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:4j \ We ! | Riveri i $ When the Colorado J Barat It# Banks and Flooded the Imperial J Valley if California J / \ ??????? B J v I - i I EDNAH AIKEN . Hi sH ? (Cwffifckc. BoMM-MtrrUl Coa*ur.) SYNOPSIS. ? - 1 "V5SLAPTBR I?K. C. Rlckard, an engtMMr of the Ovarland Pacific, is called to office of President Marshall In Tuc#oo, Ariz. "Casey" is an enigma to tha ' jMfioa force; he wears "dude" clothes, kt he had resigned a chair of engineermm in the East to go on the road as a lawman ?od bis promotion had been specuieular. While waiting for Marshall Rick4rt reads a report on the ravages of the jhluiartu. despite the efforts of Thomas ' . 4Kardln of the Desert Reclamation com* ' ''^eyr^Thls Hardin had been a student . : ?mdar Rlckard and had married Gerty jjtolmes. with whom Rlckard had fancied " ^Sa t^as in* love. x [ " dg&APTER II?Marshall tells Rlckard j rfa* Overland Pacific has got to step in , we, gave the Imperial Valley and sends ; fcrm to the break. Rlckard declines be- > E) he does not want to supplant Har* but is won over. "8top the river; i the exnanaa." aava Marshall. "CELAPTER III?Rlckard Journeys to dalexlco. seas the irrigated desert and -faarns much about Hardin and his work. I CHAPTER IV?At the hotel he meets and Mm Hardin and Innes Hardin, train's half sifter. Disappointed in her band and an incorrigible coqujtte, i. Hardin sets her cap for her fonnsr *> ?<' Wm tn dinner. 'CHAP?*".", ."-xwceara visits tne comjgSAf'i offices and takes control. He finds ?Sas engineers loyal to Hardin and hos- , 4SW to nlm. Estrada, a "Mexican, son of is "Father of the Imperial Valley," tells 4?m of the general situation. CHAPTER VI?Rlckard attends a meeting of the directors and asserts his authority. Hardin rages. Estrada tells Jtickard of his foreboding that his work still tell. "I can't see it finished." p CHAPTER VII?Innes Is discovered in teer garden. She tries to cheer up Hardin, ho Is furious sgainst Rickard. CHAPTER VIII?A family luncheon of <# ,Jsrdlr.3 which throws light on them. CHAPTER IX?Hardin discovers that tiUckard Is planning a levee to protect Calexlco md puts him down as incom#wtsaC Gerty thinks hsr lord Jealous. CHAPTER X?The Hardin dinner to lokard discloses further the family char' ajrterlstles. Hardin Is surly and sulky, /u/Banes. Is hardiv polite. Gerty plans a "progressive ride" in Rlckard'a honor. , . CHARTER XI?Rickard encounters ths " subordination of the company's engi "wgSMv'He'is stlired by the Indians' state., SMat that this is the hundredth year of 4 c*ule, "when the Great Teliow Dragon, ''SM Colorado, grows restless. Hs makes -?sa0so* preparations, pushes work on w uaiexico m/eo ana is oraereo oy sjCsLTshall to "take a fighting chance" on .? completion of Hardin's pet project. * -4-gate to shut tlve break la the river. -CHAPTER XII?San Francisco Is deHgCroyed by earthquake and fire, and dredgo ctsachinery, which Rlckard had ordered Wardln to 1-ave s lipped. Is burned through ^tarfin1! neglect. Rlckard secretly equips b% water tower as a signal station. CHAPTER XTJI?Gerty Hardin decides -sfut Rlckard still loves her and plans a -MKaapaign that promises trouble. 1,1 CHAPTER JCTV?The progressive ride -EE begun under adverse conditions?wind dust, with tbe guest of honor absent 1 W%en- Mac Lean, Rlckard's secretary, " singe word that the river Is raging and snretj ma* IS waited on the levee. y'Chapter xv--Hardin motors off with hJv*;load Of dynamite, leaving everything In maafuslon on the ievee. Innee. through a * - Enendly engineer issues orders In her spther's name, to save her brother's qaca.The levee aid the signal tower save , * aSbleeteo till Rlckard's return. *' '' CHAPTER XV7?Gerty Hardin begins - r-EP est rsally Interested In Rlckard. The 't jSjtnd blows^a gals and the lsvee Is la CHAPTER XVII-Women as wen as - jpsn work on the levee the second night. ' tones finds Rlckard and Gerty together and begins to sui'pect her slster-ln-law. Her brother's wronghesdednees and Rick-: gird's evident efficiency only serve to em- ' < "hitter innee against Rlckard. -CHAPTER XVIII?The river washee; - met ay half of Mexican, Calexlco's Mexl- . ?aa twin city, but Galexlco still stands, i CHAPTER XIX?A stormy public meet- I dog is held In which representatives of thm settlers, the Overland Pacific and Mexico clash. A telegram from Rlckard the river has broken out again saves * ' 4k big row and forces united action by all j CHAPTER XX?The scone shifts from -CEIstVq to the construction camp at the wreak in the river bank where Rlckard's rjeecas are constructing Hardin's gate. ?at>ee comes from Los Angeles to stay -drtth the Hardlns. Rlckard's revelation. CHAPTER XXI?Estrada gives Innes a ?Aew viewpoint of ler brother and Rlck?Pl Gerty arranges for her family to eat In the mess tent and the two Hardina iwaduistand why. 'CHAPTER XXII?Rickard visits the of Maldonado. a house of mystery. CHAPTER XXIII?Oerty Hardin rets permission from Rl:kard to direct Ling, Che Chinese mess cook. Senora Maldonado ^wetrays her husband through Jealousy. CHAPTER XXIV?Ling says. "Woman a At etay, Ling go." Rickard sides with < Sing and makes a bitter enemy of Oerty '" Hardin. Hardin finds Senora Maldonado Jia Rickard's tent ""CHAPTER XXV?Gerty hints to Inns* -*mC disgraceful relations between Rickard And the Mexican woman. Innes Is much disturbed, but thinks it Is entirely beOaaee she hates scandal. CHAPTER XXVI?A time of great acttvetf and anxiety?will Hardin's gate stand? ><&srty tries to get her husband to report Afee ^ncandal" to Marshall. He refuses <oA dlsoovers he hu lost his wife's love. CHAPTER XXVII - Rickard escorts 'Sana* home from Marshal1* private car; ! ftmy find the Mexican woman in his tent, fnntis goes on alone, furious with Rickard. 1 JS*e Maldonado woman has come to tell tfctcfcAVd of her husband's murder CHATTER XXVIII -Innee Is frightened | Ar tiM Maldonado m irderer and runt to i TtfcCrsrt A great light bursts upon thtm j Wli Gerty Hardin watches them. CHAITER XXIX?Godfrey, the world Caeooui tenor, cornea to visit the camp. Ks anc Gerty Hardin are mutually attrtoted. Gerty begins to see "a way out" CHAPTER XXX?The Hardin gate oes out CHAPTER XXXI?Spectacular strike of 'fte Indian tribes on the work. CHAPTER XXXII?Godfrey singe la Hut aeoonlight with varying effects on va?. clous people. ' CHAPTER XXXnI-The Anal battle ekfc the Colorado. Why Eetrada couldn't the ftnvh CHAPTER XXXIV?Godfrey and Gerty SagfUa elope. qtAPTIR JPULV-ikmj and Inaaa. .v'i* * * * ? ?tory. She had learned never to take the face value of her sister's verbal coin; It was only a symbol of value: It stood for something else. The yellow eyes were on the dredge bucket as it swung across the channel, but they did not register. She was angry, outraged; she did not know with whom. With Gerty for telling her, with Rlekard. with life that lets such things be. She jumped up. "Oh. stop it!" She rushed out of the teut, folowed by a strauge bitter smile that irought age to the face of Gerty Hardin. In her own tent, Innes found excuse for her lack of self-control. She (lid not like the color of scandal; she hated smudge. Gerty had said the ? ? ?- - ? ...k. wnoie camp Knew 11; knew ?iij iuc ^ Mexican woman was In camp! She | did not trust Gert.v in anything else; ^ why should she trust her in that? She ( would forget Gerty's gossip. But she remembered It vividly that week as she washed her own khakis; as she bent over the Ironing board in Gerty's sweltering "kitchenette." She thought of it as she returned Richard's bow in the ui?sa tent the next morning; each time they met she thought of it. And it was in her mind when she met Senora Maldonado by the river one day, and made a sudden wide curve to avoid having to speak to her. CHAPTER XXVI. I Time the Umpire. The river was low; its yellow waters bore the look of oriental duplicity. Each day was now showing its progress. The two ends of the trestle were creeping across the stream from their brush aprons. A few weeks of work, at the present rate, and the gap would be closed, Hardin's big gate in it; the by-pass ready; the trap set for the ^ ?1 ? ??i- mu^ /v# a loo#- ortiipf V.i)iorilui). xue icusu/ vjl s iuoi oyux was in the air. It was inspiring activity, this pitting of man's cumulative skill against un elemental force. No Caucasian mind which did not tingle, feel the privileged thrill of It, To the stolid native this day of well-paid toll was his millennium, the fulfillment of the prophecy. His gods had so spoken. Food for his stomach, liquor for his stupefaction; the white man's money laid in a brown hand each Sunday < morning was what the great gods fore- ( spoke. The completion of the work, the white man's victory, would be an end of the fat time. Hasten? , Why ( should they, and shorten thetr day of opportunity? t Between the two camps oscillated . Coronel, silently squatting near the ( whites. Jabbering his primitive Ks- ( peranto to the tribes. His friendship ( with the white chiefs, his age and nat ural leadership gave him a unique po- | sitloq in both camps. Assiduously, ( Rickard cultivated the old Indian who ( Ktr iha (mhiIt r\t viuutlicu uaja iiuvugu v/ unr ?*??? w* j the river. The engineers felt the whip of ex- ( clteraent. Never a man left the camp ( In the morning who did not look toward that spun crawling across the1, treacherous stream, measure that ( widened by-pass. Would the gate , stand? The Hardin m?n halloed for; the gate, but looked each morning toj see If It were still there. The Reclamation Service men and the engineers of the railroad were openly skeptical;; Sisyphus outdone at his own gamelj Estrada and Rlckard looked furtively;' at the gate, with doubt at each other, j! Hardin, himself, was repressed, an ' eager live wire. His days he spent on ' the river; his nights, long hours of ' them, open-eyed, on his back, watching the slow-wheeling, 'star-pricked dome r( of desert sky. His was the suspense;! of the man on trial; this was his ' trial; Gerty, Rickard, the valley, his; Judge and Jury. The gate grew to be a symbol with him of restored honor,:1 on obsession of desire. It must be all;' right! < Rickard was all over the place, i1 "Watching every piece of rock that's 1 dumped In the river," complained 1 Wooster. "Believe he marks them at night!" They were preparing for the flhaJ 1 rush. In a week or two, the work : would be continuous, night shifts to begin when the rock-pouring com- ] menced. Large lamps were being suspended across the channel, acetylene whose candelpower was that of an arc light. ?>oon there would be no night 1 at the break. When the time for the quick coup would come, the dam must be closed without break or slip. One mat was down, dropped on the floor that had already swallowed two such gigantic mouthfuls; covered with rock; pinned down to the slippery bottom with piles. Another mat was ready to drop; rock was waiting to be poured over it; the deepest place In the channel was reduced from fifteen to seven feet. Each day the overpour. anxiously measured, increased. A third steam shovel had been added; the railroad sent in several work trains fully equipped for service; attracted by the excitement, the hoboes were commencing to come In. It was a buttle of big numbers, a duel of great force where time was the umpire. Any minute hot weather might fall *>n those snowy peaks up yonder, and the released waters, rushing down, would tear out the defenses as a wave breaks over a child's fort maae 01 suqu. iius wus u race, ana II knew It. A regular train dispatch system was in force that the inrushing oars might drop their burden of rock and gravel and be off after more. The Dragon was being fed rude meals, its appetite whetted by the glut of pouring rock. Tod Marshall came down from Tucson Ms car. The coming of the Palmyra and Claudia rippled the so cUl' waters at the front for day \ ihead. Gerty Hardin, too prood to tell her astonished family that she 1 wanted to desert the mens tent, shook herself from her Injury, and "did up" ill her lingerie gowns. Mrs. Marshall I was not going to patronize her, even If her husband had snubbed Tom. It was hot, ironing in her tent the docs closed. Everything carried a sting those lndoo^ hours. She was aflame , with hot vanity. Twice, she had jpenly encouraged Rlckard; twice, he had flouted her. That was his klndl j Men who prefer Mexicans?! She j would never forgive him, never! She followed devious channels to inrolve Tom's responsibility. There was i cabal against the wife of Hardin. Working like a servant! she called it |J? ownrv Alio mill necessity, atrrjunufj, ,? [shed her for that one act of folly. Life had caught her. She saw no way, as she Ironed her mull ruffles, no way Dot of her cage. Her spirit beat wild wings against her bars. If she could J Bee a way out! Nothing to do but to stay with Tom! Maddening, too, that at the mesa table, she caught Rlckard's eyes turning toward, resting on, Innes Hardin. The girl herself did not seem to notice? artful, subterranean, such stalking 1 That was why she had come running back to the Heading! That the reason of her anger when she had hinted of the Maldonado. She learned to hate Innes. Bitterly she hated Rickard. "Tom," she said one day. He turned with a swift thrill of expectation. for her voice sounded kind; like the Gerty of old. "I have always heard that Mr. Marshall has terribly strict ideas. I think he ought to hear of that Mexican woman. It Is demoralizing in a camp like this." "I tell Marshall anything against his pet clerk?" The Hardin Up shot out "He'd throw me out of the company." The pretty scene was spoiled. To his dismay, she burst into a storm of tears, tears of self-pity. Her life lay In tatters at her feet, the pretty fabric rent, torn between the rude handling of those two men. She could not have reasoned out her Injury, made it convincing, built out of dreams as it was, heartless, scheming dreams. Because she could not tell it, her sobbing was the more violent, her complaints Incoherent. Tom gathered enough fragments to piece the old story. 'Ashamed of him. He had drugged her down into his humiliation." His jweet moment had passe^. He spent a few futile moments trying to comfort her. "Don't com? near me." It burst from her; a cry of revulsion. He stared at her. the woman meeting his ?yes in flushed defiance. The hatred n-hleh he saw, her bitterness, corroded lis pride, scorched his self-love. Nothing would kill his love for her; he knew that in that blackest of raonenta. He would never forget that look of dread, of hate. He left her :ent. That night, the cot under the stars tad no tenant Hurdin had it oat with himself down the levee. That valley might fulfill Estrada's rlslon and his labor; might yield ths larvest of happy homes; but his was tot there. He hud been the sacrifice. CHAPTER XXVII. The Walk Home. Claudia Marshall sat at the lieud of let stately table in the Palmyra, mute is a statue but for the burning eyes ivhlch followed her Tod. To Innes, ler guest, it was a tragic presence, of irrwidini* sinllrit tide. Late hours, excitement, might abridge the life she so passionately policed; hut she would not demand [he Acriflce of his cigar. Marshall's cigar followed the coffee, l'ony, the white-capped Italian cook of the Palmyra, was removing the cups. Innes was carrying her double interest, listening to Tod Marshall's broad sweep, getting a new viewpoint as he minimized the local scheme?feeling that silent presence at the head of the table. Then something drove Claudia from her nnnd. What Mr. Murshall hud said swept a disturbing calcium on Tom. What if, truly, the river fiasco could he traced to that overzealous hand? To lorn, this undertaking blotted out the rest of related big endeavor; but that was not the way her host was looking at it. He was too courteous to give her discomfort; he had not said it directly. But always it met her, rose up to smite her, wherever she was. Was It not egotism, personal pride, that was making her cover her eyes, like any simple ostrich? Her brother?assume him anybody else's brother! The dredge naseo?tne wua nignt at tne levee?no isolated accidents those. Hardin's luck! A flush of miserable shame came to her. How they Had all been trying to spure her?Eduardo, these kindly Marshall?MucLean! She was turning, Impulsively, to ask Tod Marshall if he thought, could he think it probable that they would fall, when a step that sent the blood to her face took the car's stairs at two leaps. Now, indeed, the dinner wus spoiled. "That's Rickard. I forgot to tell you that I asked him to dinner. He couldn't get away. He snid he'd run in for cof- j fee. Hello, Rickard. Thought you'd forgotten us!" She hadn't thought of that contin gency i ooi xoiina nerseu snaKlng handa with him. Could he not hear her ! mind, ticking awuj at the Maldonado episode? Of course he would Insist on seeing her to her tent. Punctilious, always. Well, she Just wouldn't. Perhaps she could slip out some way. She would watch her chance. "Can I talk shop for a whllsf aakad Riekard. They withdrew to a eoshloned window seat. Innes had foand her chance.. 8he asked to be shown over the car. Innes confided her plan. She wanted I "Thought Toii'd Forgotten Us." j to slip ont. "She would not Interrupt their evening; Mr. Marshall had business to discuss?" I Mrs. Marshall would not hear of it. She said that Mr. Marshall would never forgive her If she lei Miss Hardin go home alone.. Her opposition was softly implacable. I Innes went back, to the sitting room of the car angrily coerced. Rickard was still closeted, conversationally,, with his superior. At last, desperately, she rose to go. Of course, he must Insist upon going with her. Of course 1 "I was going back early, anyway. I'm to be up at dnwn tomorrow." The good-bys were said. She found herself walking rebelliously by his side. "No, thank you!" to the offer of his arm. The night was bright with stars. "Bright as day, Isn't It?" Because her voice was curt, and she had not used his name, the rising inflection helped a little!. Hateful, to stumble over s rut to the road 1 Of course, he'd maks her take his arm! Of course! Rickard grasped her elbow. She walked along, her head high, her cheeks flaming, anger surging through her at his touch. Stupid to press this companionship, this awkward silence on her. If he thought she was going to entertain him, as Gerty did. with her swift chatter, he'd be surprised"! Any other two people would ^all Into easy give-andtake, but what could she, Innes Hardin, find to chatter about With this man stalking along, grimly grasping her arm? Close as they were, his touch reminding her every minute, between them walked her brother and her brother's wife?and there was the Mexican?hateful memory! Of eourse she could not be casual. And she would not force It. He had brought this about. Let him talk, then 1 Oppressive that silence. Then It came to her that she would ask him the question that his coming had aborted. A glance at his face found hlra smiling. He found It amusing? Not for worlds, then, would she speak. And they stulked ulong. Unconsciously she had pulled herself away from him. He took her hand and put it in the crotch of his arm. "That's better," he said. She wondered If he were still smiling. Their path led by his tent. Neither of them noticed a subdued light through the canvas walls. As they reached the place a figure darted from the door. ? 1 "Ob, senor, I thought you would never come." It wus the wife of Maldonado. Her expression was lost on rn. ~ ..*( fK unit's. xue iaie wn? qiuvniii? ttiui terror. "Mr. Rickard," lanes' words like Icicles, "I will leave you here. It is quite unnecessary to come farther." Quite unveiled her meaning! It came so qulcaly that he was not ready; nor indeed had Gerty's innuendoes yet reacheu him. But the situation was uncomfortable. lie turned sharply to the Mexican. "Corne in," he took her roughly by the arm. She would wake up the camp with her crying. He put her in a chair. "Now tell your story." The woman had got to be a nuisance. He couldn't have her coming around like this. He had seen that look in the girl's eyes? "Murdered? Who did you say was murdered?" She lifted a face, frightened Into haggjirdnoss. "Maldonado and the girl." I The nignt was stripped to the trage<ly. "You found them?" Her face was lifted imploringly to him. "Oh, senor, it was not I. By the Mother of Christ, it wus not I." Rickard was not sure. Her fear made him suspect her. "Who was it, you think?" "Felipe," she gasped. "He got away from the rurales?he came back. He went home?there was no one there. Some one told him where she had gone. He came to Maldonado's. Lu-j cre/.ln, the eldest, opened the gate. lie i was terrible, she said. He rushed past her. And when he came out his hands were red. The children heard cries. They were afraid to go in. 1 got there last night. 1 went in. They were not nnitp cola?I was afraid to stay. It would look like me, senor. Will they take me, senorT" She was a wreok f terror. "Not if what you tell me Is true. Now, get to bed. I'll give you something that will make you sleep." H? hustled her out and prepared the draught He wondered as he got Into bed as to the truth of her story. Disgusting, such animal terror! Awkward bole, that Fate seemed possessed to queer him with those Ha^dlns! CHAPTER XXVIII. A Discovery. The murder of Maldonado shook the camp next morning. Three rurales, In brilliant trappings, rode up to Rick nras ramnua. xiie leuutr, cuictmn the office, announced that they were on the track of a criminal, the murderer of a rurale, Mnldonado. He was an Indian named Felipe. He repeated the story Kickard had heard before. Would the senor give' his- respected permission for notices to be posted about the camp? A description of the Indian, a reward for bis capture; the favor would be inestimable. , . ' Itlckard saw the notice later that day. It was nailed to the back platform of the Palmyra. He was on Marshall's trail, bis chief having failed to keep an appointment with him. They were to test the gute that afternoon; Marshall was returning soon to Tucson. . - . Hlckard turned back toward camp, deep in thought; so Intent that a sharp cry had lost its echo before the import came to him. He stopped, hearing running steps behind him. innes Hardin was loping up the bank like a young deer, with terror In her eyes. "Mr. JRIckard!" she cried. "Mr. Rlckard I" She was trembling. Her fright had flushed her; cheek to brow was glowing with startled blood. He saw an odd flash of startling beauty, the veil of tan torn off by her emotion. The wave of her terror caught him. lie put out his hand to steady her. She stood recovering herself, regaining her spent breath. Rlckard remembered that this was the first time he had seen her since the murder of Maldonado, since the meeting with the Mexican woman at his tent. "What was It frightened you?" "The Indian, the murderer. Just as they describe him on those notices. 1 must have fallen, asleep. I'd been ?T 4 nnl??\ In fltn KnnaK reuuujg. i ticaiu a uuioc iu iiic uiuau and there was his face staring at me." Her breath was still uneven. "I screamed and ran. ?SMy to be so scared." He started toward the willows, but she grabbed his sleeve. "Oh, don't" She flushed, thinking to meet the qulazlnl smile, but his eyes were grave. H< ' H), had had his fright. They stood stni;ug at each other. "I'm afraid?" she completed. How he would desplSe her cowardice! But she could not let him know that her fear had been for him! He was looking at her. Suppose anything had huppened to hert He had a minute of nausea. If .tha* brute had hurt her?and then he ku .v how it was with him! He looked at her gravely. Of course. He hAd known it a long time. It was true. She was going to belong to him. If that brute had hurt her! She shrank unfterrbls gravity; this was something she did not understand. They were silent, walking toward the encampment Rickard did not care to talk. It was not the time; and he had been badly shaken. Innes was tremulously conscious of the palpitating silence. Sne fluttered toward giddy speech. Her walk that day, Mr. Richard ! She had heard that water had Started to flow down the old river bed; she had wanted to see If, and there was no one to go with her. Her sentence broke off. The look he had turned on her was no dominant, so tender. Amused at her giddiness, and yet loving her! Loving her! They were silent again. "You won't go oft alone, again." He had not asked it, at purtlng. His Inflection' demanding it of her, was of ownership. She did not meet his eyes. Later, when she was lying on her bed, face downward, routed, she tried to analyze that possessive challenge of his gaze, but It eluded words. She summoned her pride, but the meaning called her, sense and mind and soul of her. It cried to her: "I, Casey Rickard, whom your brother hates, ???<> tho lnvor nf dortv RnlmpT T am the mate for you. And I'm going to come and take you some day. Some day, when I have time!" Oh, yes, she was angry with him; abe had some pride. "Why didn't he tell me then?" she cried in a warm tumult to her pillow. "For I would have given him his answer.. I had time, ample time, to tell him that It was not true." For she wanted a different sort of lover, not a second-hand discard ; but one who belonged all to herself ; one who would woo, not take her with that strange sure look of his, "You'll be waiting when I come." Ah, she would not, indeed! She would show him! And then she lay quite still with her hand over her heart. She would be waiting when he came for her I Because, though life hud brought them together so roughly, so tactlessly had muddled things, yet she knew. She would be waiting for him! ' Before he had left her, Rickard had followed a swift impulse. Those bronze -tlliq lamps averieu sum nno sue iciutiuberlng?last night? No mistake like that should refet between them* H? must set that straight. That much ht allowed himself. Until his work war done. But she knew?she had seen? how it was with him! MI wonder if you would help me, Miss Hardin? Would you do something for that poor crazed woman! I wanted to ask Mrs. Hardin, bat foi some reason I've got Into her black books. Just the little kindness ont woman can give another. A man flndi # ! : \ ' ft difficult And these Mexican worn* en don't understand a man's friendship." Her eyes met his squarely. His tantalizing smile had fcone. He was making a demand of her?to believe him, : his request his defense. The glancea, ; of el'ow eyes and gray, met with a , shock, and the world was changed for both. Life, v.1th 'ts many glad voices, was calling to senses and spirit, the girl's still rebellious, the man's sure. Rlckard pat out his hand. "Good- ^^k nlL'ht!" To both. It carried the sound_^^^k of "I love yon!" She put her hend his, then tore her fingers away. oris witl them for clinging. WhSff^jH was her pride? When he had-. time! * She fled into her: tepjL, < Neither of. them had seeioiGerty Hardin watching them from her tent door. , s CHAPTER" XXIX. S?H 1 - ?m A Glimpse of Freedom. , ' ^ The siding was deserted. The Pah 1 myra had run cut to Tuscon. Marshall had gone without apprehension. They did not expect now to nave setbacks, to have to extend the time set for the ; ultimate diversion. The days were flowing lite olli The encampment waa, JjH . filling up xrith visitors, newspaper menj who came to report the spectacular capture of the river. Rlckard's, day badly began* piled up with vpmHons. Bv sundown. h? WES wet to the skin, and mad ns a sick Arizona cit * I In this Jaundiced Jonctare, Ma^ i Lean, Jr., brought down his dispatches to the river. He read of the burning , of a trainload of railroad ties. Jllckard swore. "Anything else pleasant?" "A letter from the governor?from Mfk dad." MacLean read that his father begged a small favor of Rlckard. "Gotlfrey, ,the celebrated English tenor, Is on my hands. His dolors . have been advising outdoor occupation. I am sending him to you; asking you to give him any Job you may have. He is willing to do anything.yfl Put him at something to keep him occupied." MacLean saw; Rlckard's face turn red. "Suffering cats I A worn-out opera singer! "$hat sort of an opera ; does he think we're giving down here? Why doesn't*he send me a fur coat or # a pair of girl twins? Give the tenor a role I Anything else? Pile It all on." "Oh, and one from Godfrey himself. ' He's in Los Angeles. He SHys he'll be here tomorrow." He did not wait for bis chief s reply. At the sapper table, RIckard, dry ? 21 and In restored humor, alluded to the invasion of high notes. "Pity the parts are all assigned 1 The only vacancy ;r&| Is In the kitchen. I wonder how he would like to .be understudy to ,Lingl" The next day when the Incident had been forgotten, and while RIckard was ^H9| up at the Crossing on the concrete gate, Godfrey blew into earnp. Godfrey Blew Into Campt wns like a boy oat on a lark. His brown eyes were dancing over the ad-' venture. He explored the camp and' came hack bubbling. j "It's the biggest I ever saw. But eay, Junior, that's what they call you, isn't It? I'm the only idle man here. Can't you give me something to.dot, I'll do anything. I'd like the boss to find me busy when he c?mes In." MacLean softened the offer. Perhaps until Mr. Godfrey learned the ropes he could be of general use. They were hort-handed the present moment? , there wn^ another hesitation?in the ' kitchen! Ling, the Chinese cohk, wa? overcrowded?so many visitors? "Great," crowed Godfrey, slapping him on the shoulder. "I don't want to feel in the way. I want to earn my board. Lead me to the cook!" That evening, the dinner was helped on its way by the beat-paid singer of England. In an apron, borrowed of . jk Ling, he was "having the time of his life." Ling, pretending to scold, had been won Immediately. Rickard, hear-1 Ulg Ui me juu/ au.nn, iwigui uia vex-|^_ ation, and immediately on his return made his way to the mesqult inclosure ?to greet the friend of George Mae-1 Lean. - ' After dinner, MacLean carried off his prize to the Delta, where Godfrey earned hia welcome. Gerty Hardin forgot to flirt with the engineers; she had discovered a new sensation. The wonderful voice twisted her heart* strings; It told her that the heart that has truly loved never forget^ and she