The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-05-15

his own table.
Poor sulky Achilles" she thought.
"Dear, honest old beari"
"Innesl" cried Mrs. Hardin.
She turned to find that the guest
was staring ut her. She had Dot heard
his effort to include her In the con-
versation.
"Mr. Rickard asked you II you like
II hereT
''Thank you-why. Of cOursei" Her
answer sounded pert to herself.
/ Her sister-in-law hAstened 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
n denial. After all, what other home
had she? Still the truth had been de-
flected. She recalled the sacrifice II
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. who had helped
her invest her small capital that It
might spell a small income. She re-
called his resistance when she had
called in a mortgage; who could watch
that mad scapegoat of river playing
pranks with desert homes and not
yearn to help7 Not Hardin. She
still gloried In remembering that she
had Mt least driven one pile into that
rebelli0us stream. even II when she
left the valley 1t would be as bread.
winner. She was prepared. She was
n good craftsman; she would 60 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.
"rm taking orders."
There was another awkward mo-
ment when Hardin pushed back his
plate declaring he had reached his
limit; 1t was too big a spread for him |!
1t was the stupid rudeness Of the
small bad boy; even lines flushed for
her slster-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 began 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 sprlghtly. Had
Mr.. Rickard met many Of the wiley
people? And 1t was then that she
threw her bomb toward the listening,
silent Hardins. She would like Mr..
Rickard 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 a 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 iht
sister. What did Mr.. Rickard thinl
: about progressive ride?
'Tt sounds very entertaining. bu
what do you dor
: There was loud guffaw from Tom
r With deepened color Gerty told he
Q idea. A drive. changing partners, 81
he could meet all the guests.
q II think II will surprise you to fin'
!. SO many nice people In here; 1t Ger
J, tainly did me. One doesn't expect 4
A find congenial people in new countr
\ like this"
Rickard remembered that he ha
n to get back to his hotel. He had LEI
!. tcrs to write. 1t had been n splendi
h dinner! And what wonderful HON
q she had made out Of sand-baked lot
q out of n tent! He spoke Of the rose
, and the morning glories. His eye
A fell on the open piano, the readin
9 table with the current magazines
q Now he couldn't understand why the
y ever went to that hotell
O Gerty's eyes were shining as dee
pools of water on which the sun plny'
,. She looked almost ipfantile as sh
l, stood by the two tall men. her hea
/, perched blrdlike. "Good-by! and
!. hope you'll come agaln!"
>. or course he'd come againl
n "And you will let me know whe
g you return. so that l may set the dat
n for my party"
y Innes did not get his answer. Sh
{. had been observing that he was nc
Il taller than her brother He locke
IS taller. He was lean. and Tom wa
n growing stocky. She wished he woul
s. not slouch so. his hands In his pocl
1. etsl In Tucson. before she knew tha
d she must dislike Richard. she had ha
q an IMPRESSION OF virile distinction, Z