fter she died,
and his working his way through a course of civil engineering.

"I was twenty when I first read about this U. P. railroad project,"
he went on. "That was more than three years ago. It decided me on my
career. I determined to be an engineer and be in the building of the
road. No one had any faith in the railroad. I used to be laughed at.
But I stuck. And--well, I had to steal some rides to get as far west as
Omaha.

"That was more than a year ago. I stayed there--waiting. Nothing
was sure, except that the town grew like a mushroom. It filled with
soldiers--and the worst crowd I ever saw. You can bet I was shaky when
I finally got an audience with General Lodge and his staff. They had
an office in a big storehouse. The place was full of men--soldiers and
tramps. It struck me right off what a grim and discouraged bunch those
engineers looked. I didn't understand them, but I do now.... Well,
I asked for a job. Nobody appeared to hear me. It was hard to make
yourself heard. I tried again--louder. An old engineer, whom I know
now--Henney--waved me aside. Just as if a job was unheard of!"

Neale quickened and warmed as he progressed, aware now of a little hand
tight in his, of an interest that would have made any story-telling a
pleasure.

"Well, I felt sick. Then mad. When I get mad I do things. I yelled at
that bunch: 'Here, you men! I've walked and stole rides to get here. I'm
a surveyor. You're going to build a railroad. I want a job and I'm going
to get it.'

"My voice quieted the hubbub. The old engineer, Henney, looked queerly
at me.

"'Young man, there's not going to be any railroad.'

"Then I blurted out that there WAS going to be a railroad. Some one
spoke up: 'Who said that? Fetch him here.' Pretty soon I was looking at
Major-General Lodge. He was just from the war and he looked it. Stern
and dark, with hard lines and keen eyes. He glanced me over.

"'There is going to be a railroad?' he questioned sharply.

"'Of course there is,' I replied. I felt foolish, disappointed.

"'You're right,' he said, 'and I'll never forget his eyes.'

"'I can use a few more young fellows like you.' And that's how I got on
the staff.

"Well, we ran a quick survey west to the Bad Lands--for it was out here
that we must find success or failure. And Allie, it's all been like
the biggest kind of an adventure. The troops and horses and camps and
trails--the Indian country with its threats from out of the air--th