The Aberdeen weekly., 1919-04-04

| 1nneS ]. cr1eQ MIS-. daruln.
She turned to find that the guest
was staring at her She had not heard
his effort to include her IN the con
versation.
Mr.. Rickard asked you if you like
it here?
Thank you-why, of course :" Her
answer sounded pert to herself.
Her sister-in-ia% fastened to add
that Miss Hardin was very lonely, was
really all alone in the world; that they
insisted on her making her home with
them.
Innes had with difficulty restrained
a denial. After all, what other home
had she? Still the truth had been de-
fiected. She recalled the sacrifice it
had been to cut her college course in
order TO make home in the desert
for the brother who had always so
gently fathered her. VINO had helped
her invest her small capital that it
might spell a small income. She re-
called his resistance when she had
called in mortgage; who could watch
that mad scapegoat of Il river playing
pranks with desert homes and not
yearn to hello? Not a Hardin. She
still gloried III remembering that she
had at least driven one pile into that
rebell.ous stream. even if when she
left the valley it would be as bread
winner. She was prepared. She was
a good craftsman; she would go as
an apprentice in an architects office.
She had already settled on the archi-
| tect,
Are you going TO Los Angeles
soon?" She heard the new manager
address his host
I'm taking orders"
There was another awkward mo-
ment when Hardin pushed back his
plate declaring he had reached his
! limit; it was too big a spread for him :
1t was the stupid rudeness of the
small bad boy; even Innes flushed for
her sister-in-law.
With resolution Gerty assumed con-
troll of the conversation. Her role
sounded casual; no one could have
suspected 1t of frequent rehearsal.
They must not talk Of the river that
was taboo. Railroad matters were
also excluded. Equally difficult
would be "reminiscences of Lawrence
days. So she hegan brightly with a
current book. The theater proved a
safe topic and by that natural route
they reached New York. Innes. who
had never been farther east than Chi
cagO, was grateful to play audience.
Hardin, who knew his New York per-
haps better than either, refused to be
| drawn into the gentle stream.
Things must be kept sprightly. Had
Mr. Rickard met many of the valley
people? And it was then that she
threw her bomb toward the listening,
silent Hardins. She would like Mr..
Richard TO meet some of their friends.
! He said that he would be delighted,
but that he was planning TO leave
shortly for the Heading.
"Of course" She did not give her
| husband time to speak. She meant
afterward! She was planning to give
something 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.. Rickard think
about a progressive ride?
"It sounds very entertaining, but
what do you do?"
There was loud guffaw from Tom.
With deepened color Gerty told her
idea. A drive. changing partners, so
he could meet all the guests.
II think it Will surprise you to find
so many nice people in here; it GER
tainly did me. One doesn't expect to
find congenial people in new country
like this
Rickard remembered that he had
to get back to his hotel. He had let
ters to write. 1t had been a splendid
dinnerl And what a wonderful home
she had made out of a sand-baked lot.
out of a tent He spoke of the roses
and the morning glories. His eyes
fell on the open piano. the reading
table with the current magazines.
Now he couldn't understand why they
ever went to that hotel
Gerty's eyes were shining as deep
pools of water on which the sun plays.
She looked almost infantile as she
stood by the two tall men, her head
perched birdlike. "Good-byl and i
hope you'll come again.
OF course he'd come again.
And you will let me know when
you return, so that 1 may set the date
for my party?"
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 poek-
cts In Tucson, before she knew that
sne must dislike Rickard, size had lad
an impression of virile distinction, of
grace, n suggestion of mastered mus
cleS. He had known that 1T was her
brother he was supplanting-did he
get any satisfaction from the fact that
it was the husband of the woman who
had Tilted him? Anyway. she did not
like him. She could never forgive a
hurt that was done to her own. She
was Hardin.
"Inres! Mr.. Rickard said good
night ~
She gave him the tips of her cool,
Drowned fingers. Her eyes did not
meet his; she would not meet that
laughing scrutiny.
"Good night, Mr.. Rickard"
CHAPTER Xl.