"I've heard rumors of late about him and was worried," he said. "You did the only thing, of course. Pay no attention to his words; I'll see he doesn't annoy you." It was three or four days afterwards that she called Weir up at the dam in a desire to hear the voice of a man she knew to be straight and upright. "I've wondered if a girl is allowed to look at your dam," she said on impulse, when they had chatted for a moment. "Father, who was at your camp to attend an injured man, says you're making famous progress." "I'd be more than delighted to show you the work. But--I wonder----" "Don't let what people say disturb you," she replied quickly, divining his thought. "I've arranged all that." A somewhat obscure remark to Weir. "Then come any time--and often. I hope to be able to conduct you around, the first visit at least. Next week I may not be able to do so as a committee of directors arrive who'll take my time." "Oh, indeed," Janet answered, politely. "A manager has to be directed occasionally, or he may run wild," she heard, with his laugh. "I'll come before they do," she said. Quite as she had announced she did run up to the canyon and go with Weir over the hillsides and dam, asking questions and displaying a great interest in the men and the operation of the machinery. The concrete work was nearing an end. Already tracks were laid for the dump trams that were to carry dirt from steam-shovels to the dam to form its main body. She perceived the immense labor of the project and the coördinated effort required. The necessity in itself of dragging hither from Bowenville all of the supplies, the material, the huge machines, was overwhelming. The responsibility of combining scientific knowledge and raw industry to an exact result struck her as prodigious. The handling of hundreds of subordinate workmen and assistants of various grades and skill demanded exceptional ability, understanding, will and generalship. Yet these things the man at her side, Steele Weir, accomplished and supplied; and appeared quite calm and unmoved about it, as if it was all a matter of course. She glanced at the ground, flushing. The thought of Ed Sorenson, making only a pretense of doing anything useful and because his father was rich doing nothing in reality but waste himself in vicious practices, was in her mind. What must have the engineer believed of her all this while when he knew Sorenson's true nature and infamous record? Did he suppose her a light-headed feather, indifferent to everything except that her husband should be rich? Very likely. There were plenty of girls of that type. He naturally would suppose her one.