The Pulaskian., 1919-04-18

duu H0peu that SIe WdS u0l pulliuH her hostess to any inconvenience at this last moment. She wanted to prolong the conversation-had the guests all come? Were they really going? Then she must be getting old, for night like this dismayed herl Gerty felt her goodnight was rudely abrupt. But was she to stand there gabbling all night, her guests wait ing?
 She prayed that Rickard would be there when she returned What a travesty if the guest of honor should dfsappoint herl Though he was not among the different groups. her con fidence in his punctlliousness reas- sured her. She must hold them T lit- tie longer. She fitted gaily from one standing group to another. Her eyes constantly questioned the clock.
 "How long are you going to wait for Mrs. Hatfield?" Her husband came up, protesting.
 "Mrs. Hatfield" she explained dis tantly, ''is not coming. We are wait ing for Mir. Rickard."
 'sHe didn't come in on that train {; he's at the Heading" Hardin added something about trouble at the intake, but Gerty did not heed. Tom had known and had not told her when there was yet time to call 1t off!
 "A pretty time to tell mel" Had he been looking at her, he would have been left no illusions. Her blue eyes flashed hate.
 'I did not know 1t until we got here. There was message from Mac Lean at the desk, waiting"
 MacLean was not there, eitheri
 "We are all ready" she cried. "Mrs. Hatfield and Mir Rickard cannot come" Not for worlds would she give In to her desire to call the whole grim affair off; let them think she was disappointed, not she. Though the world blew away, she would go.
 She found herself distributing slips of mangled quotations. The white slips went to the women; the green bits of pasteboard to the men. She held certain green card in her glove: Leads on to fortune" Rick ard might come dashing in at the last moment, the ideal mans way; spe- cial, perhaps; it did not seem credible that he would deliberately stay away without sending her word.
 In burst of laughter, the com pany discovered then that the guest of honor was also absent. Mrs. ing buggies.
 Drearily, they drove down the fly ing street. The wind was at their backs, but 1t tore at their hats, pulled at their tempers. Their eyes were full of street dust.
 A flash of light as, they were leav- ing town frightened the thick dust clouds. "What was that?" cried Gerty. She was ready for any calamity now. Not lightningy Again, the queer light flashed across the obscured sky. Tom reused himself to growl that he hadn't seen anything. And the dreary farce went on.
 Innes' partner was young Sutcliffe, the English zanjero. He was -n the quicksand of a comparison between English and American women, Innes mischievousiy coaxing him into deeper waters, when there was blockade of buggies ahead of them.
 "The A B c ranch" cried Innes, peering through the veil of dust at the queer unreal outlines of fences and trees. "Its our first stop"
 "Oh, I say. that's too bad," began Sutcliffe. Innes was already on the road, her skirts whipped by the wind into clinging drapery.
 Gerty's party found itself disorgan- ized. Partners were trying to find or lose each other. "Get in here r Innes heard the voice of Estrada be- hind her. He had top buggy. She hailed refuge.
 "Splendid!" she cried. "What a reliefr' Climbing in, she said: T hope this isn't upsetting Gerty's ar- rangement."
 Arrangement Look at them I" The women were hastening out of the dust swirl into any haven that of- fered. With little screams of dismay, they ran like rabbits to cover.
 Gerty found herself with Blinn. At the next stop there was block of buggies. "No use changing again '" She acknowledged herself beaten. Let's go on. What are they stopping for?" Dismal farce it all was!
 She was pushing back her disheart- ened curls when the beat of horses hoofs back of them brought the blood back into her wind-chilled cheeks. 'sRickard !" she thought. "He must have come in special!" The gloom suddenly disgorged MacLean.
 Hardin! Where is hep
 Whats upw yelled Blinn. 'Is it the riverT MacLean's face answered him. His ranch secured again-"God Almighty"