New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-05-30
CHAPTER XXI.

Lord, I'm tired groaned Richard
stumbling into camp. wet TO the skin
"DQn't you sag letters to me, Mae
I'm going to bed. Tell Ling don
want any dinner. He'll want to fus
up something. don't want to SCI
food"
The day, confused and jumbled
burned across his eyeballs a turmoil
of hustle and hurry of insurrection. II,
had made "A swift stand against that
He was to be minded to the last man
jack of them. or anyone would go. his
thrcat 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 nov the steT
ahead that had been taken the last
trestle was done; the rock-pouring
well on; he called that going some
lie felt pleasantly languid, but not yet
sleepy. His thought wandered over the
resting camp, And then lines Hardin
came TO him.
Not herself, but MS "A soft little
thought which anne creeping around
she corner of his dreams, She had
been there, of course. all day, tucked
away in his mind, as though in his
h0m" waiting for him to come back to
ler, weary from the pricks of the day.
The way he would come home to her,
please God, some day. Not bearing
his burdens Ia her, he did not believe
IN that, but asking her diversions. Con
ientment spread her soft wings over
him, lie fell asleep.
Richard Weakened ms to a call. What
had startled him? He listened, rails
Ing himself by his elbow. From IA dis
lance. "A sweet high voice, unreal in its
pitch and thrilling quality, came to
MIN. 1t was Godfrey. somewhere on
the levee, singing by the river. 1t
brought him again to lines Hardin,
lie pulled aside his curtain which
hung over the screening OF his tent
and looked out into n moon fiooded
world. Richards eyes fell on n little
tent over yonder, a white shrine.
white as that fine sweet soul of
harS,"
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-fio0ded levee, the
giiSteninc water, made "A star-set
scene. lie was treading the boards,
the rushing waters by the bank gave
the orchcStratiOn for his melody-"La
Donna e Mobile" He began it to Gerty
Hardin; she would hear 1t in her tent;
she would take it as the tender re-
proach he had leased her with that
aftcrnocE In the ramada.
He gayd for cncor n ballad long
forgotten; he had pulled it back from
the cobwcbS of two decades; he had
made it his
"HIt, my darling, you will be.
Ever young aud fair to me-"
II came, IN" soaring voice, 10 Tom
Hardin. outside G"rty'S tent on his
lonely cot. He knew that song. Dis
daiurtl by his wife, a pretty figure q
ran cuts, If his wife can't stand
Dim, who can? lie 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
tnlk like Richard. sing like Godfrey.
People, other people, might miscon-
s.rue her preferences. He knew they
were not lirtntionS; she needed her
KIND. She would always keep straight
she was straight ms II whip. Life was
ms hard for her MS it was for him he
could feel sorry for her rs pity was
divided between the TIVE of them. the
husband, the wife, beth lonely In their
own way.
on the other side of the canvas
walls. Gerty Hardin lay listening TO
the message mean for her, The tickle
sex. he had called hers no constancy
IN woman, he had declared, fondllng
her hair. He had tried to coax her
into pledges, pledges which were also
.diSavowalS TO the man outside.
Silver threads Age Shuddered at
her 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 birthright
grab II. that was her creed, There
was a chance yet youth had o gone.
lie vas singing it to her, her escape
Darling. you will be,
Ever young and fair to me-"
Godfrey. singing TO Gerry Hardin.
had awakened the camp. lines, In
der 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-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.