Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-04-25

with romantic Suggestion. Lie ufdIud
of desert and river centered now in the
story of Gerty Hardin. Richard. who
had never married! The deduction,
once unveiled, lost all it's shyness. And
every one saw that he disliked her hus-
band!
She knew now that she had never
loved Tom. She had turned to him in
those days of pride when Richards
anger still held him aloOf. How many
times had she gone over those unreal
hours! Who could have known that
his anger would last? That hour in
the honeysuckles his kisses! None of
Hardins rOugher kisses had swept her
memory of her exquisite delight-de-
lirious as was her joy, there was room
for triumph She had seen herself
clear of the noisy boarding house. Her.
self, Gerty Holmes, the wife of pro-
fessor; able to have the things she
craved, to have them openly; no longer
having to scheme for them.
1t was through Richards eyes that
she had seen the shortcomings of the
college boarding house. She had ac-
CURED keen consciousness of those
quizzical eyes. When they had isolated
her, at last, appealing to her sympa.
thy or amusement, separating her
from all those bOisterous students, her
dream of bliss had begun.
In those days, she had seen Hardin
of ir,cs fys,yC
tor, younger by several years than his
pupil. Her thud of disappointed anger,
of dislike, when the face of Hardin
peered through the leafy screen To
have waited, prayed for that moment,
and to have it spoiled like that There
had been days when she had wept be-
cause she had not shown her anger!
How could she know that everything
would end there; end, just beginning
Her clearinghouse training had
taught her to be civil. 1t was still
vivid to her, her anxiety, her tremu-
Iousness-with Hardin talking forever
of a play he had just seen; Richard
growing sitter. angrier, refusing to
look at those lips still warm with his
ksses
And the next day, still angry with
her. All, the puzzled desolation of
those weeks before she had salved her
hurt; with pride, and then with love!
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 finesse.
Richard had certainly loved her, or
why had he never married? Why had
he left so abruptly his boarding house
in midterm? Doesn't jealousy confess
love? Some day, he would tell her;
what hideous mistake hers had
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
Sacrficial, We're given out. There was
much to be done.
II wish she would be definite" In
nes' thoughts complained. She was
restless to make her own plans. 1t
had not yet occurred to her thai Gerty
would stay in all summer. For she
never had so martyriZed herself.
spoil my trip. But Gerty never thinks
of that" She believed it to be a
simple matter of clothes. 1t always
took her weeks to get ready to go any
where.
But I won't wait any longer than
next week. If she does not go then, !
will. Absurd for us both to be here"
* vas already fercely hot.
Gerty, meanwhile had been wonder
ing how she could suggest to her SIS
ter-in-law that her trip be taken first.
Without arousing suspicious! Ter
ribly loud in her ears sounded her
thoughts those days.
Her husband flung letter on the
table one evening. "a letter to you
from-CaSey."
she tfleu TO make the fingers tlldt
closed over the letter move casually.
She could feel them tremble. What
would she say if Tom asked to see it?
1t was addressed to her in her hus-
bands care. Hardin had found it at
the Office in his mail. And she going
each day to the postotfice to prevent
it from falling into his hands! She
gave it a quick offhand glance.
about the drive, of course, Sup
pers getting cold. Look at that ONE
lette. Don't wait to wash up. 1t will
be like leather"
When she had finished her meal, she
read her letter with fine show Of in
difference. Gle sets q date for the
drive" She put the letter carelessly
into her pocket before her husband
could stretch out his hand. 1t would
never Go for jealous Tom to read that:
Your letter was received two weeks
ago. Pardon me for appearing to have