The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-03-14

The bread was cut in precise triangles;
the butter had been shaved into for
eign-looking roses. A pitcher of the
valleys favorite beverage, iced tea,
stood by Hardin's plate. There was a
platter of cold meats.
1t came home to lines for the hun
dredth time, the surprise of such a
meal In that desert. A few years ago,
and what had meal been? She threw
the credit of the little lunch to sGlky
Tom Hardin lying on the pordere-coy-
cred couch, his ugly lower lip out
thrust against an unsmiling vision. 1t
was Tom, Tom and his brave men, the
sturdy engineers, the dauntless sur
yeyors, the Indians who had dug the
canals, those were the ones who had
spread that pretty table, not the buxom
little woman darting about in pink
Bingham.
is it because I don't like herT she
unused, her eyes on the pictures in the
style book which had just come In that
morning. Certainly Gerty did have the
patience of saint with Toms hui
mors. If she would only lose that set
look of martyrdomt It was not for an
outsider to judge between husband
and wife, even If the man were her
own brother. She could not put her
finger on the germ of their painful
scenes: she shrank from the recollec-
ton Of Toms temper; his coarse
streak, the Gingg fiber, her own mother
called it. Tom was rough, but she
loved him. Why was it she was sure
that Gerty did not love her husband?
Yet there was the distrust, as fixed
and as unjust perhaps as the suspicion
of Gerty's little mysteries.
She said aloud: 'aThis is your last
day. My week begins tomorrow"
Mrs. Hardin adjusted a precise nap
kin before she spoke.
81 think will keep the reins for a
month this time" Her words were re-
Elective, as though the thought were
new. II get my hand in just as / stop.
viii be running out for my visit in a
few weeks. 1t will be only fair for me
to do it as long as can"
Again the girl had sense of subtle
ty. Whenever Gerry put on that air Of
childish confidential elaboration, she
hunted for the plot. This was not far
to seek. Her sister-in-law was passing
out the hot season to her.
cts all ready" Gerty's glance was
winging, birdlike. over the table. Moth
ing had been forgotten. She gave a
little sigh of elastic satisfaction. Har-
din misinterpreted it.
Il ought to be able to keep serv-
ant for her" 1t was like him to have
forgotten the Lawrence days; he was
never free of the sense of obligation to
the dainty little woman who was born,
he. felt, for the purple. There was
nothing too good for Gerry. He felt
her unspoken disappointments; her
deprivations. "Of course, she can have
no respect for me. I'm failure"
Doesn't this give you an appetizer
demanded lines heartily. "And I'm
to be a lady for three more weeks"
The remark was thoughtless. A bright
flush spread over Gerty's face. She
caught an allusion to her origin.
Innes saw the blush and remem-
bered the boarding house. She could
think of nothing to say. The three
relatives sat down to that most uncom-
Portable travesty, social meal where
sociability is lacking. Innes said it
had been a pleasant morning. Gerty
thought it had been hot. And then
there was silence again.
Innes began to tell them of her Tue
son visit. when Gerty laid down her