“It would,” Nash replied, smiling at her remark. “Water will break steel like an eggshell, unless, of course, the steel is of a certain thickness and tensile strength.”
Miss Breen went over and looked at a huge section of steel pipe which was almost ready to be riveted in place.
“It doesn’t look very strong,” she said.
Nash laughed. “The aqueduct engineer spent many months figuring out the right thickness. Specifications to the thousandth of an inch are given.”
“And do you order the steel?” she asked.
He nodded. “That is one of the easy jobs,” he said. “’Most anybody can follow printed specifications.”
It was growing darker steadily. They had been so interested that the time had been forgotten; turning from their observations, they saw that the men had deserted the conduit work, and that all the big machines had stopped.
“How quiet it is!” Miss Breen said, as they walked back to where the ponies were hitched.
“I’ll ride with you as far as the high trail,” Nash volunteered, drawing out his watch, and surprised that the hands marked six o’clock. “Are you afraid to go on to the ranch alone?”
“Of course not. I haven’t been afraid since I left the East. Somehow, one forgets there is such a word out here.”