The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-10-17
CHAPTER xxxII.

The White Nioht,

Lord, I'm tired" groaned Richard,
stumbling into camp. wet to the skin.
"Don't you say letters to me. Mac.
TIM going to bed. Tell Ling I don't
want any dinner. He'll want to fuss
up something. l don't want to see
food
The day, confused and jumbled.
burned across his eyehalls; a turmoil
of hustle and hurry Of Instruction He
had made swift stand against that.
He was to be minded to the last man
lack of them, or anyone would 60, his
threat including the engineers. Silent
Irish, Wooster Hardin himself. This
was no time for factions. for leader
feeling.
In bed. the day with its irritations
fell away. He could see now the step
ahead that had been taken; the last
trestIe was done: the rock-pouring
we'll on; he called that going some
He felt pleasantly langud, but not yet
sleepy. His thought wandered over the
resting camp. And then lines Hardin
came to him.
Not herself, but as soft little
thought which came creeping around
the corner Of his dreams. She had
been there. Of course. all day. tucked
away in his mind. as though in his
home waiting for him to come back to
her. weary from the pricks OF the day.
The way he would come home to her,
please God, some day. Not bearing
tbs burdens to her. he did not believe
In that. but asking her diversions. Con-
tentment spread her soft wings over
him. He fell asleep.
Richard wekened as to call. What
had startled him? He listened. rails
ing himself by his elbow. From dis
lance. a sweet high voice. unreal in its
pitch and thrilling quality. came to
him. 1t was Godfrey, somewhere on
the levee. singing by the river 1t
brought him again to lines Hardin.
He pulled aside his curtain which
hung over the screening Of his tent
and looked out into moon-flooded
world. Richards eyes fell on little
aNut oNSA youuCl, a " uIlC Sill tAiV.
white as that fine sweet soul of
hers !"
Wandering into the night. Godfrey
passed down the river, singing. His
voice. the footlights. the listening
great audiences were calling to him
To him. the moon.hooded levee, the
glistening water. made Star-set
scene. He was treading the boards,
the rushing waters by the bank gave
the orchestration for his melody-''La
Donna Mobile" He began it to Gerty
Hardin: she would hear it in her tent !;
she would take 1t as the tender re-
pr0ach he had leased her with that
afternoon in the ramada.
He gave for encore a ballad long
forgotten: he had pulled it back from
the cobwehs Of two decades: he had
made 1t his own.
But, my darling. you will be.
Ever young and fair to me-"
1t came. the soaring voice. to Tom
Hardin, outside Gerty's tent Oh his
lonely cot. lie knew that song. Dis
dained by his wife. pretty figure a
man cuts. If his wife can't stand
him. who CAM He wasn't good enough
for her. He was rough. His life had
kept him from fitting himself to her
taste. She needed people who could
talk like Richard sing like Godfrey
People, other people, might mscon-
Strue her preferences. He knew they
were no. tlirtationS: she needed Ter
kiad. Sh" would always keep straight !;
ste WAS straight as whip. Life was
as hard for her as it was for him: he
could feel sorry for her; his pity was
divided between the two of them, the
husband, the wife, both lonely in their
own way.
On the other side Of the canvas
walls, Gerty Hardin lay listening to
tae message meant for her. The tickle
sex. h" had called hers; no constancy
de- woman. he had declared. fondlinS
hrr hair. He had tried to coax hei
tuto pledges, pledges which were also
dlsavowals to the man outside.
Silver threads. Age shuddered at
tier threshold. She hated that song.
Cruel. life had been to her; none OF Its
promises had been kept. To be happy.
why, that was a humans brthr ght
grab 1t. that was her creed. There
~as chance yet: youth had not gone
He was singing it to her, her escape
Darling. you will be,
Ever young and fair to me-
Godfrey. singing to Gerty HI -din
Aad awakened the camp. lines, in
her tent. too. was listening.
Darling, you will be.
Ever young and fair to me-"
So that is the miracle, that wild
rush of certain feeling, Yesterday
doubling. tomorrow, more doubtS-bu1
tonight. the song. the night isolated
them, herself and Eickard. into a
world of their OVID. Life with him or
any terms she wanted.
CHAPTER xxx!li.
The Battle in the NirhS