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About The Times-herald. (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1919)
( VVR) -BB-' V J BS1 Bw J Sm fl V WW SsLs mJL L vv.$Li Ww'mz?;! CHAPTER X. A Desert Dinner. Innes Hardin wits completing her simple toilet. Not even to pleiise fierty would slie "dress up" for the dinner. It would hnve been easy for her slster-ln-liiw to postpone It. How could slie expect Tom to jro through with It! She couldn't understand Certy ! An hour ago, hearing distinctly the whir und splnsh of egK-lieatlng. she had run over to the neighboring tent. The clinking of the enke tins hud sud denly silenced. "Excuse me, won't you?" Oerty's voice had come from the lean-to, the little kitchen shed. "I'm lying down." "Llelng, yes!" grimaced the ITardln mouth to Its reflection In the mirror. How many times that weelr had she been repulsed by a locked door, a sud den curtain of silence or a "Hun away for a while. I'm trying to catch u nap." Easy now to see why Gerty had wanted to "hold the reins" that week ! She didn't need to pierce those can vas walls to know that there had been feverish activity for this dinner. A new gown would appear tonight, made secretly. An exquisite meal, and no one must comment on Its elab oration. Twice Tom and she had been asked to take their lunch at the hotel. "Because of u headache!'' A headache ! Tom's wife could not even shop openly! r.iiiidlos had always the air of mystery, never opened before '"tu or herself, she moat have yard f stuff laid away, kept for eudden emer gencies. "She can't help It. It's her disposi tion. She rf-an't help Mng secretive. Look at your fuce, Innes llaidlu!" What was It to her, the pettiness of a woman whom an accident of life hud swept upon the beuch beside her? Gerty was not her kind, not the sort she would pick out for a friend. She was an oriental, one of the harem women, whose business If Is In life to please one mun, to keep his home soft, his comforts ready, keep him con vinced, moreover, thet It Is the desire of his life to support her. Herself dis satisfied, often rebellious, staying by him for self-interest, not for love ah, that was her Impeachment. "Not lov ing!" Soberly she covered her plain bras-' slere with a white waist of cotton ducking. A red leather belt and crim son tie she added self-consciously. "Where Is my bloodstone pin?" Hadn't she spent an hour at leust, matching that particular leather belt? Hut he wus a man, in buttle. The headgate held up: It was too bud. Silent, Rodefeldt. Wooster. Grunt, all of them fighting mud becuuse of the deadlock at the Heading. All up in arms, ut last, against Marshall, be cause of this cruel cut to their hero, Hardin. Her eyes glowed like yellow lamps us she recalled their fervid par tisanship. "Only one man who can save the valley, und thut's Tom Hurdln." Woos ter hud suld tlmf; but they all be lieved It. The loyalty of the force inailc her ashamed of her soft woman fears. For there ,wefe times when she questioned her brother's ability. He hud a lurge, loose way of handling things. He wus too optimistic. But those men, those engineers must know. It was, probably the man's way of sweeping ahead, Ignoring detail. The verdict of those Hold-tried men told her tbut the other, the curoful, plan ning lay, was the office method. Hlck ard, as a dinner neighbor, she hod found Interesting; but for great uu dcrtukings ,, man who would let a Jeity Holmes Jilt him, ruin his life for him ! The whole story sprung ut lust Clear from the dropped lnnuendos. She adjusted a barretb) In her smoothly brushed hair. Slowly she walked over to the neighboring tent. Gerty frowned at the white duck. "You might ut least huve worn your blue!" "You're elegant enough for the two of us. Isn't that something new?" Gerty suld carelessly (hut she had had It for u long time. For she hat) had the material a loop, time! It wasn't necessary to explain to her husbsnd's sister that It had heen made up that week. She hoped that she didn't look "fussed up." Would Mr. Hlckard think she was attaching I ijiiv i 1 1 1 ., i . t .. . .-.. .. ,1... .;....!.. j:..i ...... ,,,,F..i ,.,,. , ,,, ,,,,- ..iiiijpie unit! visit? For It was nothing to him, of course. A man of his standing, whom the greut Tod Marshall ranked so high, probably dined out several iimes eueh week, with white -capped maids and candelabra I If Tom hud only mads the must of his opportunities. What u gamble, life to a woman ! She made a trip Into her bedroom and took a reassuring survey in her mirror. The lingerie frock would look luinle to a man who would never 1ZG EDNAH AIKEN mracaajatozji eawMMr Rtispect It of hniid-tiinde dupllcTv. Her glass declared the bund-whipped medallions casual and elegant. And ii long time ago, a lifetime ago, Itlck ard had told her that she always should wear blue, because of her eyea. Innes from the next room could hear (letty teasing Tom to wear his Tux edo. "Isn't one dude enough for you?" growled her Rurly lord. Innes recog nized tlie mood and shrank from the ordeal aheud. It was the mood of the Hardin In the rough, the son of bis frontier Mother, the fruit of old .lusper tJIngg, whose smithy bad been the rendezvous for the wildest roughs, the fiercest cattlemen in Missouri. "I'd let him see you knew what's what, even If we do live like gipsies."' The answer to that was another growl. Innes could hear him dragging out the process, grumbling over each detail. That confounded laundry hud torn his shirt. He hadn't a decent collar to his name. Where was his black string tie? If Gert would keep his things In the lowest drawer! Hang that button ! Gerty emerged from the encounter, her face very red. Innes could see her biting her lips to keep the tears back as she put the last touches to the table. "She's tired out," thought the sister fawr ,1 1 "" Gerty Frowned at the White Duck. of Tom Hardin. "She's probablj fussed herself to death over this din ner." A few minutes later Hlckard ar rived in a sack suit of tweeds. Gerty' greeting was a little abstracted. How could she make Innes understand to tell Tom to change tils oTint? The duty of a host, she suddenly remem bered, was to dress down rather than up to the chances of his guest. She regretted bitterly her Insistence. Was ever anyone so obtuse us Innes? Mr. Hlckard would see that they thought; it a big event. Slie wus watching the curtuln where Tom would emerge. And his coat was a style of several seasons ago and absurdly tight ! She made un unintelligible excuse und darted behind the portiere. Tom's face wus npoplectle. He wus wrestling with a uu ss.d tie; Hie col-1 ' .. ........ . t lur showed a desperate struggle. Gerty made wild signals for him to change his clothes. She waved a hand indicating Hlckard; she pointed to Tom's suck suit lying on the floor where he bud walked out of It. "What Is It nil ubout?" "Ssh," whispered his wife. Again the wild gestures. "Well, aren't you satisfied? Won't I look like a guy?" He could be heard distinctly In the next room. Oerty gave It up In de spair. She dabbed some more powder on her nose and went out looking like u martyr u very prolty martyr 1 i Hicknrd praised the miracles of tho tent. Oerty's soft flush reminded In nes of their old relation. Exlt Innes," she wus thinking, when Tom, red und perspiring, brought another element of discomfort Into the room. Oerty ushered them Immediately to the table. She covered the first min utes which might be awkward with her small chatter. Somewhere she had rend that It wus not well to moke j ii'Miloglea for lack of maid or fare. Besides Mr. Hlckard remembered Law i. nee! That dreadful dining room, the ever-set tuble I How she had haled It, though she hud not known how fearful it wus until she bad escaped. "Wo are simple folk here, Mr. Rick nl," she announced, us they took llielr places around Hie pretty table. J'hat was her only allusion to deflclen les, but il covered her noiseless move nents around the board between nurses, filled up Hie gaps when she nude necessary dives Into kitchen or primitive lea chest, und set the key for the homeliness of the meul itself. !P" 1'be dinner was triumph Of apparent. implicit. Only Innes could guess ilie time consumed in (he perfection if detail, details dear to the hostess' lenrt. The almonds she hud blanched, if course, herself; hud dipped nnd inlted (hem. The cheese straws were Iter own. She did not make the mis lake of stringing out endless courses. n Improvised buffet near at band undo the serving a triumph. Hlckard praised each dish; openly ie was admiring her achievement. Innes, remembering the story (icily aid told Iter Itt dots and dashes, the lory of the old rivalry, glanced cov- rtly at Tom sulking at the head of lis own table. "Poor Mill y Achilles." she thought. 'Dear, honest old bear!" "Inne: " cried Mrs. Hurdln. Sin' turned to find that the guest rraa staring ut her. She hud not board Ills effort to include her in the con let" atlon. "Mr. Hlckard asked jou If yon like It here?" "Thank you -why, of course!" Her answer sounded pert to herself. Her slsti r-ln-hixv hastened to add Unit Miss Ihirdln was very lonely, was really all alone In the world; (hat they Insisted on b r making her home with (hem. iRDe'a bad with illflletiK.v restrained n denial. Aft r all, whui olhnr home had she? Still flu- trulh had been de flected. She re. riled the p u rlflce it had been to cut nor college i mrse In order (0 make a none in Lt-t1 desert for the brother who bad ah. ays so gently fathered her, .bo had helped her invest her small capital thai it might spell n small Income, sin- re called his resistance when the hud called In a mortgage! who could watch tbut mud SCapegOflt of u river playing pranks with desert homes and not yearn to help? Not a Hardin. She still gloried in remembering that slie hud at b oat driven one pile into (hut CabeUtflU streum, even If when she left the .lley It would be as n bread winner, sic was prepared, Sbo vnu n good draftsman; she would go us an apprentice In un nrchltect's Office. She had already settled on the archi tect! "Are you going to Los Angel, h soon?" Slie heard the new manager uddres Ms host. "I'm I iking orders!" There was another awkward m- rnetit When Hardin pushed hack Ills ' i. bile ilechirlriL' fie laid ri"o tieil Ills limit; it wus too big i) spread for him! It was fbe stupid rudeness of the small bad boy; even Inasa Studied for her sister-In-lu w. 'With resolution Oerty assumed con trol of the conversation. Her role sounded casual ; no one could have suspected it of freipient rehearsal. They must not tulk of the river; that wus taboo. Hullroad mutters were also excluded. Equally dltlictilt would be 'onilnlsecnces of Lawrence days. So she began brightly with n current book. 'The theater proved it safe topic, and by that natural route they reached New York. Innes. who had never been farther enst than "bl eugo, was grateful to play audience. Hardin, who knew his New York per haps better than either, refused to be drawn into tne genne stream. Things must be kept sprlghtlj. Had Mr. Hlckard met many of the valley people? And It was then tha she threw her bomb toward the listening. I silent Hurdins. She would like Mr. Hlckard to meet some of their friends He said Hint he would be delighted, but that he wus planning to leave shortly for the Heading. "Of course." She did not give her husband lime to speuk. She meant ufterward ! She was planning to give something a bit novel In his honor. She refused to see the glare from the angry man In his outgrown dinner coat. She did not glance toward the sister. What did Mr. Hlckard think ubout ii progresshc ride? "If sounds very entertaining, but what do you do?" There wus a loud guffaw from Tom. With deepened color Oerty told In r Idea, A drive, changing partners, so tie ...iil.l a,,...., ..II ,1. . ........... ,' "" , " , v " ""' "-"' I Ihlnk It will surprise you o find so many nice people In here; It cer talnly did me. One doesn't expect to find congenial people In u new country like this." Hlckard remembered that he bad to get buck to bis hotel. He had let ters to write. It had been u splendid dinner! And what a wonderful home she hud made out of a sand-baked lot, out of a lent I He spoke of the roses and the morning glories. His eyes fell on the open piano, the reading table Willi the current magazines. Now be couldn't understand why they ever went lo thai hotel ! Oerty's eyes were shining us deep pools of wafer on which the sun plays. She looked almost Infantile ,s , stood by the two tall men, her I d perched birdlike. "Oood-by I and I hope you'll come again!'' Of course he'd come again I "And you will let me know when you return, so that I may set the date for my parly?" innes did not get his answer. She had been observing that he was not taller than her brother. He looked taller. He was lean, and Tom was growing stocky. She wished he would not slouch so, his hands in his pock ets 1 In Tucson, before she knew that she must dislike Hlckard, she had had an Impression of virile distinction, of gruce, a suggestion of mastered mus cles. He laid known that It was her brother he was supplanting did he get any satisfaction from the fact that, it wns (lie husband of Hie woman who hud Jilted III in ? Anyway, she did not like him. She could never forgive n hurt that was done to her own. Slie was ii Hardin. "Innes 1 Mr. Hlckard suld good ulglii She gave him the HpH of her i I, browned fingers. Her eyes did on' m ' a"J dssssW .is i am 4&Jm$v$sy ; E a' ImPu I 7 V V&M Il IILbbbbbbbi w i vjy 9 B J 1-VifES .ajaaajaaajaj MVkJ Her Eyes Did Not Meet His. meet his; slie would not meet that laughing scrutiny. "Good night. Sir. Hlckard." CHAPTER XI. The Fighting Chance. "Casey's hack, spying!" announced Wooster at mess one evening, liy that time Hie feeling against "Marshall's man" was actively hostile. There had been a smudge of slumbering Ores lie- fore Richard had left, the towns. Fanned by much folk during Ills ab sence, it had burst into active bluze. They were ready to show their resent ment against (he man who had sup planted Hardin, (heir Napoleon, If It cost them their places. By this time the cause of the desert wus as com pelling to these hardy soldiers us were the Illy banners of France to tho fol lowers of the Little Corporal. Hlckard was not expected. He had been gone less than a week. The ef fect of his return wus that of a per son who returns suddenly into a room, hushing an active babel of tongues. He knew what he would find, ample reasons why! lie was not given flu Satisfaction Of locating any particular act of disobedience. The men pre sented a blank wall of politeness, rea sonable and Ineffectual. Silent ex plained briefly Hint lie hud not been able lo collect enough men. Most of the force was busy In the No. 0 dis trict, trying to push the shattered Wis taria through by a new route before that year's crops were entirely ruined. A gang was at Grant's Heading; the floor needed bracing. Another squad. Irish's, wus In the Volcano Lake re gion, where they were excavating for the new headgate. "No hurry for that." Rlckard was glad to pick u flaw In such a perfect pattern. "You might hnve withdrawn those men und put them to work on the levee." "I wus given no authority to do that." The chief pretended to accept the reason ; else It were a case of chang ing horses In midstream. What he had seen at the Heading, his peep at the exKised valley, his gleaning of the river's hlspiry hud convinced him flint In baste and concent ration lay the valley's only chance. He must re fuse to see the Insubordination of the engineers, (he seasoned desert sol diers. He neisled them, must win their confidence If be could. If nol. Hoy must sav the valley anyway! The Imperturbable front of Silent, his bland, big stare, exasperated him; easier to control the snapping terrier of n Wooster. He hail told Silent dis tinctly to gather his men and rush the levee. A good soldier had made a bet ter guess than bis, ami had stopped (he casual work at Black Butte, or hud found Indians! Thoughtfully Hlckard followed that last suggestion across the ditch info Mexlcull. He gathered all the recruits he needed that morning. The Indians, Inr.y Cocopaha, crept out of I heir huts to earn a few of the sliver dollars held out to them by the new white boss. A few Mexican laborers were bribed to toss up eurth to the west of the town. Estrada, at his request, put a squail of his road force at the service of the manager, II could not spare many men. The railroad hud already started the line projected by Ilurdlu to Mar shall the year before, a spur across the desert, dipping Into Mexico be tween tin lean, restless sandhills, from Culexlco lo Yumii. The Mexican government had agreed lo pay live thousand dollars a mile were the road completed ut a certain period. Estrnda was keping his men on the Jump in fill the contract, to make bis nation pay the price. The Completion of the road meant help to the valley; sup plies, men, could be rushed through to the break. In spile of his haunting sense of ultimate failure the growing belter In the omnipotence of the Greut Yellow Dragon as the Cocopahs visualised It Estrada's work was as Intense aa though he were hastening a sure vic tory. The dn nut less spirit of the elder Estrada pushed the track over the hot sands where he must dance at times to keep his feet from burning. Many of l lie rails they laid ut night. "Hlckard's gone hog-wild," Hardin told his ramify the next morning. "Building a levee between the towns! The man's off his head." "There Isn't any danger?" Oerty's anxiety made the deep bine eves look black. (To be continued sent week.) aajaajajM WRAY'S AUTO STAG All Touring Car Isnvrn HuriiH Mondau. 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