The Dillon herald. (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, April 17, 1919, Page Page Two, Image 2
: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