The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-05-09
CRATER XXI.
The White Might.

Lord. I'm tired groaned Rickar,
stumbling into camp. wet 10 the Skin
-Don'f You say letters to me. Ma,
I'm going 10 bed. Tell Ling don
want amy dinner Hen want 10 fns
up something. / don't want to sc
food
The day. confused and Jnmbled
burned across his eyebnlls: q turmoil
Of hustle aud hurry Of insurrection. III
had made swift stand against that
He was 10 be minded TO the last man
jack Of them. or anyone would 20, III
threat including the engineers. Silent
Irish. Wooster, Hardin himself. Thii
was no time for factions. for leader
feeling.
% bed. the day with it's irritation,
fell away. He could zee now the ateI
ahead that had been taken; the iasl
treHtie was done: the rock-p0urInr
well on; he called that going some
lie felt PLEASANTLY ianguid, bur not vel
sleepy. His thought wandered over the
resting camp. Aud then Innea Hardin
came to him.
Not herself, but MS soft little
Thought which came creeping around
the corner OF his dreams. She had
been there. Of course, ali day. tucked
away Ia his mind. as though In his
home waiting for him 10 come back 10
her weary from the prieBs OF the dny.
The way he would come home 10 her,
please God. some dry. Not bearing
hts burdens 10 her. he did not believe
IN that, but asking her diversions. Con.
sentiment spread her soft wings over
him. lie fell asleep,
hickard wakened as 10 call. what
bad startled him9 He listened. rails
ing himself by HIS elbow. From dis
lance, sweet high voice. unreal in les
pitch and thrilling quality, came 20
him II was Godfrey. somewhere on
tks lcsee. singing by the river II
brought him again TO fnnes Hardin.
He pulled aside hts curtain which
hung over the screening OF his tent
and looked out into maon.nooded
world. Rlckard's eyes fell on little
tent ever yonder. white shrine,
~Whitc as that fine sweet soul of
hers ~"
Wandering into the night. Godfrey
passed down the river. singing. Ills
voice. the footllghts. the listening
great audiences were calling 10 him.
To him, the moon.iiooded leyee. the
giistening water made starset
scene. He was treadlng the. boards,
abe rushing waters by the bank gave
tAe orchestration for his mei0dy---''I4a
Donna . Mobile" He began II 10 Gerty
Hardin she would hear II Ia her tent I:
she would take IL as the tender re-
preach he had leased her with that
afternoon In the ramada.
He gave for encore ballad long
forgotten he had pulled II back from
the eobwebs Of two decades; he had
made Il his own.
"But, ms darling you win be.
Eyer young and fair 20 me-"
II came, the soaring voice, TO Tom
Hardin. outside Gerty's tent on his
lonely cot, He knew that song. Dis
aained BY his wife. pretty figure
man cuts II his wife can't stand
him. who cant He wasn't good enough
for her. He was rough. Ills life had
kept him from fitting himself to her
taste, she needed people who could
talk like Rlckard. sing Ike Godfrey.
People, other people. might mlscon.
strue her preferences lie knew they
were not flrtatlons. she needed her
kind, she would always keep straight (;
she s;ts straight as whip. Life was
as hngd Tor her as Il was for him; he
could feel sorry Tor her; his pity was
Divided between the two Of Thorn, the
hashgud. the wife. both lonely Ia their
own way.
ON the other side Of the canvas
walls, Gerry Hardin lay listening to
the message meant for her. The flckle
sex. he had called hers; no constancy
In woman, he had declared. fondliug
her hair. He had tried TO coax her
into pledges, pledges which were also
disavowals 70 the man outside.
Silver threads Age shuddered al
her threshold she hated that song
Cruel. life had been TO her; none Of ats
promises had been kept. To be happy.
why, that was a humans birthrght (;
grab Il, that was her creed There
was q chance yet youth had not gone.
he was singing Il 70 her, her escape
"Darling. you win be.
Ever young and fair 90 me"
Godfrey. singing 10 Gerry Hardin.
had awakened the camp. lines. In
her tent. too, was listening.
Darling. you wfll be.
Ever young and fair 10 meF
SO that Is the miracle, that wild
rush OF certain feeling Yesterday,
doubling. tomorrow, more doubts-but
tonight, the song. the night Isolated
them. herself and Richard. into a
world Of their own. Life with him on
any terms she wanted.
CHAPTER xxxIII.