Neale went out. The air seemed to wave in his face, cool and
relieving. Larry was there with the horses. Slingerland stood by
with troubled eyes. Both men stared at Neale. He was aware of that,
and conscious of his agitation. And suddenly, as always at a climax
of emotion, he swiftly changed and grew cool.
"Red, old pard, congratulate me! I'm engaged to marry Allie!" he
said, with a low laugh that had pride in it.
"Wal, damn me!" ejaculated Larry King. Then he shot out the hand
that was so quick with rope and gun. "Put her thar! Shore if you
hadn't made up to her I'd have.... An', Neale, if you say Pard, I'm
yours till I'm daid!"
"Pard!" replied Neale, as he met the outstretched hand.
Slingerland's hard and wrinkled face softened.
"Strange how we all cottoned to thet girl! No--I reckon it ain't so
strange. Wal, it's as it oughter be. You saved her. May you both be
happy, son!"
Neale slipped a ring from his little finger.
"Give Allie this. Tell her it's my pledge. I'll come back to her.
And she must think of that."
8
That summer the engineers crossed the Wyoming hills and ran the line
on into Utah, where they met the surveying party working in from the
Pacific.
The initial step of the great construction work was done, the
engineers with hardship and loss of life had proved that a railroad
across the Rockies was a possibility.
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