THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. The RIVER V v When the Colorado HOW WILL HARDIN AND HIS WIFE RECEIVE HIM? RICKARD IS NOT LEFT LONG IN DOUBT. Synopsis. K. 0. IllckarV, nn engineer of the Overland Pacific rail roi, Is called to the ofllce of President Marshall In Tuscon, Ariz. While wilting Rlcknrd reads a report on the ravages of the Colorado river, Despite the efforts of Thomas Ilnrdln, head of the Desert Reclamation company. Jlanlto iiad been n student under Illcknrd In nn eastern col lege and hnd marred Gerty Holmes, with whom Illcknrd had fancied his was In Iov. Marshall tells IUcknrd the Overland Pacific must step In to snv tfcg Imperial valley nnd wishes fo send Rlcknrd to take charge. Rlcknrd declines because he foresees embarrassment In supplanting Clardln, but Is won over. 'Illcknrd goes to Calcxlco and, on the wuy. 'tarns much about Ilanl'n niv hi tvork. CHAFER IVCotlnued. ! "Bath right across the hall. Only room left In the house." The proprietor awarded him the vnllcy stare. "Going t bo hero long?" Ho passed the last key on tho rnck to the darky stagger ing under n motley of bags nnd suit cases. Jtlcknrd recognized Ids, nnd fol lowed. "I may get you another room tomor row," called the proprietor after him b he climbed tho dusty stairs. Tho signals of n new town wcro waving In the dining room. The ma jority of tho citizens displayed their hlrt sleeves and unblushing suspend ers. Ono lnrgo table was surrounded by men In khaki; the desert soldiers, nglnecrs. Tho full blown waitresses, elaborately pompudourcd, wcro push ing through tho swing-doors, cnrrylng heavy trnys. Coquetry appeared to bo their occupation, rather than meal ervlng, tho diners ncccptlng both varie ties of attention with appreciation. Tho supremacy of those superior maidens wob menaced only by two other worn n who Thit at u tnblo near tho door. Illcknrd did not see them nt first. Tho room was as mascultno as a restaurant to a new mining town. ' Illcknrd left his indoor view to look through the French windows opening ma a side street. Ho noticed a slender but regular procession. All tho men passing fell In tho same direction. "Cocktail route," explnined ono of BUs neighbors, his mouth full of boiled beef. "Oyster cocktail?" smiled tho new comer. "The real thing 1 Cnlexico's dry, llUo tho whole valley, that is, the county. Deo that ditch? That Is Mexico, on Itho other side. Those sheds you can eo arb In Mexican, Cnlexico's twin Mister. That painted ndobo Is tho cus tom house, Mexican's not dry, even in unimcrl You can bet your life on that. You can get all tho bad whisky and stalo beer you've tho money to tuy. Wo work In Calcxlco, nnd drink In Mexlcall. Tho tcmpernnco plcdgo is Itept better In this town than any other town In tho valley. But you can see this procession every ulght." Tho Amazon with a handkerchief proa brought Itlcknrd his soup. Ho was raising his first spoonful to his mouth when he saw tho face, carefully He Saw the Face, Carefully Averted. averted, of tho girl ho had met nt tho Marshall' table, Inncs Hardin. His eyes jumped to her companions, tho man a stranger, nnd then, Gerty Eiolmcs. At least, Mrs. Hardin I Some ow, It surprised him to find her pretty. I Sho had nchlovcd a variety of ills tlnctlon, preserving, moreover, tho clear-cut babyish chin which hud mado Ub early appeal to him. There was tho samo flulty hair, Its ringlets a bit arti ficial to his moro sophisticated eyes, tho samo well-turned nose, nc had been wondering about this meeting; ho found that he had been expecting somo sort of shock who said that tho lovo of today Is tho Jest of tomorrow? Tho 'discovery Hint Oerty was not n Jest brought tho surprised gratification which wo award n letter or composition written in our youth. Wcro wo as .elVor ns that, so completo at eighteen or twenty-ono? Could we, now, with ill our experience, do any better, or In deed ns well? That particular sen tence with wings l Coftld we mako It Burst Its Banks and Copyright, Dobbn-Merrlll fly today as It soared yesterday? Illck nrd was finding that Gerty's nioro in turo chorms did not accelerate his heart-beats, but they wcro certainly flattering to his early judgment. And ho had expected her to bo a shock l Ho was staring Into his plnrt of chilled Poup. Calf-love I For ho had loved her, or at least ho had loved her chin, her pretty childish way of lifting it. Sho was prettier than ho had pic tured her. Queer that n man liko Har din could draw such women for sister nnd wife tho blood tie wus tho most amazing. For when women come to marry, they mnko often n queer choice. It occurred to him , that that might have been Ilnrdln lie hnd not wanted to stare at them. Thnt was not nnrdln's face. It held strength nnd power. Tho outline was sharp nnd distinct, showing tho strong lines, tho determined mouth of tho pio neer. There wns something else, some thing which stoou ror distinction no. it couldn't bo Ilnrdln. And then, because an outthrust Up chnnged the entlro look of the mnn, Illckurd asked his tablo companions, who wns the man with tho two ladles, near the door. "That, sub," his neighbor from Ala bama became immediately oratorical, "that Is a big man, suit. If the Im perial valley ever becomes a, reality, a flxtuah, it will bo because of that ono mun, suh. Reclamation Is Uko a seed thrown on a rock. Will it stick? Will It tnko root? Will It grow? That is what wo all want to know." Itickard thought that ho had wanted to know something qulto different, and reminded tho gentleman from Alabama tbnt ho had not told him tho name. "Tho father of this valley, of tho reclamation of this desert, Thomas Ilnrdln, suh." Illcknrd tried to .reset, without at tracting their attention, tho group of Uis Impressions of tho mnn whoso per sonality hnd been so obnoxious to him In tho old L'nwrenco days. Tho Hardin he had known hud also largo features, but of tho fluccid Irritating order. Ho summoned n picture of Hardin ns ho had shufllod into his own classroom, or up to tho long tablo where Gerty had always queened It among her mother's boarders. Ho could sco tho rough un polished boots that had nlways offend ed him as a betrayal of tho man's In nor conrseness; tho badly fitting cont, tho long awkward arms, nnd tho satis fled, loud-speaking mouth. These fea tures wore moro definite. Could tlmo bring these changes? Had ho changed, Uko that? Had they seen him? Would Gerty, wpuld Ilnrdln remember him? Wasn't It his plnco to mnko .himself known ; wnvo tho flag of old friendship over an awkward situation? ITo found himself standing in front of their table, encountering first, tho oyes of nnrdln's sister. Thero wns no surprise, no wclcomo there for him. Ho felt nt onco the hostility of tho camp, His face was uncomfortably warm, Then the childish profllo turned on him, A look of bewilderment, flushing into greeting tho years hud been kind to Gerty Holmes 5 "Do you remember me, Illcknrd?" If Hardin recognized a dlfllcult sltua tlon, ho did not betray It It was man Illcknrd did not know who shook him warmly by tho hand, and said that indeed ho had not forgotten him. "I've been expecting you. My wife, Mr. Illcknrd, and my Bister." "Why, what nro you thinking of, Tom? To lntroduco Mr. Illcknrd I introduced you to encn other, years ago I" Gerty's checks wero red. Her bright cycB wcro darting from ono to tho other. "You knew ho was coming, and did uot tell mo?" "You were at tho Improvement club when tho telegram came," put In Inncs Hardin, without looking nt Illcknrd. No traco of tho Tucson cordiality In that proud llttlo f uco I No acknowledgment that they had met ut tho MurshuU'sl 'Oh, you telegraphed to us?". Tho blond arch smllo hnd not nged. "That was friendly and nice." Itickard had uot been self-conscious for many a year. lie did not know what to say. Ho turned from her up turned faco to tho others. Inncs Har din was staring out of tho window. over tho bends of several crowded tables; Hardin was gazing nt his plate. lllckard decided that ho would get out of this before Gerty discovered that It was neither ''friendly nor nice." "If I had known that you wcro here, I would have Insisted on your dining with us, In our tent. War It's terrible, Flooded the Imperial Valley of California Company here, Isn't It?" She flashed tit him the look ho remembered so vividly, tho childish coquettish appeal. "Wo dlno nt home, till It becomes tiresome, nnd then wo come foraging for variety. But ou must como to us, say Thursday. Is that right for you? We should lovo it." Still thoso two nverted faces. Illck nrd said Thursday, as he was bidden, nd got bnck to his tnble, wondering why in thunder he had let Marshall ner- suado him to take this job. Hardin waited n scant minute to pro test: "Whnt pocsfR'd you to ask him tff dinner?" "Why shouldn't I? He Is nn old friend." Gerty caught a glance of op peal, from sister to brother, ".tenlous?" sho pouted chnrmlngly at her lord. "Jealous, no 1" bluffed Hardin. He thought then thnt she knew, that Inncs had told her. The Lawrcnco epi sode held no sting to him. Once, it hnd enchanted him that bo bad carried off tho bonrdlng-houso belle, whom even that bookmnn had found desirable- bookman I A superior dudel He had nlways hnd those grand airs. As If It wero not moro to a man's credit to trugglo for his education,, even if lie were older than his class, or his teach er, than to accept it off sliver plates, handed by lackeys? Illckurd hod nl ways acted us If It had been something to be ashiimed of. It made him sick. "They've done It this time. It's n fool choice." Again, thnt look of pleading from In ncs. ucrty had a shiver oc intuition. "Fool choice?" Her voice was omi nously calm. Hardin shook oft Inncs' eyes. Better bo done with Itt, "He's the new gen eral manager." "He's tho general manager 1" "I'm to take orders from him." Gerty's silence wns of tho stunned variety. Tho Hardlns watched her crumbling bread on the tablecloth, thinking, fcnrfully, that she was going to cry. "Didn't I tell you?" Her voice, re pressed, cnrrled tho threat of tears. Didn't I tell you how It would be? Didn't I sny thnt you'd bo sorry If you called tho railroad In?" "Must wo go over this ngnln?" asked her husband. "Why didn't you tell mo7 Why did you let mo mako n gooso of myself?" She wns remembering that thero hnd been no protest, no surprise from In ncs. She knew J A family secret I Sho shrugged. "I'm glad, on the whole, thnt you planned It us a surprise. For carried it off ns if we'd not been In sulted, disgraced." "Gerty I" expostulated Hardin. "Gerty 1" Implored Inncs. "And wo nro in tor a nice friendly dinner I" "Are you quite finished?" Hardin got up. As the three passed out of the dining room, lllckard caught their several ex pressions: Hardin's stiff, Indifferent; Gerty's brilliant but hard, us sho flashed n finished, bravo llttlo smile In his direction. Tho slcter's bow was distinctly haughty. In tho hall, Gerty's laugh rippled out. It was the laugh Itickard remem bered, the light frivolous cadence which recalled tho flamboyant pattern of the Holmes parlor cnrpet,tthc long, crowded dining tnble where Gerty had reigned. It told him that sjio wns In different to his coming, ns she meant it should. And it turned him back to a dark corner in tho honeysuckle- draped porch whero ho hnd spent so many evenings with her, where once ho had held her hand, where lie told her that ho loved her. For he had loved her, or at least ho thought he had I And hnd run uwny from her ex pectant eyes. A cad, was he, becauso ho had brought that waiting look Into her eyes, and had run from It? Should a mnn ask u woman to give her life Into his keeping until he is qulto suro thnt ho wants It? Ho was revamping his worn defense. Should ho live up to n minute of surrender, of tenderness, If tho next Instant brings sanity, nnd disillusionment? Ho could bury now forever self-reproach. Ho could laugh ut his own vaulty. Gerty Hardin, it was easy to see, had forgot ten what ho had whispered to Gerty Holmes. They mot ns sober old friends. That ghost was laid. CHAPTER V. A Game of Checkers. Tho uneasy mood of tho desert, the wind-blown sand, drove people Indoors the next morning. Illckurd wus served a substantial, Indifferently cooked breakfast In the dining room of the uesert notci, wnoso limitations were ns conspicuous to the newcomer as they were nonexistent to tho other men. They wcro finding It n soft con trast to snnd-blown tents, to life in the open. Luter ho wandered through tho group of staring idlers In the oilice, past tho popular sodu stand nnd tho few chalr-tllters on tho sldewnlk, go lng ou, us If without purpose, to the railroad sheds, nnd then on, down to the offices of the Desert Reclamation company, no discovered It to be tho one engaging spot in tho hastily lurown-iogeuier town. Thero wero oleanders, roso and white, blooming in v v V V C v1 V V 5 the patch of purplo blooming alfalfa that stood for u lawn. Morning-glories clambered over tho supports of tho veranda, and on over the roof. Rlck ard's deductions led him to tho Har dlns. Whnt fichool of experience had so changed tho nwkward country fellow? He hub! resented his rivalry, not that be was a rival, but that he was a boor. Ills kisses still warm on her lips, nnd she hud turned to welcome, to coquet with Tom Ilnrdln I The woman who ns to be his wlfo must bo stendler than that! It had cooled his fever. Not for him the nspen who could shako and bend her pretty boughs to each rough breeze that blew! Men tossed Into n desert, fighting to keep a foothold, do not garland their "I'll Take You Around." i ofllccs with morning-glories 1 Wns it the gracious quiet Influence of a wife, Gerty Hardin? The festive build ing he was approaching wns as unex pected ns Captain Brandon! Rlcknrd walked on, smiling. Ho wns fairly blown Into, the outer room, tho door banging behind him, Every ono looked up nt the noisy inter ruption. There were several men In the long room. Among them two nlert, clean-faced, youths, college graduates, or students out on furlough, the kind of stuff in his class at Lawrence. Three of the seasoned, road-coached typo wero leaning their chairs against the cool thick walls. One wns puffing at a cigar. The other, a big, shy giunt, wus drawing clouds of comfort from n pipe. There was u telegraph operator at work in one end of the room, her Instrument rapidly clicking. In nn op posite corner was a telephone ex change. A girl with a metal band around her forchend wns punching connections between tho vnlley towns Rlckard lost the feeling of having gone into a remote ana isolated re gion. Tho" twin towns wero on the mup. One of the older men returned his nod. The young men returned their hastily withdrawn attention to their game of checkers. The other smoker wob wntchlng with cross-eyed nbsorp tlon tho rings his cigar was sending Into the air. Rlckard might not have been there. One of tho checker players looked up. "Any tiling I can do for you? Do you want to see nnyone in partlculur?" "No," It wus admitted. "No ono In particular. I was just looking round, "Its tho show plnco of Calcxlco. I'll tako you around. It is the only placo In town that Is comfortable when It's hot, or when the wind blows, and that's the program all summer. Take my place, Pete." Pete, the young giant, with tho faco of his Infancy cnlnrgcd rather than mntured, slipped Into tho vacant chair. Ho had been the first to discover the stranger, but ho had evaded tho re sponsibility. Tho game immediately absorbed him. "It's nice here," repeated tho young fellow, lending tho way. They wero followed by a few Idle glances. Rlckardjooked with npprovnl nt the tun slim flguro which wns assuming tho courtesy of the towns. Tho fine handsome faco wus almost too girlish tho muscles of tho mouth too sensitive yet for manly beauty, but he liked the type. Lithe ns a young desert-reared Indian, his manner und cnrrlngc told of a curcful homo nnd rigid school dis clpllne. Ho wns ushered Into n lnrgo cool roqm. Tho furnishings ho Inventoried n few stiff chairs, a long tablo and a typewriter desk, closed for tho Sab bath. "Tho stenographers room," an nounced the Ind superfluously. "Whoso stenographer" "General property now. Everyone has a right to uso her time. Sho used to bo Hardin's, tho general manager's She Is his still, In a wny. But Ogllvl keeps her busy most of tho time." Rlckard had not heard. of Ogllvlo, Ho mado a mental register. "When did Hardin co out?" Ho By EDNAH AIKEN knew the date himself, no expected tho answer would trail wisps of other Information. Ho nud n very nctlve cu riosity nbout Ilnrdln. The man's fall- res had been spectacular. The young fellow wns thinking nloud. "The dam went November JOth. Hardin was given n decent in terval to resign. Of course ho wns fired. It was an outrage " He re membered thnt he was speaking to n stranger and broke off suddenly. Illck nrd did not question him. He made another note. Why was It an outrage or why did It nppcnr so? In perspec tive, from the Mexican barranca, whero he had been at tho time, the failure of that dam had been another bar sinister against Ilnrdln. "I see thnt you are from the Univer sity of California?" Rlckard snld, und nodded nt tho pin of gold nnd bluo cnnmcl. "Out for u year," glowed tho lad. "Dad wanted me to get some real stuff In my head. Ho said the Colorado would give me moro lessons more reul knowledge In a yenr than I'd got In six nt college. I kicked up nn awful row " Tho older man smiled. "Of course. You don't want to go back now" The boy made n wry face. "Hc ex pects me to go back in August. Says must." "You did not tell mo your name," was suggested. "MacLean, George MncLenn," said the young mun rather consciously. It wns n good dcnl to live up to. Ho al wnys felt the npprniscment which fol lowed that admission. George Mac Lean, elder, was known nmong the rnllrond circles to be n man of Iron, cne of the strongest of the bends of the Overlnnd Puclflc system. Ho wns not the sort of mnn n son could speak lightly of disobeying. "Of course everyone cnlls me Jun lor." "I guess you'll go back If he wants you to," smiled Illcknrd. Oh, but whnt a rotten trick It would bo!" exclaimed the son of the mnn of Iron. "To throw me out of college I wns daffy to finish with my clnss, nnd to get me here, to get me in terestedand then after I've lost my plnco to pull me back. Why, there are things huppenlng every duy thnt nre a liberal education. They nre only Just beginning to undcrstnnd what they are bucking up ngnlnst, The Colorado's an unknown quuntlty; even old engi neers arc right up against it There nre new problems coming up every dny. The Indians call her a yellow dragon, but she's n tricky woman, she's nn eel; she's giving us sums to break our teeth on." "Who hns the next room?" "Used to be (he general manager's! Ogllvle uses It now." "And who did you say wns Ogll vle?" They turned buck Into the room. "You cun go In. He's not hero. Ho is the new auditor, nn expert nccount- nnt from Los Angeles. Put In by the O. P. when it nssumed control lust yeur. He used to come down onco month. After Hardin went out he cume down to stay." "Whose say-so?" "I don't know. Tho accounts wero rotten, that's no ofllce secret. The world knows that. Hardin is blamed for it. It isn't fair. Look nt Sather's stone palace In Los Angeles. Look at Hardin's tent, his shabby clothes." "I'd Uko to meet Ogllvle," observed the general manager. "Oh, he's not much to meet A pale. white-livered vegetarian, n theoso phlst You've seen 'em. Los Angeles Is full of 'em. Ho was hero when Har din was fired. You could see him sec his opportunity. His chest swelled up. He looked as if he bad tasted meat for tho first time. He thought thnt ho could woozlo into the empty place! Ho went back to Los Angeles, convinced them that tho auditor should be here, protect the company's Interests. It sounded mysterious, sleuthlike, ns If ho had discovered something, so they let him bring the books down here. He is supposed to bo ferreting. But he's 'woozllng.' He used to be In the outer office. Said the noise made his heud ache, so he moved in here. All tho committee meetings are held here, nnd occasion ally tho directors' meetings. Water companies', too. Ogllvle's taking notes wunts to bo the next general mana ger; It sticks out nil over him." "What's tho derivation of woozlo?" this with deep gravity. Wait till you sco Ogllvle I" laughed his entertainer. Then us nn after thought, "This Is all public gossip. He's fair game." Tho door opened behind them, and. Rlckard saw tho mun whoso descrip tion had been so deftly knocked off. Ho recognized tho typo seen so fre quently In southern California towns, the pule, dnmnged exile whoso chance of reprieve Is .conditioned by stern rules of diet und sobriety. It wns the temperament which must perforce translate n personal necessity Into a religious dogma. "This gentleman's just Is Just looking around," stammered MacLean, blundering, confused. Tho vegetarian nodded, taking off his felt sombrero and putting It on a chair with care. By tills tlmo it was apparent that no one save Hardin knew of his com ing, no wns ahead of Marshall's let ters, no did not like the flavor of his entrance. "Whut provision is being made for tho new general manager?" Tho question, nlmcd carelessly, lilt tho auditor. "They aro not talking of Ailing the position Just yet," he responded. "There Is no need nt present. The work la going ulong nicely, better, I might sny, adjusted as It now Is, than' It did before." "I heard thnt they had sent a man from the Tucson ofllce to represent' Mr. Marshall." "Did you hcar his name?" stam mered Ogllvle. I "Rlckard." -The auditor recovered himself. "I would have heard of It were It truo.i I am In close touch with tho Los An-' geles ofllce." . j "It Is true." "How do you know?" Ogllvle's dis may was too sudden ; the flabby facial muscles betrayed ltltn. "I'm Illcknrd." Tho new general manager took the swivel chair behind the fluVtop desk. "Sit down. I'd like to have a talk with you." "If you will excuse m," Ogllvle's bluff was as anemic ns his crushed np- penrnnce. "I I am busy this morn ing. Might I trouble you for a few minutes? My papers aro In this desk." Rlcknrd now knew his mnn to tho shnllow depths of his whlte-corpus- cled soul. "If I won't bo In your way I'll hang around hero. I've the day to kill." His snrcnsm was lost in transit Ogllvlo said that Mr. 'Rlckard would not be In his wny. He would movo hls papers Into the next room tomor row. Tho engineer moved to the French windows thnt opened on the alfalfa lawn. A vigorous growth of willows marked the course of New river, which hnd cut so perilously nenr tho towns. A letter "b," picked out In quick river vegetation, told tho story of the flood. The old channel thero It wiis, the curved nrm of the "b," ono could tell thnt by tho tall willows had been too tortuous, too slow for those sweeping waters. The flow had di vided, cutting the stem of the letter, currying the flood waters swifter down grade. The flow had divided bm! divided perhaps the danger tool An Idea In that! He would see that better from the water tower he'd spied at entering. Another flood, and a gnmble whether Mexlcall or Calexlco would get the worst of it. Unless ono wns reudy. A levee west of tho American town! "Excuse me, sir do you need me3" ne turned back Into the room. Ho could sco that MacLean was aching to" get out of tho room. Ogllvlo had vis ibly withered. A blight seemed t fall on him as his white, biue-velned An gers made a bluff among his papers. "Thank you." Rlckard nodded at MacLean, who burst Into the outer of Ace. "It's the new general manager from Tucson Rlckard's his name." His whisper ran around the walls of the ' room, where other arrivals were tilt ing their chairs. "The new general manager! Ogllvlo woozled for noth ing. You should have seen his facol" "Did anyone know that he was com ing?" Silent, the tanned giant, spoke. '.'That's Marshall all over," said Wooster, bright-eyed, and wiry, re moving his pipe. "He likes to move In a mysterious way his' wonders to per form. (Used to sing that when I was a kid I) No announcement. Simply, 'Enter Rlckard.'" "More like this," said Silent. "Exit Hardin. Enter Ogllvle. Enter Rlck ard." "And exit Ogllvle," cried MacLean. "It's, a d d shame," burst out Wooster. No ono asked him what he Ogllvle's Dismay Was Too Sudden. meant Every man In the room wob 1 thinking of Hnrdln, whoso shadow tills reclamation work was. "What's Rlckard doing?" asked tho Infnntllo Hercules at tho checkerboard. Tho force called him Pete, which was n short cut to Frederick Augustas Bodefeldt "Taking Ogllvle's measure" this from MacLean. "Then he's doing something olso by this time. That wouldn't tako hlra Ave minutes unless he's a gull," snapped Wooster, who hated Ogllvlo as a rat does u snake. ckard moves to cave the valley in what seems to him the only possible way. His views do not coincide with those of Har din. The next installment tends to Justify the forebodings with whjch Rlckard undertook his GSt task. Do not fail to read it (TO BE CONTINUED.) Spoiled It "Jnck snld you were n bird." "Real ly," sho exclnlmed, delighted. "Yea, parrot" Boston Transcript