Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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aa'aaaaaaaaaaaalllllBB'aa i We j ; River j a a J When the Colorado J " Burst Its Banks and a Flooded the Imperial I I Valley sf California J a a : : ! EDNAH AIKEN S afljiaiaaaaaiiaiiaaaaaa'ia a a (Copyright. Bobht-Mcrrill Company.) t SYNOPSIS. | CHAPTER I?K. C. Rlckard, an engl near of the Overland Pacific, le called to the office of President Marshall in Tucson, Arlx. "Casey" Is an enigma to the office force; he wears "dude" clothes, but he had resigned a chair of engineering In the East to go on the road as a fireman and his promotion had been spectacular. While waiting for Marshall Rlckard reads a report on the ravages of the Colorado, despite the efforts of Thomas Hardin of the Desert Reclamation company. This Hardin had been a student under Rlckard and had married Gerty Holmes, with whom Rlckard had fancied he was in love. CHAPTER II?Marshall tells Rlckard the Overland Pacific has got to step in to save the Imperial Valley and sends him to the break. Rlckard declines because he does not want to supplant Hardin, but is won over. "Stop the river; damn the exnnrina." save Marshall. CHAPTER HI?Rlckard Journeys to Calexlro. sees the irrigated desert and learns much about Hardin and his work. CHAPTER IV?At the hotel he meets Mr. and Mrs. Hardin and Innes Hardin, Hardin's half sister. Disappointed in her husband and an incorrigible coquette, Mrs. Hardin sets her cap for her former '*"*? Mm tn dinner. CHAPTER V. A Game of Checkers. The uneasy mood of the desert, the wind-blown sand, drove people indoors the next morning. Rlckard was served a Substantial, indifferently cooked breakfast in the dining room of the Deeert hotel, whose limitations were as conspicuous to the newcomer as they vugre nonexistent to the other men. They were finding It a soft contrast fo sand-blown tents, to life in the open. Later he wandered through the group of staring idlers In the office, pest Qie popular soda stand and the few cbair-tilter8 on the sidewalk, going on, as if without purpose, to the railroad sheds, and then on, down to the offices of the Desert Reclamation company. He discovered It to be the one .engaging spot in the hastily tbrown-together town. There were Oleanders, rose and white, blooming In the patch of purple blooming alfalfa that stood for a lawn. Moruing-glorles clambered, over the supports of the veranda, and on ovt the roof. Rlckard's deductions led him to the Hardins. What school of experience hnd so changed the awkward country fellow? He had resented his rivalry, not ihnt he was a rival, but that he was a bcor. His kisses still warm on her lips, and she had turned to welcome, to coquet with Tom Hardin! The woman who was to be his wife must be steadier than that! It had cooled his fever. Not for him the aspen who could shake and bend her pretty boughs to each rough breeze that blew! Men tossed Into a desert, fighting to keep a foothold, do not garland their offices with morning-glories! Was It the gracious quiet influence of a wife, a Gerty Hardin? The festlye building he was approaching was as unexfori oe rantnln liranHnn I RiftnpH 'rVV-lVU walked on, smiling. He was fairly blown into the outer ?room, the door banging behind hira. Every one looked up at the noisy interruption. There were several r?en in the I'Dz room. Among them two alert, clean-faced youths, college graduates, or students out on furlough, the kind of stuff in his class at Lawrence. Three of the seasoned, road-coached type were leaning their chairs against the cool thick walls. One was pufling at a dgar. The other, a big, shy giant, was drawing clouds of comfort from a pipe. There was a telegraph operator at work in one end of the room, her instrument rapidly clicking. In an opposite corner was a telephone exchange. A girl with a metal band around her forehead was punching connections between the valley towns. Bfekard lost the feeling of having gone Into a remote and Isolated region. The twin 'owns were on the map. One of the older ruen returned his nod. The young men returned their hnst#y withdrawn attention to their game of checkers. The other smoker was watching with cross-eyed absorption the rings his cigar was sending Into the air. Rickard might not have .been there. One of the checker players looked tip. "Anything I can do for you? Do you want to see anyone in particular?" "No," It was admitted. "No one In particular. I was just looking round." "It's the show place of Calexlco. I'll take you around. It Is the only place In town that Is comfortable when it's hot, or when the wind blows, and that's the program all summer. Take my place, Pete." Pete, the young Riant, with the face of his infancy enlarged rather than matured, slipped Into the vacant chair. He had been the first to discover the atrunger, but he had evaded the reI sponsibllity. The game Lu?i??.ate1j absorbed him. "It's nice here," repeated the young fellow, leading the way. They were followed by a few idle glances. Rickard looked with approval at the tan slim figure which was assuming the courtesy of the towns. The fine handsome face was almost too girlish, the muscles of the mouth too sensitive yet for manly beauty, but he liked the type. Lithe as a young desert-reared Indian, his manner and carriage told nf n on refill home and rigid school dis clpline. | He was ushered into a large cool I room. The furnishings he inventoried: a few stiff chairs, a long table and a typewriter desk, closed for the Sab-j bath. "The stenographer's room," an-, nounced the lad superfluously. , "Whose stenographer" "General property now. Everyone has a right to use her time. She used j to be Hardin's, the general manager's.! She is his still, in a way. But Ogilvie j keeps her busy most of the time." Rickard had not heard of Ogilvie. He made a mental register. "When did Hardin go out?" He knew the date himself. He expected the answer would trail wisps of other information. He had a very active curiosity about Hardin. The man's failures had been spectacular. The young fellow was thinking nloud. "The dam went November 29th. Hardin was given a decent in' terval to resign. Of course he was fired. It was an outrage?" He remembered that he was speaking to a i stranger and broke off suddenly. Richard did not question him. He made another note. Why was it an outrage or why did It appear so? In perspective, from the Mexican barranca, where he had been at the time, the ; tuijure or mat aara nau uecu uuuuia | bar sinister against Hardin. "I see that you are from the Univerj sity of California?" Rickard said, and nodded at the pin of gold and blue j ennmel. "Out for a year," glowed the lad. "Dad wanted me to get some real stuff in my head. He said the Colorado would give me uore lessons?more real knowledge in ?. year than I'd get in six at college. I kicked up an awful row?" The older man smiled. "Of course. You don't want to go back llow" The boy made a wry face. "He expects me to go back In August. Says I must." "You did not tell me your name," was suggested. "MacLean, George MacLean," said the young man rather consciously. It was a good deal to live up to. He alTOnvc -folf- the nnnrn ismnont which fol I lowed that admission. George MaeLean, elder, was known among the railroad circles to be a man of iron, one of the strongest of the heads ol the Oviiand Pacific system. He was not the sort of man a son could speali lightly of disobeying. "Of course everyone calls me Junior." "I guess you'll go back if he wants you to," smiled ltickard. "Oh, but what u rotten trick it would be!" exclaimed the son of the man of iron. "To throw me opt of college?I was dulTy to finish with my clpss, and to g^ me here, to get me interested?and tht-i after I've lost my place to pull me back. Why, there are things happening every day that are a liberal education. They are only just beginning to understand what they are bucking up against. The Colorado's; an unknown quantity; even old engineers are right up against it. There are new problems coming up every day. The Indians call her a yellow dragon, but she's a tricky woman, she's an eel; she's giving us sums to break our teeth on." "Who has the next room?" "Used to be the general manager's. Ogilvie uses It now." "And who did you say was Ogilvie?" They turned back into the room. "You can go in. He's not here. He is the new uuditor, an expert account-i ant from Los Angeles. Put in by the j 0. P. when It assumed control last I year. He used to come down once ; a month. After Hardin went out he j came down to stay." "Whose say-so?" "I don't know. The accounts were rotten, that's no office secret. The world knows that. Hardin is blamed for it. It isn't fair. Look at Sather'a stone palace in Los Angeles. Look at Hardin's tent, his shabby clothes." "I'd like to meet Ogilvie," observed the general manager. "Oh he's nnt mnoh to moot A nnlo. I ~ " ? ?? ? ? I j white-livered vegetarian, a theoso- \ phist. You've seen 'era. Los Angeles | is full of 'em. He was here when Hardin was fired. You could see him see his opportunity. His chest swelled up. He looked as if he had tasted meat for the first time. He thought that he could woozle into the empty place! He went back to Los Angeles, convinced them that the auditor J should be here, protect the company's 1 interests. It sounded mysterious, 1 ; sleuthlike, as if he had discovered i something, so they let him bring the | books down here. He is supposed to be ferreting. But he's 'woozling.' He | used to be in the outer office. Said i V .. haIma mnjln Yt ! 11 n/ltl/l f- r\ Y"\ n 1 lilt; iiuim? iiiuutr 11 ir> m-uu uiuc, jmj wc moved in here. All the committee meetings are held here, and occasionally the directors' meetings. Water companies', too. Ogilvie's taking notes | ?wants to he the next general mana- i ger; it sticks out all over him." "What's the derivation of woozle?" this with deep gravity. "Wait till you see Ogilvie!" laughed his entertainer. Then as an afterthought, "This is all public gossip. He's fair came." The door opened behind them, and Rickard saw the man whose description had been so deftly knocked oft. He recognized the type seen so frequently in southern California towns, the pale, damaged exile whose chance of reprieve is conditioned by stern rules of diet and sobriety. It was the temperament which must perforce translate a personal necessity into a religious dogma. "This gentleman's just?is just looking around," stammered MacLean, blundering, confused. The vegetarian nodded, taking off Mo fnlf cnmhrnrn on/1 nntHncr If An a 1UO 1 Vll aviuuigiu UUU pulling it VU 1* chair with care. . By this time it was apparent that no one save Hardin knew of his coming. He was ahead of Marshall's letters. He did not like the flavor of hl? entrance. "What provision is being made for the new general manager?" The question, aimed carelessly, hit the auditor. "They are not talking of filling the position just yet," he responded. "There is no need at present. The r \ Ogilvie's Dismay Was Too Sudden. work is going along nicely, better, I might say, adjusted as it now is, than It did before." "I heard that they had sent a man from the Tucson office to represent Mr. Marshall." "Did you hear his name?' stammered Ogilvie. "Rlckard." The auditor recovered himself. "I would have heard of It were It true. I am In close touch with the Los Angeles office." "It Is true." "How do you know?" Ogilvte's dismay was ?>o sudden; the flabby facial muscles betrayed hlra. "I'm Rlckard." The new general manager toot the swivel chair behind the flat-top desk. "Sit down. I'd like to have u talk with you." "If you will excuse me,-'?Ogllvle's bluff was as anemic ns his crushed appearance. "I?I am busy thi/s morning. Might I?trouble you?for a few minutes? My papers are in this desk." Rickard now knew his man to the shallow depths of his whlte-corpuscled soul. "If I won't be in your way I'll hang around here. I've the day to kill." His sarcasm was lost In transit Ogilvle said that Mr. Rlckard would not he in his way. He would move his papers into the next room tomorrow. The engineer moved to the French windows that opened on the alfalfa lawn. A vigorous growth of willows marked the course of New river, which had cut so perilously near the towns. A letter "b," picked out In quick river vegetation, told the story of the flood. The old channel?there it was, the curved arm of the "b," one could tell that by the tall willows?had been too tortuous, too slow for those sweeping waters. The flow had divided, cutting the stem of the letter, carrying the flood waters swifter down grade. The flow had divided? hm! divided perhaps the danger too! An idea in that! He would see that better from the water tower he'd spied at entering. Another flood, and a gamble whether Mexican or caiexico would get the worst of it. Unless one was ready. A levee?west of the American town! "Excuse me, sir?do you need me?" He turned back into the room. He could see that MacLean was aching to get out of the room. Ogilvie had visibly withered. A blight seemed to fall on him as his white, blue-veined fingers made a blufT among his papers. "Thank you." Rickard nodded at MacLean, who burst into the outer office. "It's the new general manager from Tucson?Rlckard's his name." His whisper ran around the walls of the room, where other arrivals were tilt Ing their chairs. "The new general manager! Ogllvie woozled for nothing. You should have seen his face!" "Did anyone know that he was coming?" Silent, the tanned giant, spoke. "That's Marshall all over," eald Wooster, bright-eyed and wiry, removing his pipe. "He likes to move In a mysterious way his wonders to perform. (Used to sing that when I was a kid!) No announcement. Simply, 'Enter Itlckard.'" "More like this," said Silent. "Exit Hardin. Enter Ogilvie. Enter Ilickard." "And exit Ogilvie," cried MacLean. "It's a?d d shame," burst out Wooster. No one asked him what he meant. Every man in the room was thinking of Hardin, whose shadow this reclamation work was. "What's Rieknrd doing?" asked the infantile Hercules at the checkerboard. The force called him Pete, which was a short cut to Frederick Augustus Bodefeldt. "Taking Ogilvie's measure"?this from MacLean. n "Then he's doing something else by this time. That wouldn't take him five minutes unless he's a gull," snapped Wooster, who hated Ogilvie as a rat does a snake. The door opened and Ricknrd came in. Almost simultaneously the outer door opened to admit Hardin. Who would introduce the new general manager to the dismissed one? The thought flashed from MacLean to Silent, to the telegraph operator. .Bodefeldt doubled over the checkerboard, pretending not to see them. Confusion, embarrassment was on every face. Nobody spoke. Hardin was coming closer. | "Hello, Htfrdln." "Hello, Rickard." It appeared friendly enough to the surprised office. Both men were glad that it was over. "Nice offices," remarked Hardin, his legs outspread, his hands In his pockets. "Ogilvie 13 satisfied with them." The men rather overdid the laugh. "Finding the dust pretty tough?" inquired Hardin. "I spent a month in San Francisco last summer!" was the rejoinder. "This is a haven, though, from the street. Thought I'd loaf for today." Was IJardin game to do the right thing, introduce him as the r.ew chief to his subordinates? Nothing, it developed, was further from his inten tlon. Hardin, his legs outstretched, kept before his face the bland, impenetrable smile of the oriental. It ! was clearly not Richard's move. The i checker players fidgeted. Rickard's j silence was interrogative. Hardin still smiled. The cuter door opened. The newcomer, evidently a favorite, walked Into a noisy welcome, the "boys'" embarrassment overdoing it. He was of middle height, slender?a Mexican with Castilian ancestry written jn his high-bred features, his grace and his straight, dark hair." "Good morning, Estrada," said Hardin with the same meaningless smile. "Good morning, gentlemen." The Mexican's greeting paused at Rickard. "Mr. Estrada, Mr. Rickard." Everyone in the office saw Hardin snub his other opportunity. He had betrayed to everyone his deep hurt, his raw wound. When he had stepped down, under cover of a resignation, he had saved his face by telling everyone that a rupture with Maltlnrid, one of the directors of the reorganized company, had made it impossible for them to serve together, and that Maitland's wealth and importa?e<; lo the company demanded hia own sacrifice. Two months before Rickard's appearance Maltland had been discovered dead In his bath In a Los Angeles hotel. Though no one had been witless enough to speak of their hope to Hardin, he knew that all hfs force was daily expecting his i. onfmnnD leiusillieilltiu, UlCKUIUS was anotlier stab to their chief. "The son of the general?" The new manager held out his hand. "General Estrada, friend of Mexican liberty, founder of steamship companies and ' father of the Imperial valley?" i "That makes me a brother of the j valley"?Estrada's smile was sensitive 1 and sweet. ' Estrada looked at Hardin, hesitated, then passed on to the checker players and addressed. MacLeaiu "I saw your father in Los Angeles. He has been chosen to fill the vacancy made by Maitland's death." MacLenn's eyes wavered toward | Hardin, whose nonchalance had not faltered. Hud he not heard, or did he know, already? "I'd like to have a meeting, a conference, tomorrow morning." Rickard ! was speaking. "Mr. Hardin, will you set the hour at your convenience?" Because it was so kindly done, Hardin showed his first resentment "It will not be possible for me to be there. I'm going to Los Angeles In the morni Ing. He turned and left the office, i Estrada following him. "Oh Mr Hardin, vou mustn't take It that way," he expostulated, concern In each sensitive feature. "I'll take orders from him, but he gave me none." srrov'od Hardin. "It's not what you think, x'ra not sore. But I don't like him. He's a fancy dude. He's not the man for this Job." "Then you knew him before?" It was a surprise to Estrada. "At college. He was my?er?Instructor. Marshall found him in the classroom. A theory slinger." Estrada's thoughtful glance rested on the angry face. Was this genuine, or did not Hardin know of the years Riekard had served on the road; of the Job in the heat-baked barrancas of Mexico, where Marshall had "found" him? But he would not try again to persuade Hardin to give up his trip j to Los Angeles. It might be better, j after all, for the new manager to take ! charge with his predecessor out of i lie way. "MacLean's coming down tonight." he threw out, still watching Hardin's face. "With Bubcock." "I won't he missed." Hardin's mouth was bitter. "Kstrada, if I had the sense of a goat I'd sell out, sell my stock to MacLoan and quit. What's in all ' - for me? Does anyone doubt my reason for staying? It would he like leaving 11 sinking ship, like deserting the passengers and crew one iiad brought 011 board. God! I'd like to go! But how can I? I've got hold | of the tail of the bear and I can't let Cll I" "No one doubts you?* began Estrada. Hardin turned away, with an B F Hardin Turned Away With an Ugly Oath. uglj' oath. The Mexican stood watch- ' ing his sturabllDg anger. "Poor Hur- ' din!" ' In the office Rickard was speaking j to MacLean, whom he had drawn to one side, out of earshot of the checker players. "I want you to do something (or ' me, not at all agreeable!" His tone J implied that the boy was not given the chance to beg ofT. "What time docs the train pull out in the morn- ; ing?" "Six-fifteen." "I'll finva n letter for von at the hotel at six. Be on time. I want to catch I-Iardin before he leaves for Los Angeles. If he's really going. I'll give him today to think it over. But he can't disregard an order as he did my Invitation. I didn't want to rub it In i before the men." MacLean stared, then said that he thought be was not likely to! I Rickard left the office In time to see Hardin shutting the outer gate behind him. His exit released a chorus of indignant voices. > "An outrage!" "A d d shame I" This from Wooster. "Hardin's luck!" | On the other side of the door Rickard deliberated. The hotel and Its curious loungers, or his new office, where Ogilvie was making a great show of occupation. He had not seen Estrada. He was making a sudden dive for his hotel when the gentle voice of the Mexican hailed him. "Will you come to my car? It's on the sid'n^ right here. We can have a little lunch and then look over some maps together. I have some pictures 1 nf the river and the gate. They may ! be new to you." I'.icknrd spent the afternoon In the j ' 1 car. The twin towns did not seem so j 1 hostile. He thought he might like the ? I | t | iurAivmi. Estrada was earning his father's ! mantle. He was the superintendent j of the road which the Overland Pacific was building between the twin towns and the Crossing; a director of the Desert Reclamation company, and the head of a small subsidiary cora; pany which had been created to proi tect rights and keep harmonious relaj tion with the sister country. Rickard I found him full of meat, and heard, for the first time consecutively, the story i of the rakish river. Particularly inj teresting to him was the relation of | Hardin to the company. "He has the bad luck, that man!" exclaimed Estrada's soft, musical I voice. "Everything Is In his hands, ' capital Is promised, and he goes to ; New York to have the papers drawn., up. The day he gets there the Maine Is destroyed. Of course capital Is shy. He's had the devil's own luck with men: Gifford, honest but mulish; Sather, mulish and not honest?oh, there's a string of them. Once he went to Hermosillo to get an option on my father's lands. They were already covered by an option held by some men In Scotland. Another man would I have waited for the three months to j pass. Not Hardin. He went to Scotland, thought he'd interest those men with his maps and papers. He owned all the data then, tie d maae ine eur- . vey." Estrada repeated the story Brandon and Marshall had told, with little discrepancy. A friendly refrain followed the narrative. "He has the bad luck, that man!" 1 "And the Scotched option?" reminded Rlckard, smiling at his own poor j Joke. "It was Just that. A case of Hardin 1 luck again. He stopped off In London f to Interest some capital there; following up a lead developed on the steamer. He was never a man to neglect a < chance. Nothing came of It, though, i and when he reached Glasgow he 1 found his man had died two days hefore?or been killed, I've forgotten which. Three times Hardin's crossed j the ocean trying to corner the opportunity he thought he had found. It \ Isn't laziness, Is his trouble. It's Just Infernal luck." "Or over-astuteness, or procrastlnntton," criticized his listener to himself, i He knew now what it was that had so chanced Hardin. A man cannot j travel, even though he he hounding down a quick scent, without meeting strong Intluences. He had been thrown | with hard men, strong men. It was ( an inevitable chiseling, not a miracle.j . "I want to hear more of this some rti>- w r. iiut this map. I don't undertand what you told me of this by- flfl iass, Mr. Estrada. SB Their heads were still bending over Estrada's rough work bench wheq the apanese cook announced that dinner^BflH^ cas waiting in the adjoining car^^B^H ifacLean and Bodefeldt and severan oung engineers joined them. It had been outwardly a wasted day.^^^m iliokard had lounged, socially physically. But before he turne<4llHp^^MB hat night he had learned the names ind dispositions of his force, and ."X$ Sj some of their prejudices. Nothing, be . S summed up, could be guessed from the 'fl gentleness of the Mexican's manner; V| booster's antagonism was open and flj snappish. Silent was to be watched, H ind Hardin had already shown his v The river, as he thought of it, ap 9 seared the least formidable of his op- 9 ponents. He was imaging it as a high- 9 spirited horse, maddened by the fum* a Pling of its would-be captors. His task fl it was to lasso the proud stallion, lead 9 it in bridled to the sterile land. No ; svonder Hardin was sore; his noooo ffl Pad slipped otf one time too many! I Hardin's luckl 9 CHAPTER VI. H Red Tape. 9| At ten o'clock the next morning Han- -?l Jin, entering the office, again the gen* H eral manager's, found there before aim George MacLean, the new director, and Percy Babcock, the treasurer, who had * been put in by the Overland Pacific when the old company was reorgan* .? [zed. They had just come in from Los Angeles, the trip made in MacLean's * jrlvate car, to attend a director's meet* ng. /-MM Rlckard entered a fe\y minutes later, h Estrada behind him. Ogilvie followed Rlckard to his desk. "Well?" inquired the new manager. Ogilvie explained lengthily that he bad the minutes of the last meeting, "Leave them here." Rlckard waved him toward Estrada, who held out hii hand for the papers. < Reluctantly the accountant relin* quished the papers. His retrecting /"* coattails looked ludicrously whipped ' but no one laughed. Hardin's scowl deepened. "Showing his power," he thought* "He's going to call for a new pack." Estrada pushed the minutes through with but a few unimportant interrup | tlons. He was sitting at the same desk J with Rickard. Hardin, sensitive and X sullen, thought he saw the meeting 1 managed between them. fl Several times he attempted to bring the tangled affairs of the water .'om* a panies before the directors. Rickard. M would not discuss the water compa*' "Because he's not posted I He's bo ginning to see what he's up agalnst/*^^HH ran Hardin's stormy thoughts. He was on his feet the next min^MaB^H with a motion to complete the headgear. Violently he declaimed ^^B Rnbcock and MacLean his wrongs, th* 1 Injustice that had beep done him. Mar 1 11 had lot that fellow JInltln.nl con- 1 rince him that the gate was not pr?c- M icnble; had it not been for him the I rate would be in place now; all tbls 1 ime and rnonev saved. And tho Malt- J and dam, built instead! Where was 1 t? Where wns the money, the time, J tut in that little toy? Sickening 1 His I face puriiled over the memory. Why J vns he allowed to begin again with fl he gate? "Answer me that. Why I vns 1 allowed to begin again? It's all ^ diild s play, that's what It is. And jj then i arn in it again up to my neck 1 le pulls nie off!" Jf-1 This was the real Hardin, the nn- I with, overaged Lawrence student 1 l'he new manner was just a veneer. Etickard had been expecting it to wear :hin. "1 think," Interjected RIckard, "that Jj .ve all agree with Mr. Marshall, Mr. B Hardin, that a wooden hendgnte on silt I 'oundation could never be more than fl i makeshift. 1 understood that tne ^ 3rst day he visited the river with you f le hnd the idea to put the ultimate 1 ;ate, the gate which would control the I ivater supply of the valley, up at the M Crossing on rock foundation. Mr. Marshall does not expect to finish that in :lme to be of first use. He hopes the wooden gate will solve the immediate problem. It was a case of any port in i storm. He has asked me to report J ny opinion." "Why doesn't he give me a chance to* go ahead then?" growled the deposed manager. "Instead of letting J the Intake widen until It will be an im- fi idsslblllty to confine the river there " it all?" "So you do think that It will be an mposslbllty to complete the gate as planned?" | Hardin had run too fast 1 dldnt mean that," he stammered. "I mean It will be difficult if we are delayed j much longer." "Have you the force to re-begln i ivork at once?" demanded Rlckard. | j "I had It," evaded Hardin. "I had ^ everything ready to go on?men, material -when we stopped the last "Answer my question, please." "I should have to assemble them again," admitted Hardin sulkily. Rickard consulted his notebook. "I B think we've covered everything. Now B| I want to propose the laying of a spur track from Hamlin's Junction to the Heading." Ilis manner cleared the stage of supernumeraries; this was the climax, liardin looked ready to spring. "And in connection with that the, de- 'j I back of Hamlin's," j urU, not looking at Ilardj^B^HB^^k j Instantly Hardin wa^H&B^^H|^^^L m