outstretched arnt. the woman followed. Presently all three, indifferent to the V that ought to marry out West, where J^od with the nee<lles of^eeiltuTles that we try to breed men that will match ran through the .dripping pln^s^lth- out getting tnuddy, and with nothin! Helen Illingworth 'laughed a little! J more to fear than a wetting. Colonel although she felt no inclination' fb merriment. r ■ - f “That’s a fine compllraent,” she said. Illingworth. Reverence and jCurtlss an nounced their intention of going hack to the, town to continue their consulta- “Well, this has rs^er shaken me, and tions’ltQd observations concerning the one.’ “I shall never rest until It Is decided absolutely one way or the other,” said the womanr ‘ ./ • “Well, I’m notr'much of a walker,” said the cattleman. “I generally .pre- fH , w agmnrt 1 broncho, but It-^guess I' can keep up with the party for two miles, if that’s the distance.” , -J as dark and damp and wet under the plnbs^Arthough tJh« two men cleared the^^ay^for her, holdipg branches back and shaking the wqtet off the drooping, houghs, lYwgs weir decisively, “the rain’s bad, enough as if • Is, and. that cloud will bdrst^in ® minute. Old.Noah’s flood won’t be circumstance to it.” * “I’m protected from the rain,” she answered htanwirT" juld rience with said The weight of it w^uld beat you down, Miss Iflngwortb. T haYen’,t had any It, but I think Wluterrf is right, Rodney. , “I’ll go on alone, then,” said thr girl passionately, stepping out of the house, ‘if you gentlemen don’t care to come.” wind, stood watching tlie battle on the dunji. It Was abating still more.-forta- nately. or else they cotal^ scarcely have sustntned the attack.of that wind and rain, nor could they haye seen at all, .With lhgt>glas» almost QjpQf Helen Illlngv|orth took the glasa from- Rodney.' Sho| focusedMt iapldly and- looked steadily through it. She ^new what she whs seeking as- she 4 iij|i pm\_ Staring down at the dam after a ra'»-/ >ugh It. eking as- atood steadying- herself wRh splendld ■ nerve and resolution and swept iho length of the dam back and forth., ' CTO Bft CON TIN U ED J [ T t. - l ,