The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-10-11
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
: Smudue.
J From her tent, where she was writ
Ing letter that Jagged somehow, In
mes Hardin had seen Richard go L
, her sisters tent. She did not need t
analyze the sickness of sight tina
watched the dancing step acknowl
edge Its intention. 1t meant wretch
edness. for Tom. At n time when h
most needed gentleness and sympath.
rasped as he was by his humiliation
and disappointments-ho could an.
woman be so cruel7 As for Richard
he was beneath contempt-if II wer,
true. Gerty's story, told In shrugs ant
dashes. She had Tilted him for Tom
and this his revenge7 She had no
known that she had such feeling al
the thought reused in her. 1t proved
what the blood tie is, this tigerist
passion sweeping through her, MS hel
eyes watched that closed tent-it wa,
for love for Tom. pity for Tom. Sc,
honor-why, Gerty did not know the
meaning of the words!
How long would 1t be before Tom
would see what every one else was
seeing7 What would he do when he
knew Hating Richard already, bitter
az he was
She was not so biased as he. She
could see why Marshall had had to re.
organize. Estrada had shown her
and MacLean. Her sense Of justice
had done the rest. Richard had proved
his efficiency; the levee. the camp, the
military discipline all showed the gen.
eral. Whether he were anything Of
an engineer, time would tell that. II
was long call he was makingi Sup
pose Tom were to come back7 She
must watch for him---rnake some ex-
cuse to pull him In II he should come
back before that other went Hate
full. such eavesdropping A prisoner
to that mans gallivantlngi
For an instant she did not recognize
the figure outside Gerty's tent. Her
fears saw Tom. She reached the
screen door In time to see Richard lift
his hat to disappearing furry Of ruff
fies. Angry eyes watched Richards
step swing him away.
From the levee that day, she had
glimpse Of the Mexican woman on her
knees by the river, rubbing clothes
against smooth stone. A pile Of
tight-wrung socks lay on the bank. In
mes stood and watched her.
II must remember to speak Of her
to Gerty," she determined. "She prob
ably does not know that there il a
washerwoman In camp"
It was a week later before she re-
membered to speak Of the Mexican
woman "whu could wash" The two
women were. on their way to their
tents from the mess breakfast. Sonora
Maldonado was leaving MacLean's
tent with large bundle Of used
clothes under her arm.
"She washes for the men. I'm GO
ing to ask her to do my khakis for me.
Perhaps this woman would be willing
to do all our Iaun0ryT
Gerty had been wondering what she
would say to Innes. The speech which
needed only an introduction was
stirred into the open.
"You must not" her voice trembled
with anger. you must not ask that
woman. She Ii not to be spoken to-"
The girl asked her bluntly what she
meant.
"You must not give her your wash |
lng-must not speak to her. I've not
mentioned II before. IL hoped It
would not be necessary. Tom told me
not to speak Of It."
"Tom told you not to speak Of TT |
Not to speak of what7'
"You must have observed--Mr. Rick
ard1'
The girls ear did not catch the |
hort pause observed Mr.. Rickard7" i
'sThe GOODNESS between us. scarce
y speak to him. I don't wish to speak
o him."
When had all this happened, Innes
demanded of herself1 Had she been
lsleep. throwing pity from outdated
lreams7
II won't countenance a common at
air like that" Her eyes, sparkling
With anger, suggested Jealous wrath
o Innes, who had her first hint of the
tory. She had learned never to take
he face value Of her sisters verbal
DIN; It was only symbol of value:
/ stood for something else.
The yellow eyes were on the dredge
ucket as II swung across the channel,
ut they did not register. She was
ngry, outraged; she did not know
18th whom. With Gerry for telling her, h