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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 25, 1919)
THE SEMI'WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. IL 10) II F W When the Colorado Jl M Jf. il W Burst Its Banks and j Flooded the Imperial j ednah'aiken VaUey of Ca,ifomia 1 (Oop7rtRht,BobbcMerrlU Company) J llJWtlHlll'''''"llllHt',ll,W RICKARD'S VIEWS DO NOT COINCIDE WITH THOSE OF HAR DIN, AND THE INEVITABLE COMES TO PASS. Synopsis. K. C. Rlcknrd, un engineer of tlie Overland Pacific rnll rond, Is cnllcd to tlie onicc of President Marshall In Tuscon, Ariz. While waiting Rlcknrd reads n report on the- ravages of tho Colorado river, despite the efforts of Thomas Hardin, head of the Desert Reclamation company. Hardin had lieeri n student under Itlckard In an eastern col lege and had married Gerty Holmes, with whom Itlckard had fancied he was in love. Marshall tells Itlcknrd the Overland Pacific must step In to save the Imperial volley and wishes to send Itlckard to take charge. Itlckard declines because he foresees embarrassment In supplanting Ilardln, but Itf won oyer. Itlckard goes to Calcxlco and, on the way, learns much about Ilardln and bis work. Itlckard meets Mr. and Mrs. Ilardln and Innes Ilardln, the former's half sister. At the company offices he finds the engineers loyal to Ilardln and hostile to blm. CHAPTER V Continued. Tho door opened nnd Rlckard enmo in. Almost simultaneously the outcr door opened to admit Ilardln. Who would Introduce tho now general man ager to the dismissed one? The thought flashed from MacLcan to Si lent, to tho telegraph operator. Bode fcldt doubled over the checkerboard, pretending not to seo them. Confu sion, embarrassment was on every fice. Nobody spoke. Ilardln was coming closer. "Hello, nardln." "Hello, Rlcknrd." It appeared friendly enough to the surprised office. Both men were glad that It was over. "Nice offices," rcmnrked nardln, his legs outspread, his hands In bis pock ets. "Ogllvle Is sntlsfled with them." The men rather overdid the laugh. "Finding tho dust pretty tough?" In quired Hardin. "I spent a month In San Francisco lust summer 1" was tho rejoinder. "This Is n haven, though, from Uio street Thought I'd loaf for today." Wub Hardin gamo to do the right thing, Introduce htm as the new chief to his subordinates? Nothing, It dc vclopcd, was further from his lnten tlon. Hardin, his legs outstretched, kept beforo his face tho bland, lm ncnetrnblo smllo of tho oriental. It was clearly not Illckurd's move. The checker players fidgeted. Rlckard's llenco was luterrogutlve. Hardin till smiled. Tho outer door opened. Tho nowcomer, evidently a fnvorltc, walked Into u noisy wqlcome, tho "boys'" embarrassment overdoing IL He was of mlddlo height, slender n Mexican with Castlllan unccstry writ ten In his high-bred features, his grace and his straight, dark hair." "Good morning, Estrada," said nr dln with tho same meaningless smile. "Good morning, gentlemen." Tho Mexican's greeting paused nt Itlckard. "Mr. Estrada, Mr. Illcknrd." Everyone in tlio ofilco saw nardln snub bis other opportunity. He bad betrayed to overyono his deep hurt, his raw wound. When ho bad stepped down, under cover of a resig nation, ho had saved his face by tell ing cveryono thnt a rupturo with Maltland, ono of tho directors of tho reorganized company, had made It Impossible for them to servo together, and that Mnltlnnd's wealth and Im portance to tho company demanded his own sncrlflce. Two months heforo Rtckard's appearance Mnltland had been discovered dead In his bath In a Los Angeles hotel. Though no ono had been witless enough to speak of their hope to nardln, ho knew that all his force waB dally expecting his reinstatement. Illcknrd's entranco was another stab tn their chief. "The son of tho general?" Tho new manager held out his hand. "General Estrndu, friend of Mexican liberty, founder of steamship companies and father of the Imperial vaUey?" "That makes mo a brother of tho valley" Estrada's smllo was sensitive and sweet. Estrada looked nt nardln, hesitated, then passed on to tlie checker players and addressed MncLean: "I saw your father In Los Angeles. He has been chosen to fill tho vacancy mado by Mnltlund's death."" MacLcnn'B eyes wavered townrd Hardin, whose nonchalanco had not faltered. Had ho not heard, or did ho know, nlreudy? "I'd like to have a meeting, a con ferencc, tomorrow morning." Itlckard was speaking. "Mr. Ilardln, will you set tho hour at your convenience?" Hecauso It was so kindly done, Har din showed his first resentment "It will not bo possible for mo to bo there. I'm going to Los Angolcs in tho morn ing. Ho turned and left tho ofilco, Estrada following him. "Oh, Mr. Hardin, you mustn't takp It that way," he expostulated, concern In each sensltlvo feature. "I'll take orders from him, but ho gave mo uone," growled nardln. "If not what you think. I'm not sore. But I don't Uko hlra. He's a fancy dude, He's not the man for this Job." "Then you knew him beforo?" It Was a surprise to Estrada. "At college. Ho was my cr In ntructor. Marshall found hlin tn tho Classroom. A theory slluger," Estrada's thoughtful glance rested on the nngry face. Was this genuine, or did not Ilardln know of the yenrs Itlckard had served on the road; of tho Job In tho heat-baked barrancas of Mexico, where Marshall had "found" him? But ho would not try again to persuade Hardin to give up his trip to Los Angeles. 'It might be better, after all, for the new manager to take charge with his predecessor out of the way. "MncLean's coming down tonight," ho threw out, still watching Hardin's face. "With Babcock." "I won't bo missed." Hardin's mouth was bitter. "Estrada, if I had tho sense of a goat I'd sell out soil my stock to MacLoan and quit. What's In all this for me? Does anyone doubt my reason for staying? It would bo like leaving a sinking ship, like dc sorting tho passengers and crew ono had brought on board. Godl I'd Uko to go I But how can I? I've got hold of tho tall of tho bear and I can't let go!" "No one doubts you " began Es trada. Ilardln turned away, with nn ugly oath. The Mexican stood watch ing his stumbling anger. "Poor Har din 1" In the ofilco Rlcknrd was speaking to MacLcan, whom ho had drawn to one side, out of earshot of tho checker players. "I want you to do spmcthlng for me, not at all agreeable!" His tono Implied that the boy wbb not given the chance to beg off. "What tlmo does the train pull out In tho morn- lug?" , "Slx-flfteon." "I'll have a letter for you nt tho hotel at six. Be on time. I want to cntch Hardin beforo ho leaves for Los Angeles. If he's really going. I'll give him today to think It over. But he can't disregard an order as he did my Invitntion. I didn't want to rub it in before tho men." MncLcan stared, then snld that ho thought he was not likely to I Rlckard left tho ofilco in time to sec Ilardln suutting tne outer gate behind him. His tfxlt released a cho rus of Indignant voices. "An outrage I" "A d d shame 1" This from Wooster. "Hardin's luck I" On the other side of the door Rick nrd deliberated. Tho hotel and its curl ous loungers, or his now office, where Ogllvle was making a great show of towns and tho Crossing; a director of the Desert Reclamation compnny, nnd the head of a small subsidiary com pany which had been created to pro tect rights and keep hnnnonlous rela tion with the sister country. Rlckard found him full of mcnt, and heard, for the first time consecutively, tho story of the rakish river. Particularly In teresting to him was the relation of Ilardln to' the company. "He has the bad luck, that man!" exclaimed Estrada's soft, musical voice. "Everything Is In his hands, capital Is promised, nnd ho goes to New York to hnve the papers drawn up. Tho day he gets there the Maine Is destroyed. Of course capital Is shy. He's had the devil's own luck with men: GIITord, honest but muitsn; Sather, mulish and not honest oh, there's a string of them. Once he went to Hermoslllo to get nn option on my father's lands. They were already covered by an option held by some men in Scotland. Another man would hnve waited for the three months to pass. Not Ilardln. He went to Scot land, thought he'd Interest those men with his maps and papers, ne owned all the data then. He'd made the sur vey." Estrada repeated the story Brandon nnd Marshall had told, with little dls eropnncy. A friendly refrnln followed the narrative. "He has the bad luck, that maul" "And the Scotched option?" remind ed Rlckard, smiling at his own poor Joke. "It was Just flint. A case of nardln luck again. Ho stopped off In London to Interest some capital there; follow ing up n lend developed on tho steam er. novWas never a mnn to neglect n chance. Nothing came of it, though, nnd when ho reached Glasgow he found his man had died two days be fore or been killed, I've forgotten which. Three times nnrdln's crossed tho ocean trying to corner the oppor tunity he thought ho had found. It Isn't laziness, Is his trouble. It's just Infernal luck." "Or ovcr-nstutcness, or procrastina tion," criticized his listener to himself He knew now what It was that had so changed Hardin. A man cannot travel, even though he bo hounding down a quick scent, without meeting strong Influences. He had been thrown with hard men, strong men. It waB nn inevitable chiseling, not a miracle. "I want to hear more of this some day. But this map. I don't under stand what you told mo of this by puss, Mr. Estrada. Their heads were still bending over Estrada's rough work bench when the Japanese cook unnounced that dinner was waiting in tho adjoining car. MacLcan and Bodefeldt and several young engineers Joined them. It had been outwardly a wasted day. Rlcknrd had lounged, socially and physically. But beforo ho turned in that night he had learned the names nnd dispositions of his force, nnd some of their prejudices. Nothing, ho summed up, could bo guessed from the gentleness of tho Mexican's mnnncr; Woostor's antagonism wns open and snnpplsh. Silent was to bo watched, nnd Hardin hnd already shown his hand. Tho river, as ho thought of it, ap peared tho least formidable of his op ponents, no was imaging It as a high spirited horse, maddened by the funv bllng of Its would-bo captors. Ills task It was to lasso tho proud stnlllon, lead It In bridled to the sterllo land. No wonder Ilardln was soro; his noose had slipped otf one tlmo too many! Hardin's luck I ginning to fct-u wnnt he's up against" ran Uurdln's stormy thoughts. He was on his feet the next minute with a motion to complete the Hardin headgatc. Violently lie declaimed to Babcock and MacLcan his wrongs, tho Injustice thnt had been done Mm. Mar shall had let that fellow Maltland con vince him that the gate was not prac ticable; had It not been for htm the gate would bo In place now; all this time and money saved. And the Mnlt land dam, built Instead 1 Where was It? Whero wns the money, the time, put In thnt little toy? Slckcnlngt His face purpled over the memory. Why was lie allowed to begin again with the gate? "Answer mo thnt. Why was I allowed to begin again? It's nil child's play, that's what It is. And when I am In it again up to my neck ho pulls me off 1" This was tho real Hardin, tho un couth, ovcrnged Lawrence student I The new mannor wus Just? n veneer. Rlckard hnd been expecting it to wear thin. "I think," interjected Rlckurd, "that we all agree with Mr. Marshall, Mr. Ilardln, that u wooden heudgnte on silt foundation could never be more than n iimKcsuiit. i understood tnat tne first day be visited tho river with you he had the Idea to put the ultlmuto gate, the gate which would control tho water supply of the valley, up nt tho Crossing on rock foundation. Mr. Mar shall does not expect to finish that In time to bo. of first use. Ho hopes tho cool nnd Impersonal, nddlng to his points, and MncLean slowly won to the stronger side. Hardin, on his feet again, was sputtering helplessly at Bnbcock, when Rlcknrd called for n vote. The appropriation wns carried. Hardin's face was swollen with rage. Rlcknrd then called for a report on the clam-shell dredge being rushed at Yutnn. Whero wns the machinery? Wns it not to hnvo been finished In Februnry? "Why not get tho machinery here? What's the use of taking chances?" de manded Rlckard. Ilardln felt the personal Implication. He wns on his feet in n second. "There nre no chances." He looked at Mac Lcan. "The machinery's done. It's no use getting it here until we're ready." "There are always chances," inter rupted his opponent coolly. ."We are going to take none. I wnnt Mr. Har din, gentlemen, appointed a committee of one to sec thnt the machinery Is de livered at once, and the dredge rushed." The working forco was Informally discussed. Hardin snld they could de pend on hobo labor. Rlckard agreed that they would find such help, but It would not do to rely on It The big sewer system of New Orlenns wns about completed; ho bad planned to write there, stating the need. And there was a man in Zacatccas, named Porter "Frank Porter?" sneered Hardin, "thnt murderer?" "nis brother," Rlcknrd answered wooden gate will solve the Immedtnte pleasantly. "Jim furnishes the men problem. It was a case of any port In a storm. Ho has asked me to report my opinion." "Why doesn't ho give me a chance to go nhcad then?" growled tho de posed manager. "Instead of letting the Intnke widen until it will be an im possibility to confine the river thero at all?" "So you do think thnt It will bo, an lmposslbllty to complete the gate as planned?" Ilardln bad run too fnst "I didn't mean thnt," ho stammered. "I mean It will be dlfilcult If we are delayed much longer." "Have you the force to re-begln work at once?" demanded Rlckard. "I had it." evaded Hardin. "I hnd everything ready to go on men, ma tcrial when wo stopped the last time." "Answer my question, please." "I should have to assemble them again," admitted Hardin sulkily. Rlckard consulted his notebook. "I think we'vo covered everything. Now I want to propose the laying of a spur track from Hamlin's Junction to the Heading." His manner cleared the stage of supernumeraries; this was the climax. Hardin looked ready to spring. "And In connection with that the de velopment of a quarry in the granite hills back of Hamlin's," continued Rick ard, not looking at Hardin. Instantly Hardin was on his feet Ills fist thundered on the table. J'I shall oppose that," he flared. "It is ab solutely unnecessary. Wo can't afford It. Do you know what that will cost gentlemen?" "One hundred thousand dollars! Itlckard Interrupted him. "I want an appropriation this morning for that amount It is, In my opinion, abso lutely necessary if we are to save tho valley. We cannot afford not to do It, Mr. Ilardln I" Hardin glared at tho other men for support; he found MncLean's face a blank wall; Estrada looked uncom for the big mines In Sonora nnd Slna loa. He'll send us nil the labor we to ghost of tunefulness. "And It's nothing. A blank I know then it's not going to happen. It is terribly final! It's happened, often. Now, I wait for that veil. When It falls, I know what It menns." "And you hnvo had that sense nbout this river business" Estrada turned bis pensive gnssc on the Amcrlcnn. "Yes, often. I thought after father's death, that that was what It meant But It came again. It kept coming. I hnd It while you were all talking, Just now. I don't speak of this. It sounds chicken-hearted. And I'm In this with nil my soul my fa ther I couldn't do It any other way, but" "You think we are going to fall?" "I can't see it finished," was Estra da's mournful answer. Ho turned ngnln to stare out of the window. "Who arc the river men In the val ley?" demanded the newcomer. "J wanf.4o meet them, to tnll: to Uicm." "Cor'nel, he's nn Indian. He's worth talking to, He knows ls history, Its legends. Perhaps some of It Is his tory." "Where's ho to $e found?" "You'll run across him! Whenever nnythlng's up, ho is on lnd. He senses It. And then there's Matt Hamlin." "I'll see him, of course. Has he been up the river?" "No, but I'll tell you two who have. Maldonndo, a half-breed, who lives some twenty miles down the river from Hamlin's. He knows the Oila as though he were pure Indian. The Gila's tricky! Maldonado's grandfa ther was a trapper, his great-grandfather, they say, a priest. The women were nil Indian. He's smart. Smart and bnd." Estrada's Japanese servant came back Into the car to offer tea, freshly Iced. "That's what I want, smart river men, not tea!" laughed Rlcknrd. "I want river history." "There's another man yon ought to meet. He was with the second Powell expedition. He's written tho best book on tho river. He knows It, If any man does. You wanted these maps." B3 trada was gathering them togc'Uver. "Thank you. And you can just strangle that foreboding of yours, Mr. Estrada. For I tell you, we're going to govern that river 1" Estrada's pensive smile followed the dancing step of the engineer until it carried him out of sight. Perhaps? Becauso ho was the son of his father, he must work ns hard as if conviction went 'with him, as if success awaited at the other end of the long road. But it waff not going to be. He wotrtd never see thnt river shackled CHAPTER VI. Red Tape. At ten o'clock the next morning Bar- din, entering the office, again the gen eral manager's, found there before him George MacLcan, the now director, nnd PcrcyBabcock, the treasurer, who had been put in by tho Overland Pacific when tho old company was reorgun Izcd. They had Just cotno In from Los Angeles, tho trip mndo in MacLean's prlvato car, to attend a director's meeting. Rlckard entered a fow minutes later, Estradn behind him. Ogllvle followed Rlckard to his desk. "Well?" Inquired tho new mnnnger, Ogllvle explained lengthily that he had the minutes of tho last meeting "Leave them here." Rlcknrd waved him toward Estrada, who held out his hand for tho pnpers. Reluctantly tho nccountnnt rclln qulshed tho papers, nis retreating conttalls looked ludicrously whipped but no ono laughed. Hardin's scowl deepened. "Showing his power," ho thought, "no s going to call for n new pack.' Estrada pushed the minutes through with but u few unimportant Interrup tions. Ho wns sitting at the same desk with Rlckard. nardln, sensltlvo and sullen, thought ho saw tho meeting managed between them. Soveral times ho attempted to bring tho tangled affairs of tho water -om panics beforo the directors. Itlcknrd Ho was the superintendent would not discuss the water comna of tho road which tho Overland Pn- nles. rlfln was building between tho twin I "Namum ho' not Dnstwl I He'a bo- Hardin Turned Away With an Oath. Uoly occupation. Ho had not seen Estrada no was making n sudden dive for his hotel when tho gentle voice of tho Mcxlcnn hailed him. "Will you como to my car? It's on tno siding rigm ncre. wo can nave a llttlo lunch nnd then look over somo mnps together. I have some pictures of tho river and tho gate. They may bo new to you." Rlcknrd spent the nftcrnoon in tho car. Tho twin towns did not seem so hostile. He thought ho might like tho Moxlcan. Estrada was earning his father's mantle. Instantly Hardin Was on His Feet want, the best for our purpose. When It gets red-hot, there's no one like a peon or an Indian. "You'll be Infringing on the interna tional contract law," suggested MacLcan. "No. The camp is on the Mexican side," laughed Casey. "I'd thought of that. We'll have them shipped to the nearest Mexican point, and then brought to the border. Mr. Estrada will help us." The meeting had already adjourned. They were standing uround the flat top desk. Estrada Invited them nil to lunch with him, in tho car on the sid ing. MncLean said that he had to get back to Los Angeles. Mr. Bnbcock was going to tnko him out to Grant's fortuble. Babcock had pricked up his Heading in tho machine, ne had nev- ears at the sound of the desired appro printlon; his head on ono side, ho looked like an Inqutsltivo terrier. Hardin spread out his hands in help less desperation. "You'll ruin us," he said. "It's your money, tile O. P.'s. but you're lending it, not giving It to us. You are going to swamp tho Des ert. Reclamation company. Wo can't throw funds away like that" One hun dred thousand dollars! Why, ho could havo stopped tho river at any time If he had had that sum; once n paltry thousand would havo saved them "I didn't ask tho O. P. to come In and ruin us, but to stop the river; not to throw money nwny In hog-wild fash Ion." no was stammering inarticulate ly. "There's no need of n spur-track If you rush my gate through." "If," Rlckard nodded. "Granted. If wo can rush It through. But suppose it falls? Marshall said tho railroad would stand for no contingencies. Tho Interests at stake nre too vital " "Interests!" cried Tom Hardin "What do you know of the Interest at stake? You or your railroad? Coming In at tho eleventh hour, what can you know? Did you promise safety to thou sands of families if they mado their homes in this valley? Aro you responsi ble? Did you get up this company, In duco your friends to put their money In it, promise to see them through? What do you know of tho interests nt stnke? You want to put one hundred thousnnd dollars Into a frill. God, do you know what that means to my compnny? It menns ruin " Estrada pulled him down In his seat Rlckard explained to the directors tho necessity in his opinion of the spur- track and the quarry. Rock in great quantities would be needed ; cars must er been there. They had breakfasted late. He looked very much the colonel to Rlckard, his full chest and stiff car riage madp more military by his trim uniform of khaki-colored cloth. "May I speak to you about your boy, Mr. MacLcan?" Hardin caught a slight that was not intended. He pushed past tho group at the door without civility or cere mony. Tho steady grave eyes of tho big frame looked at Rlckard inquiringly. "He wants to stny out another year, I hope you will let him. It's not disin terested. I shall have to tnko a stenog rapher to the Heading this summer, Thero Is a girl here; I couldn't take her, and then, too, I'm old-fashioned ; I don't like women In offices. My post tlon promises to be a peculiar one. I'd like to hnvo your son to rely on for emergencies a stenographer could not cover.' MncLean's grave features relaxed ns he looked down on tho engineer, who wns no small man himself, and sug gested that his son was not very well up In stenography. "That's tho least of It" "I hope thnt ho will make n good stenographer! Good morning, gentle men.' At table, neither Estrada nor his guest uncovered their active thought which revolved around Hardin nnd his hurt Instead, Rlckard had questions to nsk his host on river history. As they talked, It camo to him that some thing was amiss Estrada was ac curate; ho had all his facts. Was it enthusiasm, sympathy, he lacked? Pros cntly ho challenged him with It Estrada's eyes dreamed out of the window, followed tho gorge of tho New CHAPTER VII. A Garden in a Desert His dwelling leaped Into sight as Hardin turned the corner of the street There wns but one street running through tlie twin towns, flanked by the ditches of running water. The rest were ditches of running water edged by footpaths. Scowling, he passed un der the overhanging bird cages of tho Desert hotel without a greeting for the loungers, whose chairs were drawn up against the shade of the brick walls. The momentum slackened as Hardin neared the place he called his home. An Inner tenderness diluted the sneer ' thnt disfigured his face. He could sea Innes as she moved around in the llt tlo fenced-in strip that surrounded her desert tent She Insisted on calling It a garden, in spite of his raillery. "Gerty's In bed, I suppose," thought Tom. He had a sudden vivid picture of her accusing martyrdom. His mouth hardened ugaln. Innes, stooping over a rose, passed out of his vision. Jt came to Hardin suddenly that a man has made a circle of failure when he dreads going to his office and shrinks from the reproaches at home. "A 'hus-bcen' at forty 1" he mused. Where were all his ships drifting? Innes, straightening, waved a guy hand. "She's raising a goodly crop of bar rels." His thought mocked nnd ca ressed her. Her garden devotion was a tender joke with him. He loved the Hardin trait In her, the persistence which will not be daunted. An occupa- Ltion with a Hnrdln was a dedication. He would not acknowledge the Innes blood in her. Like that fancy mother of hers? Innes was a Hardin through and through! "It's in tho blood," ran his thought "She can't help it All tho Hardlns work that way. The Hardlns always make fools of themselves !" Innes, lifting her eyes from a crip pled rose, saw that tho black devils were consuming him ngnln. "Will you look at this wreck!" she cried. bo rushed In to tho break. He urged river, as though out there, somewhere, tho Importance of clenching the Issue, the answer hovered. "If It's not won this time, It's a lost "Do you mean, do you doubt It?" ex cause," ho mnlntnlned- "If It cuts n claimed Rlckard, watching tho melan deeper gorge, tlie Imperial valley Is a choly In the beautiful eyes. chimera ; so Is Laguna dam." Estrada shook his head, but without The other men were drawn Into tho decision. "Nothing you'd not laugh ut. argument. Bnbcock leaned toward nar- din's conservation. MncLean was Ju dlclal. Estrada upheld Rlckard. The spur-track, In his opinion, was csscn tlnl to success. Ilardln could seo tho meeting mnnnged between tho new comer and tho Mexican, nnd his anger Inipotcntly raged. His temper made I can laugh at It myself, sometimes." Rlckard waited, not sure that any thing more wns coming. The Mexi can's dark eyes wero troubled ; n puzzle brooded In them. "It's n purely negn- tlvo senso that I've had, since I was a child. Something inns between mo and n plan. If I said It was a veil, It blm Incoherent He cold seo Rlckard, I would bo omethlng 1" His voire feU Innes Hardin feels a bitter re sentment against Rlckard be cause of his supplanting her brother, whom she loves devot edly. Gerty's emotions are of a different character, but she care fully conceals them. Storms hover over the Hardin house hold. Watch for tho next installment (TO BE CONTINUED.) Unskilled Labor. A man never reallzca what the term "unskilled labor" can mean until he boldly volunteers to repair the wntet faucets and take down tho screen doors. Washington Star. Oldest Known Element. Sulphur Is one of the oldest known elements; the ancient Assyrian alchem ists regarded it ns the principle of combustion nnd termed It "brimstone," literally burning otoao.