The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-04-04


Those days of misery before she could
convince herself that she had been in
love with love, not with her fleeing
lover! Hardin was there, eager to be
noticed. That affair. she could see
now, had lacked finessc.
Rickard had certainly loved her, or
why had he never married? Why had
he left so abruptly his boarding h>0se
in midterm? Doesn't jealousy confess
love? Some day, he would tell hes;
what q hideous mistake hers haa
been! She ought not to have rushed
into that marriage. She knew now it
had always been the other. But life
was not finished, yet!
The date set for her summer
'widowhood" had come, but she lin
gered. Various reasons, splendid and
were given out There was
much to be done. .:..,.s
"I wish she would be defn te," II
nes' thoughts complained. She va
restless to make her own plans. ]
had not yet occurred to her that Cert
would stay in all summer. For sh
never had so martyrized herself
"Some one must be with Tom. 1t ma
spoil my trip. But Gerty never think
of that" She believed it to be
simple matter of clothes. It alway
took her weeks to get ready to 60 any
where.
"But I won't wait any longer tha
next week. If she does not go then,
will. Absurd for US both to be here.
1t was already fiercely hot.
| Gerty, meanwhile, had been wonder
Ing how she could suggest to her sis
ter-in-law that her trip be taken frsi
Without arousing suspicious! Tel
ribly loud in her ears sounded he
thoughts those days.
Her husband flung a letter on tn
table one evening. "a letter to yol
from-Casey."
She tried to make the fingers tina
closed over the letter move casually
She could feel them tremble. Wha
would she say if Tom asked to see it
1t was addressed to her in her hus
bands care. Hardin had found it a
THE Office in his mail. And she goinl
each day to the postoffice to preven
it from falling into his hands! Sh'
gave it quick offhand glance.
"About the drive, Of course, Sup
;per's getting cold. Look at that ONE,
lette. Don't wait to wash up. 1t vii
be like leather"
! When she had finished her meal, she
read her letter with fine show Of In
difference. "He sets date for the
drive" She put the letter carelessly
into her pocket before her husband
could stretch out his hand. 1t would
never do for jealous Tom to read that {;
"Your letter was received two weeks
ago. Pardon me for appearing to have
forgotten your Kindness"
V "The nerve" growled Tom again,
his mouth full of Gcrty's omelette.
ITO take you up on an invitation like
that. call that pretty raw"
"You must remember we are such
old friends" urged his wife. ''He
knew I meant it seriously"
"Just the same, it's nerve" grum.
bled Hardin, helping himself to more
Of the omelette, now flat ruin in the
center of the Canton platter. His re-:
sentiment had taken on an edge of
hatred since the episode Of the dredge
machinery. "To write to anyone in
my house! He knows what think Of
him; an Intellectual ass, that's what he
is. Blundering around with his little
levees, and his fool work on the wa
ter tower"
"The water tower?" demanded his
sister. "What's he doing with that?"
"Oh, I don't know" rejoined Tom
largely, his lips protruding. He had
been itching to ask some one what
Richard was up to. Twice, he had
seen him 60 up, with MacLean and
Estrada. Once, there large flare Of
light. But he wouldn't ask! Some of
his fool tinkering!
His sisters gaze rested on him with
concern. He had too little to do. She
guessed that his title, consulting en-
gineer. was q mocking one, that his
chief, at least, did not consult him.
Was it true, what she had heard, that
he had made q fluke about the ma
chinery? He was looking seedy. He
had been letting his clothes 60. He
looked like man who has lost grip
who has been shelved.
She knew he was sleeping badly.
Every morning now she found the
couch rumpled. Not much pretense of
marital congeniality. Things were 60
ing badly, there
Everybody has accepted" Gerty
was saying. "They have been waiting
for me to set the date"
"And you cater to him, let him
dangle you all. I wonder why you do
it, unless it's to hurt me-"