Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-04-03

and hoped that she was not putting
her hostess to any Inconvenience at
this last moment. She wanted ia
prol0ng the conversation-had the
guests NIL come? Were they really
going? Then she must be getting old,
for night like this dIsmnyed her
Gerry felt her goodnight was rudely
abrupt. But was she to stand there
Cabling all night, her guests wait.
Ing?
She prayed that Richard would be
there when she returned. What d
travesty II the guest of honor should
disappoint her! Though he was not
among the different groups. her con.
fidence In his punctillousness reas.
sured her. She must hold them lit
tie longer. She fitted gaily from one
standing group to another. Her eyes
constantly questioned the clock.
"How long are you going to walt
for Mrs. Hatfield?" He. husband
came up, protesting.
MRS. hatfield" she explained dis.
family. us not coming. We are wait
ing for Mr.. Richard"
"He didn't come in on that trim
he's ut 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 OIL
"A pretty time to tell met" Had
he been looking mt her, he would have
been left no illusions. Her blue eyes
flashed hate.
Il did not know 1t until we got
here. There was a message from Mac
Lean Mt the desk, waiting"
MacLean was not there. eitheri
I'VE are all ready" she cried.
Mrs. Hatfield and MIR. Richard cannot
come" Not for worlds would she give
In to her desire to call the whole
grim affair of; let them think she
was disappointed. not she. Though
the world blew away. she would 20.
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 dashlng In Mt the last
moment, the ideal mans way; n spe-
cial, perhaps; 1t 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.
Hardin hurried them out to the wait
ing buggies.
Drearily, they drove down the fly
ing street. The wind was ut their
backs, but 1t tore at their hats, pulled
Mt 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.
MOT lightning?" 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.
lines partner was young Sutcliffe,
the English zanjero. He was in the
quicksand Of comparison between
English and American women, Innes
mischievously coaxing him into deeper
waters, when there was n blockade
of buggies ahead of them.
1.-THE A B G RANCH" cried lines,
peering through the veil of dust ut
the queer unreal outlines of fences
and trees. ITS our first STOP"
"Oh. l say. that's too bad" began
Sutcliffe. lines was already on the
road, her skirts whipped by the wind
into clinging drapery.
GertJ's party found itself disorgan-
lied. Partners were trying to find
or lose each other. Get in here"
lines heard the voice Of Estrada be-
hind her. He had top buggy. She
hailed refuge.
"Splendid!" she cried. "What q
relief" Climbing in, she said: II
hope this isn't upsetting Gerty's ar
rnngement."
Arrangement! Look at them !"
The women were Fastening out Of the
dust swirl into any haven that Of
fered. With little screams of dismay,
they run like rabbits to cover.
Gerty found herself with Blinn.. At
the next stop there was a block of
buggies. mo use changing again."
She acknowledged herself beaten.
Lets 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.
"Rickard!" she thought. HE must
have come in special!" The gloom
suddenly disgorged MacLean.
Hardin! Where is he?"
"What's up? yelled BlInn. 'Is 1t
the river7" MacLean's face answered
him. His ranch secured again-"God
1.-THE river!" screamed the women,
The men were surrounding MacLean,
whose horse was prancing as IL with