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LIVES OF CHRISTIAN MINISTERS
This book, entitled as above,
contains over 200 memoirs of Min
isters in the Christian Church
with historical references. Ad
interesting volome—nicely print
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THE ALAMANCE GLEANER
"{' 3"
! River j
£ When the Colorado j
J Burst Its Bank* and ■
a Flooded tbe Imperial ■
| Valley California J
(By
| EDNAH AIKEN J
a
(Conrlthc Bo.U-U.frUl Corner,)
BYNOPBIB.
CHAPTER I—K. C. Rickard, an engi
neer of the Overland Pacific, is called to
the office of President Marshall In Tuc
son, Arls. "Casey" Is an enigma to ths
office force; he wears "dude" clothes,
but he had resigned a chair of engineer
ing in the East to go on the road aa a
fireman and his promotion had been spec
tacular. While waiting for Marshall Rlck
ard reads a report on the ravages of the
Colorado, despite the efforts of Thomas
Hardin of the Desert Reclamation com
pany. This Hardin had been a student
under Rickard and had married Gerty
Holmes, with whom Rickard had fancied
he was In love.
CHAPTER ll—Marshall tells Rlckard
the Overland Pacific has grot to step In
to save the Imperial Valley and sends
him to the break. Rlokard declines be
cause he does not want to supplant Har
din, but is won over. "Stop the river;
damn the expense/' says Marshall.
CHAPTER lll—Rlckard journeys to
Calexlco, sees the irrigated desert and
learns much about Hardin and his work.
CHAPTER IV—At the hotel he meets
Iffr. and Mrs. Hardin and Innes Hardin,
Hardin's half siiter. Disappointed In her
husband and an Incorrigible coquette,
Mrs. Hardin sets her cap for her former
lover and invites him to dinner.
CHAPTER V—Rlckard visits the com
pany'! offices and takes control. He nnda
the engineers loyal to Hardin and hos
tile to him. Estrada, a Mexican, son of
the "Father of the Imperial Valley," tell*
Mm of the general situation.
CHAPTER Vl—Rlckard attends a
meeting of the directors and asserts hie
authority. Hardin rages. Estrada tells
Rlckard of his foreboding that his work
will fall. "I can't see It flnlshed."
CHAPTER Vll—lnnes Is discovered In
her garden. She tries to cheer up Hardin,
who Is furious aaalnst Rlckard.
CHAPTER X-The Hardin dinner to
Rlckard discloses further the family char
acteristics. Hardin Is surly knd sulky.
Innes Is hardly polite. Gerty plans a
"progressive ride" in Rlckard's honor.
CHAPTER Xl—Rlckard encounter! the
Insubordination of the company's engi
neers. He Is stirred by the Indians' state
ment that this Is the hundredth year of
a cycle, when the Qreat Yellow Dragon,
the Colorado, grows restless. He makes
various preparations, pushes work on
the Calexlco levee and Is ordered .by
Marshall to "take a fighting chance" on
the completion of Hardin's pet project,
a gate to shut the break In the river.
N-MAPTER VIII—A family luncheon of
the Hardlna whichthrowi light on them.
CHAPTER rX-4lardtn discovers that
Rlckard la planning a levee to protect
Calexlco and puts him down as Incom
petent. Gerty thinks her lord Jealous.
CHAPTER XH—San Francisco Is de
stroyed by earthquake and flre. and dredge
machinery, which Rlckard had ordered
Hardin to have shipped. Is burned through
Hardin's neglect. Rlckard secretly equips
the big water tower aa a signal station.
CHAPTER Xlll—Gerty Hardin decides
that Rlckard still loves her and plans a
campaign that promises trouble.
CHAPTER XlV—The progressive ride
la begun under adverse conditions—wind
and dust, with the guest of honor absent.
Then Mac Lean, Rickard's secretary,
brings word that the river is raging aud
every man is wanted on the levee.
CHAPTER XV—Hardin motor, off with
a load of dynamite, leaving everything In
confusion on the leve«. Innes, througn a
friendly engineer, lnuu orders In her
brother's name, to save her brother'*
face. The levee and th» signal tower save
Calexlco till Rlckard's return.
CHAPTER XVl—Qerty Hardin begins
to get really interested in Rlckard. The
wind blows a gals and the lsve* la In
danger again.
CHAPTER XVll—Women as well as
men work on the levse the second night.
Innes finds Rlckard and Qerty together
and begins to suspect her slster'-ln-law.
Her brother's wronghsadsdnsss and Rlck
ard's evident efficiency only serve to em
hitter Innes against Rlckard.
CHAPTER XVIII—The rlvsr wsshss
away half of Mexlcall, Calsxlco's Mexi
can twin city, but Calexlco still stands.
CHAPTER XIX—A stormy public meet
ing Is held In which representatives of
the settlers, the Ovsrtand Pacific and
Mexico clash. A telegrsm from Rlckard
that the river has broken out again saves
a big row «nd forces united action by all.
CHAPTER XXII.
A Visit to Maldonado.
Mrs. Hardin's descent on the office
that afternoon was successful, bat not
satisfactory. She bad found the man
ager brief to curtness. She was given
no excuse to linger. She traced Rlck
ard's manner to the presence of Mac-
Lean, and snatched at her cue. She,
too, could be businesslike and brief.
Her errand was of business; ber man
ner should recommend her I
Rlckard had seen Iter making
straight toward the ramada. It was
not the first time; her efforts to line
her nest had involved them all and
often. But todny, he was In a bad
humor.
"For the Lord's sake," he groaned
to MacLenn as she approached.
Mac Lean's grin covered relief. He had
never heard Rlckard express himself
on the subject befcre. "The dead-set
Hardin's wife was making at Casey,"
was tbe choice gossip and speculation
of the young engineers on the Delta.
MncLean had a bet up on tbe outcome.
He grinned more securely.
"I am not going to spare any more
carpenters," growled Rlekcrd. It was
an Inauspicious day for Mrs. Hardin's
visit Things had gone wrong. Vex
atSms were piling up. A tilt with Har
din !hat morning, a telegram from
Han hall; be was feeling sore. Des
perately they needed labor. Wooster
had just reported, venomously. It ap
peared to Rlckard'* spleen. Increasing
drunkenness among the Indians.
Gerty's ruffles swept In. Her dress,
the blue mull with the lace medallions,
accented the hue of ber eyes, and
looked dellclously cool tbat glaring
desert day. Her parasol, of pongee,
was lined with tbe same baby hue.
Her dainty fairness nnd childish af
fability should have made an oasis In
that strenuous day, but Rlckard's dis
integration of temper was too com
plete. He rose stiffly to meet her, and
bis manner demanded her errand.
She told It to blm, plaintively. Her
eye* were appealing, Infantile. Would
It be too mneh to aalc, would Mr.
Rlckard mind In tbe lea«t, be moat b«
perfectly frank and teH her If they
would be In the way at all, bat while
this hot spell lasted, could they, the
three of them, eat In the mess tent
with the men?
"Surely!" Rickard met It heartily.
She would find It rough, but If she
could stand it, yes, he thought It a
good Idea.
And then there was nothing for her
to do but go. Her retreat was grace
ful, without haste, dignified. She
smiled a farewell at Mac Lean, who
was watching the approach of Innea
Hardin and Estrada. Rickard did not
see the aborted entrance of Hardin's
sister and the young Mexican. He
was Itching to be at his work.
He let out a growl when Mrs. Har
din was out of earshot.
"Shucks! What In Halifax do wom
en come to a place like this for?
There's Hardin —brings In two women
to cook for him, and now, please may
they all eat with the men?"
His secretary subdued a chuckle.
He was visualizing a procession of
boxes of choice Havana*—from Bode
feldt, Hamlin and the rest of the
gang. He need not buy a smoke for
a year.
Rickard threw himself back In his
chair. "Take this letter, Mac Lean. To
Marshall." Then his worry diverted
lilm. "Who In thunder Is selling liquor
to my Indians?"
"Hold on; that letter cnn wait. You
get the horses np, Mac Lean, and we'll
ride down to Maldonado's. It's his
place to stop this liquor business, not
mine."
A few hours later they were ap
proaching the adobe walls of Maldo
nado. They found the gate locked. A
woman, whose beauty had fuded Into
A Woman Unbarred the Gate.
a tragic whisper, a ghostly twilight of
suggestion, came to their knock, and
unbarred the gate for the white
strangers. Mystery hung over the ln
closure like A pall.
Rlckard told his errand. Maldonado
sputtered and swore. By the mother
of Mary the Virgin, thnt thing would
be stopped. He showed to the senors,
with pride, his badge. He was a ru
rale; he was there to uphold the law.
He had caught some of those drunken
Indians on the road. He had brought
them here.
Maldonado showed three men In a
locked shed, deep In drunken stupor.
He thought the liquor was obtained
somewhere back in the sandhills. He
would find the place. But the senor
must be patient; his hands were so
full.
Both men were glad to get away
from'the place and Mnldonado. Ob
viously he was a brute; undoubtedly
he was a liar.
CHAPTER XXIII.
A White Woman and a Brown.
For a few weeks Mrs. Ilnrdin found
the mess tent diverting. Before the
Delta had expanded the capacity of
the camp her soft nook had been orer
taxed, her hospitality strained. The
men of the reclamation service, thrown
into temporary Inactivity, wero eager
to accept the opportunity created for
(mother. Falling that other, her zeal
had flagged. Events were moving
quickly at the break; Rlckard was ab
sorbed. Mrs. Hardin told herself that
It was the heat she wished to escape;
not to her own ear did she whisper
that she was following Rlckard, nor
that the percolator and chafing diah,
her shelves and toy kitchen were a
wasted effort. She kept on good terms
with herself by Ignoring self-confi
dences.
Rlckard, the discovery unfolded
slowly, took his meals Irregulurly. His
breakfast was gulped down before the
women appeared; his dinners \ibcre
he found them.
"No wonder!" reflected Gerty liar
din. "Ling's cooking is ho bad." ruin
wonner tne manager foraged for his
meals.
She worked ont a mission as she
lay ncioss her bed that hot afternoon.
Her duty became so clear that she
could no longer lie still. Immediately
she must retrieve her weeks of Idle
ness; what must Rlckard think of her?
She buttoned herself thoughtfully Into
a frock of pale colored muslin, cream
slipping toward canary. White was
too glaring on • red-hot day like this.
Pink was too hot, blue too definite. A
pa fa sol of pastel green, and she looked
like a sprig of fragrant mignonette.
She found the open space of the
trapezium swarming with strange
dark faces. So silent their coming she
had not heard the arrival of the trihea.
She Isolated the Cocopahs, stately a*
bronze statues, their long hair stream
ing. or woand mud-caked under the
brilliant beaddotbs. Foregathering
with them were men of other tribes;
these must be the Yumas and Degal
nos, the men needed on the river.
These were tbe men who were to work
on the rafts, weave the great mat
tresses. A squad of short-haired Pl
mas with their aquaws and babies
and their gandy bandies, gaped at the
falr-halred woman as she passed. The
central space was flUlng up with Pl
mns and Maricopas, Pupa goes, too;
she knew them collectively by their
short hair. These were brush cotters.
This, tbep, meant the beginning ot
real activity, Toinwould at last be
GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY. MAY 20 1919
satisfied. He would no longer sulk
and rage alternately at the hold-up of
the work.
Before she reached Rtckard's ra
mada she saw that another woman
was there. She caught an Impassioned
gesture. Her only 'surmise rested on
Inncs. Gerty saw that ahe was dark;
she looked tbe halfbreed. The brown
woman drew back as tbe white woman
entered. Gerty smiled an airy reas
surance. She herself would wait. She
did not want to be hurried. She told
Rickard that shfe had plenty of time.
"There Is something you want to tell
me?" Ittckard's patience was cour
teous but firm. He would hear her er
rand first. Gerty, remembering the
imploring attitude of the stranger, de
termined that she would not be sent
away.
"Will you excuse me, setioraT It
will be only a minute."
She was to tell her errand, and
briefly! Gerty swept past the Intruder.
"Sit down, Mrs. Hardin."
Resenting the Inflection, she said
she would stand. Her voice was a
little hard, her eyes were veiled, as
she told her mission. Her usual flu
ency dragged; she felt a lack of sym
pathy. In short) she proposed a com
mlssury department, herself la charge.
"I'd like to feel I was of some use,"
urged Gerty. "My heart Is bound up
In this undertaking; If I'm allowed to
stay, I'd like to help along. This Is
the only way I can, the woman's way."
"Aren't you taking a good deal on
yourself, Mrs. Hardin?"
Then she forgave his hesitation
quite, as It was of her he was think
ing. "Not If It'helps." Her voice was
low and soft, as If this were a secret
between them.
"Why, of course, anything you want,
Mrs. Hardin." And, remembering her
former position, he added, "The camp's
yours ns much as mine."
A glad smile rewarded him. She
went out, reluctantly. There was a
new significance In Mac Lean's absence
from the rnmada. What could that
woman have to sny that Mac Lean
must not hear? For the first time
the weak tenure on her old lover dime
to her. Not a sign had he yet given
of their understanding, 6f the piquant
situation. Themselves old sweethearts,
thrown together In this wilderness.
What had she bnllt her hopes on? A
word here, a translated phrase, or
magnified glance. She would not har
bor the new worry. Why, It would be
all right. In the meantime she would
show them all what a woman with
executive ability could do.
"Sit down, senorn," said Rickard to
the brown woman, Muldonudo's wife.
"Don't be frightened. We won't let
him hurt you." Rickard vulgarized
his Castllian to the reach of her rude
dialect. Familiar as was Rickard with
the peons' speech In their own coun
try, he could not keep up with her
story. Lurid words ran past his ears.
Out of the Jumble of abuse, of shame
and misery he caught a new note.
"You say Maldonado himself sells
liquor to the Indians?"
"Huh, senor!" Someone might hear
him 1 She looked over a terrified
shoulder. That had slipped out, the
selling of the liquor. She could have
told her story without that; she want
ed to deny It. Relentlessly Rickard
made her repeat It, acknowledging the
truth.
"What makes you tell me nowT"
Itlckard hunted for the ulcer. He
knew there was a peritonei wrong.
"What had Maldonado been doing to
you? Hna he left you?"
The veil of fear was torn from her
eyes. The trembling woman was gone,
a vengeful wildcat In her place. "Left
me, Maldonado? Left his home,
where he traps the Indian with one
coin In his pockets? No, senor. He
brought her to our home, there; Lupe,
the wife of Felipe, the I)egulno. I
told him not to fool with Felipe; the
Indian was dangerous; he had hot
blood. Maldonado struck me—he
kicked me —he said I wad Jealous—
and hit me again.
"Maldonado told me to get a big
meal. I told hlin that It was for Fe
lipe. When I said I would not cook
for thnt treachery ho curded me, he
kicked me agnin." She threw off the
rebodo, dragging her dredd loose.
"Don't," frowned Rickard. He had
seen a welt ncrods her shoulder—a
screaming line of pain.
She wound the reboso around the
dishonored shoulder. "I cooked his
dinner I There was a lot of liquor—
Felipe was drunk; the tequila mad*
him mud, quite mad. He seemed to
know something wad wrong; he fought
as Msldonado dragged him to the cell,
the senor remembers the cell? The
next day Maldonado sent for two rit
rules. They started the next day for
Rnsenadu, taking Felipe; that day
Maldonado brought Lupe home. I
said she could not stay and he
laughed In my face, senor. He put
M outside the walls. I beat that
•You Will Help Ma. Senorr
gate until my Angers bled. I remem
bered the kind face of the senor, and
then I cams here. Ton will help ma,
aaoorr
Rickard shook hla head. "I shall
have to look Into this thing. If this
la true It's prison for your husband.
You won't have to fear Lupe."
"When he gets out he will kill me,
senor."
The terror was selling her again.
Before she could begin her pleading
he called to Mac Lean.
"Ask Ling to And a tent for Senora
Maldonado. Tell him to give her a
good meal."
He must trap the rogue. That In
fernal place must be closed. The
woman had come In the nick of time.
Those tribes were to be guarded aa
restless children.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Rlekard Make* a New Enemy and a
New Friend.
The coming of the Indiana gave the
Impetus the wvrk had lacked. Under
Jenks of the railroad company a large
force was put on the river; these, the
weavers of the brush inattresaes that
were to line the river bed. On the
banks were the brush cutters; tons of
willows were to be cut to weave Into
the forty miles of woven wire cable
waiting for tfie. cross strands. Day
by day the pllea pf willow branches
grew higher, tho brush cuttera work
ing ahead of the mattress workers In
the stream. In the dense undergrowth
the stolid Indians, Plmas nnd Marlco
pas and Pnpagoes, struggled with the
fierce thorn of the mesqult and the
overpowering smell of the arrow
weed. As tough as the hickory handles
they wielded, they fought a clearing
through dense thickets in the Intense
tropic heat.
Down stream the Brobdlngnaglan
awn of the dredge fell Into the mud of
the by-pass, dropping lta slimy burden
on the far bank. Down the long
stretch of levee the "skinners" drove
their mules and scrapers; two pile
drivers were setting In the treacher
oua stream the plies which were to
anchor the steel-cabled mattresses to
the river bed. It was a well-organised,
active scene. Rlekard, In his office,
dictating letters and telegrams to Mac-
Lean, Jr., felt his first satisfaction.
Things were beginning to show tho re
sult of months of planning. Cars were
rushing In from north and east; every
quarry between Los Angeles and Tuc
son requisitioned for their undertak
ing.
A shadow fell on the lilne d?sk.
Ling, In blue ticking shirt and white
butcher apron, wulted for the "boss"
to look up. He stood wiping the per
spiration from his head, hairless ex
cept for the long sllk-tapered queue,
"Well, Ling?"
"I go tamale." His voice was soft
as silk. "I no slay."
It was a thunderclap. There was
no one to replace Ling, who was
drawing down the salary of a private
secretary. Lose Ling? It would be
.more demoralizing to the camp than
to lose an engineer.
"Money all lite. Rossee all lite. No
likee woman. Woman she slay. Ling
go."
"Mr*. Hardin I" Rickard woke up.
"She all time makee trouble. She
clazy. She think woman vellee fine
cook. She show Ling cookee plune*.
Tcachee Ling cookee plunes! I no
stay that womnn." Unutterable final
ity In the leathern face. Rickard and
MuoLean, Jr., exchanged glance*
which deepened from concern Into
perplexity. They could not afford to
lone Ling. And offend Mm. Hardin,
the camp already llurdlncsqtie?
Illckard grew placating. He spent
a half hour wheedling. They met at
the storting place. "Ling go toinale."
"Oh, Lord," groaned the manager,
capitulating. "All right. Ling."
With the dignity of an oriental
prince. Ling pattered out of the tent,
Rickard was puckering hi* lip* at hi*
decretory. "I'd rathur take castor
oil."
A half hour later, Mac Lean saw hi*
chief leuva hid tent. He was In fresh
linens.
"I wouldn't swap places with him
this minute I She'll bs as mad as a
wet benl"
Mrs. Hardin, from her bed by her
screen window, saw him coming. She
slipped Into a semlnegllgee of alter
nate rows of lace and swlss construct
ed for such possible emergencies. Sho
did not mske the mlstske of smooth
ing her hair; her Instinct told her
that the fluffy disorder bore out the
use of the negligee. She was sew
ing to her rainsda when Itlckard's
knock sounded on the screen door.
Despite his protests she started wa
ter boiling In her chafing dish. He
had not time for tea, be declared,'but
she Insisted on making thla call of a
social nature. She opened a box of
sugar wafers, her seal that of a child
with • toy kitchen; she was.playing
doll's house.
Rlcksrd made several openings for
his errand, bnt her wits sped like
a gopher from bla labored digging.
She met bla mood with womanly dig
nity ; she tutored her coquetries, with
held her archness.
He found he would have to discard
diplomacy, blurt out bis measage; use
bludgeon* for this scampering agility.
"My mission Is ■ little swkwsrd,
Mr*. Hardin. I hope you will take It
■II right, that you will not be of
fended."
"Offended r Her foce showed
alarm.
"It'* about Line. He's a queer fel
low; they all are, you know." II«
wan blundering like a schoolboy un
der the (rowing shadow In Uerty's
blue ejrea. "They resent authority—
that la, from women. Ma la a tyrant.
Ling la."
"Yea?" Ah, aha would not help him.
Let him flounder I
"He wanta to be let alone; h*
doesn't appreciate your kjnd help,
Mrs. Hardin."
"Oh!" Her eyea wera hot with
tenrs—angry tears. Kb* could not
rpvak or would not Hbe aat In ber
sjwjlled doll's houae, all her pleaaure
ID her toy dlshea, her pretty -finery,
ruined. He could not care If he could
humiliate her ao. It waa the most
vivid moment of her life. Not even
when Klckard bad left ber, with hla
klaaea atlll warm on ber llpa, had aba
felt ao outraged. He waa treating her
as though aha war* • servant—dla
charging hep—(weans aha was _ the
wife ofTlardln. Her eyes grew black
with anger; she hated them both; be
tween them, their jealousy, their ri
valry, what had they made of her life?
She remembered the woman ahe bad
seen In his ramada; she had heard
that the Mexican was In camp, em
ployed by Rickard. Her thoughts were
like swarming hornets.
"He's an ungrateful beaat, Mrs.
Hardin. I told blm I would not let
you waste your kindness one Instant
longer—"
Oh, she understood I A bitter plena
lire to aee him so confused. Rickard,
before whose superior appraisement
she had so often Wilted I She would
not hefp him out, never 1 She rose
when he paused. He thanked her for
meeting him half way, and her amlle
was Inscrutable.
"So I'm discharged?'
"Yon can't be discharged If you've
never been employed, can you? Thank
you once again, and for your tea. It
was delicious. I wish Ling would give
ns tea like that."
Boorish, all of It, and blundering!
Why wouldn't he go? When he had
hurt her so! had hurt her so!
Iter hand met hlit, but not her eyes.
If he did not go quickly something
would happen; he would see her cry
ing. The angels that guard blunderer*
got Rickard out of the teat without
a suspicion of threatening tear*. She
threw off her negligee and the pale
blue slip; the team must wait for
that. Then she flung herself on her
bed and Hhook It with the grief of
wounded Tanlty.
That evening the chief had a vlsl
tor. The wife of Maldonado, some of
the fear prdsaed out of her eye*,
brought In his laundered khakis,
socks, darned and matched; all the
missing buttons replaced.
"I Imven't worn a matched sock,"
he told her, "for months. That's great,
senora."
He wanted to get to bed, but she lin
gered. She wanted to talk to him
about her troubles; he had cautioned
her against talking about them in
camp, so she overflowed to him
whenever she found a chance—about
Maldonado, the children, Lupe. It
was getting wearying, but he could
not shove the poor thing out.
Senorn Maldonado gave a sharp In*
take of broath, an aborted scream.
Rickard, too, saw a man's figure out
side the screen door. The Mexican
woman pressed a frightened hand to
her heart. Of course It was the vengty
ful Maldonado—he would kill her—
"lf I am Intruding," It was tb«
voice of Hnrdln.
"Come /Iglit In," welcomed Rickard.
"Get along, senora." The Maldonado
slipped out Into the night, her lisnd
■till against her heart.
Hardin, a roll of maps under his
arm, entered with n rough sneer on
his face. A dramatic scene, that, ha
had Interrupted! And Rickard, wtfio
did not like to huve women In cuuip.
White women 1
Rickard, sUII sleepy, asked him to
sit down.
"I wonted to siienk to you abont
those concrete aprons. They tell me
you've given nn order not to have
them."
Rlcknrd resigned himself to n long
argument. It wad three o'clock when
Ilardln let him torn In.
When he wad getting ready for bed
be remembered the melodramatic
scene Ilardln had entered upon. H«
stared comprehendlngly at the screen
door—seeing with understanding Har
din's coarse sneer—the Maldonado,
breathing fast, her hand over her
heart "Of coarse he'll think—good
lord, these people will make me Into
an old woman I I don't care what tha
whole caboodle of them think I"
Five minutes after blowing out his
candle ho was deeply sleeping.
CHAPTER XXV.
Smudge.
From her tent, where she was writ
ing a letter that lagged somehow, la
nes Hardin hud seen Rickard go to
her sister's tent. She did not need to
analyze the sickness of sight that
watched the dancing step acknowl
edge Its Intention. It meant wretch
edness, for Tom. At a time when ho
most needed gentleness and sympathy
rasped ss he WHS by his humiliations
and disappointments—how could any
woman be so cruel? A* for Rlcknrd,
he wus beneath contempt—lf It were
true, Oerty's story, told In shrugs and
dashes. She had Jilted him for Tom;
and this his revenge? She hsd not
known that she had such feeling as
the thought roused In her. It proved
what the blood tie Is, this tigerish
passion sweeping through her, as her
eyes watched thst closed tent—lt was
for love for Tom, pity for Tom. Hex
honor —why, Oerty did not know tb«
meaning of the words!
How long would It be before Tom
would see what every one else was
seeing? What would he do when he
knew? Hating Hlckard already, bitter
as he wss—
She was not so biased as he. She
could see why Marshall had had to re
organize. Estrada had shown her;
and Maclean. Her sense of Justlet
bad done the rest. Rickard bad proved
his efficiency; the levee, the camp, the
military discipline all showed the gen
eral. Whether he were anything of
an engineer, time would tell that. It
was a long call he was making! Sup
pose Tom were to come back? She
must watch for him—inake some ex
cuse to pull him in If he should come
back before that other went — Hate
ful, such eavesdropping! A prisoner
to that man's gallivanting!
For an Instant she did not recognize
the figure outside Oerty's tent. Her
fears saw Tom. She reached the
screen door In time to see Rickard lift
bis hst to a,dl*appearlng flurry of ruf
fles. Angry eyes watched Itlckard'l
step swing him sway.
From the levee that day, she had a
glimpse of the Mexlcsn woman on hei
knees by the river, rubbing clothes
against a smooth stone. A pile ol
tight-wrung socks lay on the bank, to
nes stood and watched her.
"I mujit remember to apeak of her
to Gerty," ahe determined. "She prob
ably does not know that there la a
washerwoman In camp."
-tt.Ptt.li week later before, she rs
Angry Eyes Watched Rlckard.
membered to speak of the Mexican
woman "who could wash." The two
women were on their way to their
tents from the mess breakfast Senora
Muldonudo was leaving MacLean'i
tent with a large bundle of used
clothes under her arm.
"She washes for the men. I'm go
ing to ask her to do my khakis for me.
Perhups this woman would be willing
to do all our laundry?"
Oerty had In-en wondering what she
would say to Innes. The speech which
needed only an Introduction wal
stirred Into the open.
"You must not," her voice trembled
with anger, "you must not ask that
wotimn. She Is not to be spoken to."
The girl axked her bluntly what sb«
meant.
"You must not give her your wash
ing— must not speak to her. I've not
mentioned It before. I —l hoped 11
would not lie necessary. Tom told ma
not to speak of It."
"Tom told you not to speak of ltl
Not to speak of what?"
"You must have observed—Mr. Rlck
ard?"
The girl's enr did not catch th«
short pause. "Observed Mr. Itlrkanl?"
"The coolness between UH. I scarce
ly'xpcuk to him. I don't wish to speak
to hfni.'^
When hnd all tills huppened, Innei
demanUeil of herself? llud she been
asleep, throwing pity from outdated
drenins 7
"I won't countenance a common af
fr like that." Her eyes, sparkling
ll'i anger, 1 iggested Jealous wrath
1 IniK'.i, who hud her first hint of the
itory. She had learned never to take
the face value of her sister's verbal
coin; It wa« only n symbol of value;
It mood for something elae.
Tho yellow eye* were on the dredge
bucket oa if swung across the channel,
but they did not register. She waa
angry, outraged; she did not know
with whom. With Oertjr for telling her,
with Rtcknrd, with life that let* auch
thing* be. She Jumped np. "Oh, atop
It I" She rushed out of the tent, fol
lowed by a strange bitter smile that
brought ago to the face of Gerty Har
din.
In her own tent, Innea found excuse
for her lack of self-control. She did
not like tho color of scandal; she
bated xinudge. Gerty had raid the
whole camp knew It; knew why the
Mexican woman wn* In camp! She
did not trout Gerty In anything elae;
why should xhe trust her In that? She
would forget Gerty's gossip.
But xbe remembered It vividly that
week a* xhe waxhed her own khnkla;
OH ahe bent over the Ironing bourd In
Gerty'a awelterlng "kitchenette." She
thought of It ax xhe returned Klck
ard's bow In the ineaa tent the next
morning; each time they met ahe
thought of It. And it wax In her mind
when ahe met Senoru Mnldonado by
the river one dhy, mid made a audden
wide curve to avoid having to apeak
to her.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Time the Umplr*.
Tho river wax low; Its yellow wa
ter* bore the look fit oriental duplicity.
Kach day wax now showing Ita prog
rexa. The two end* of the trcatle were
creeping acroxa the xtream from their
bruxh aprona. A few week* of work,
mt the prewnt rate, und the gap would
be cloaed, Hardin'* big gate In It; the
by-pa*x the trap aet for the
ColofalW Tho tenalty of a last xpurt
wax In the ulr.
It wan Inspiring activity, this pitting
of iiiiin'H cumulative skill against an
elemental force. No Caucasian mind
which did not tingle, feel the privi
leged thrill of It. To the stolid hatlve
this day of well-paid toll was his mil
lennium, the fulfillment of the
prophecy. Ills gods had so spoken,
food for his stomach, liquor for hi*
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 their day ol
opportunity?
Between (he two camps oscillated
Coronel, silently squatting near the
whites, jabbering his primitive Es
peranto to the tribes. His friendship
with the white chiefs, his age and nat
ural leadership gave him a unique po
sition la both camps. Assiduously,
ltlckard cultivated the old Indian who
crouched days through by the bank ol
the river. $
The engineers felt the whip of ex
citement. Never a man left the camp
In the morning who did not look to
ward that span crawling across the
treacherous stream, measure that
widened by-pass. Would the gate
stand 1 The Hacdln men halloed for
the gate, but looked each morning to
see If It were still there. The Reclama
tion Service men and the engineers of
the railroad were openly skeptical;
Blsyphus outdone at his own game I
sstra4a Jim) lUcksr4 looked .ftrttvclj
NO. lb
atTfce gate, with doubt at each other.] }
Hardin, himself, was repres&d, Wt|
eager lire wire. His days he spfcnt*a4;.J
the river; his nights, long boors 01
them, open-eyed, on bis back, watcnlni -
the slow-wheeling, star-pricked dom#-|
of desert sky. His was the suspen* f
of the man on trial; this, was Mi
trial; Gerty, Rlckard, the valley, hli
judge and jury. The gate grew to b
a symbol with blm of restored honor
an obsession of desire. It must be at
right I
Rlckard was all over the place
"Watching every piece of rock that'i
dumped In the river," complained
Wooster. "Believe he marks them a:
night r
They were preparing fop the Una
rash. In a week or two, the worl
would be continuous, night shifts ti
begin when the rock-pouring com
menced. Large lamps were being sua
pended across the channel, acetylem -
whose candelpower was that of an an
light. Soon there would be no nigh
at the break. When the time for tlu
quick coup would come, the mus
be closed without break or slip. Oni
mat was down, dropped on the flooi
that had already swallowed two sucl
gigantic mouthfuls; covered wltl
rock; pinned down to the slippery bot
torn with plies. Another mat wai
1 ready to drop; rock was waiting to tx
poured over It; tl# deepest place lq
the channel was rtnluced from flfteeq
to seven feet. Each day the overpour.
anxiously measured, Increased. A thin*
steam shovel had been added; the rath
road sent In several work trains fulu
equipped for service; attracted by th«
excitement, the hoboes were commenet-:
Ing to come In.
It was a battle of big numbers, a
duel of great force where timft wu '
the umpire. Any minute hot
might fall on those snowy peaks UB
yonder, and the released waters, rush
ing down, would tear out the
as a wuve breaks over a child's fort
made of sand. This was a race, and
all knew It A regular train d!spatct|*
system was lif force that the InruddaK
cars might drop their burden of rock
and gravel and be off after more. Thd
Dragon was being fed rude meals, lti
appetite whetted by the glut of pom
Ing rock.
Tod Marshall came down from TOM
son In his car. The coming of tM
Palmyra and Claudia rippled the So]
■l.l waters at the front for dart
aheaJ. Gerty Hardin, too pnrad td '
toll her astonished family that sha
wanted to desert the mesa tent, shooty '
herself from her Injury, and "did op** ■
all her lingerie gowns. Mrs. Marshall J
waa not going to patronise her, eveft
If her husband bad snubbed Tom. It
was hot, ironing in her tent, the doen
closed. Everything carried a sting
those Indoor hours. She was a flam*
with hot vanity. Twice, she had
openly encouraged Rlckard; twice, ha
had flouted her. That waa bis kind I
Men who prefer Mexicans —I Sha
would never forgive him, never I
She followed devious channels ttf U>
rolve Tom's responsibility. Tljere was j
a cabal against the wife of Hardin. -J
Working like a servant I she called It J
necessity. Everything, every one pn»* £jj
lshed her for that one act of folly. 1
lite had caught her. She saw no way. |
as (be Ironed her mnll ruffles, no way | {
out of her cage. Her spirit beat wild 5
wlpgs against her bars. If she could V
see a way out I Nothing to do but to 7|
stay with Tomt
Maddening, too, that at the mass
table, sbe caught Rlckard's eyes turning p
toward, resting on, Innes Hardin. Tha
girl herself did not seem to notice 9
artful, subterranean, such stalking t>JI
That was why she had come running*!
back to the Heading 1 That the reaao* .j
of her anger when she had hinted of -A
the Maldonodo. She learned to hata a
Innes. Bitterly she hated Rlckard,
"Tom," she said one day. Ha 1
turned with a swift thrill of expecta- 1
tlon, for her voice sounded kind; Ilka
the Oerly of old. "I have alwaya
heard that Mr. Marshall has terribly
strict Ideas. I think he ought to hear
of that Mexican woman. It Is demor
alizing in a camp like this."
"I tell Mnrxhalt anything against hi*
pet clerk I" The Hordlq lip shot out
"He'd throw me out of the company."
Tho pretty xcene wax spoiled. To
hla dlxinay, xhe burst Into a storm of
tears, tearx of aelf-plty. Her life lay;
In tattera at her feet, the pretty fabric
rent, torn between the rude handling
of those two men. She could not havo
reasoned out her Injury, made It con-
vlnclng. built out of dream* aa It waa, ,
heartless, achetnlng dreantx. Becauao
xhe could not tell It, her sobbing wa»
the more violent, her complaint* Inco
herent. Tom gathered enough frag
ments to piece tho old story. ,
"Ashamed of him. He had dragged £
her down Into his humiliation." Hla 3
iweet moment had paxsed.
He spent a few futile momenta try
ing to ymfort her.
"Don't come near me." It bant
from her; n cry of revulsion. He
•tared at lier, the woman meeting his
eyes In flushed defljyace. The hatred
which he saw, her bitterness, corroded
lil.s pride, scorched his self-love. Noth
ing would kill his love for her; he
knew that In that blackest of mo*
ments. He would never forget that
look of dread, of hate. He left her
tent.
That night, the cot nnder the stafll
had no tenant. Hardin bad It 0«t
with hinntelf down the levee.
That valley might fulfill EstradaH
vision ami his labor; might yield the
harvest of hnppy homes; bat hi* iru
not there. He had been the sacrifice.
To be continued.
HEARTBURM\\
or httriiMM after meals are
moat annoying manifestations i 1
ol acid-dyspepsia. | j
Kl-MOIDS U
pleasant to taket neatraßm 1
aciditu and help restore 11
normal digestion.
MADE BY SCOTT £ BOWNK J|
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