The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-09-26

an inauspicious day for Mrs. Hardin's
visit. Things had gone wrong. vex.
attons were piling up. A tilt with Har.
din that morning. telegram from
Marshall: he was feeling sore. Des.
perately they needed labor. Wooster
had just reported. venomously, It ap.
peared to Richards spleen, increasing
drunkenness among the Indians.
Gerty's ruffies swept in. Her dress.
the blue null with the lace medallions,
accented the hue of her eyes. and
looked deliciously cool that glaring
desert day. Her parasol, Of pongee,
was lined with the same baby hue.
Her dainty fairness and childish af-
liability should have made an oasis in
that strenuous day, but Richards dis
Indignation of temper was too COM
plete. He rose stiffly to meet her, and
his manner demanded her errand.
She told it to him, plaintively. Her
eyes were appealing, infantile. Would
it be too much to ask, would Mr..
Richard mind in the least, he must be
perfectly frank and tell her IL they
would be in the way ut all. but while
this hot spell lasted. could they. the
three Of them, eat in the mess tent
with the men?
"Surely!" Richard met 1t heartily.
She would find it rough. but IL she
could stand 1t. yes. he thought it a
good idea.
And then there was nothing for her
to do but go. Her retreat was grace
full. without haste. dignified. She
smiled farewell ut MacLean. who
was watching the approach Of 1nnes
Hardin and Estrada. Richard did not
see the aborted entrance of Hardin's
sister and the young Mexican. He
was itching to be ut his work.
He let out a growl when Mrs. Har.
din was out Of earshot.
"Shucks! What in Halifax do won.
en- come to place like this for?
There's Hardin-brings in two women
to cook for him, and now. please may
they all eat with the men?"
His secretary subdued a chuckle.
He was visualizing a procession Of
boxes Of choice Havanas-from Bode-
feldt. Hamlin and the rest Of the
gang. He need not buy smoke for
year.
Richard threw himself back in his
chair. Take this letter. MacLean. To
Marshall" Then his worry diverted
him. "Who in thunder Is selling liquor
to my 1ndians?"
'Hold on: that letter can wait. You
get the horses up. MacLean. and we'll
ride down to Maldonado's. It's his
place to stop this liquor business, not
mine."
A few hours later they were ap.
preaching the adobe walls Of Maldo-
nadO. They found the gate locked. A
woman, whose beauty had faded into
a tragic whisper, CHASTITY twilight Of
suggestion. came to their knock, and
unbarred the gate for the white
strangers. Mystery hung over the in.
closure like a pail.
Richard told his errand. Maldonado
sputtered and swore. BY the mother
OF Mary the Virgin. that thing would
be stopped. He showed to the senors,
with pride. his badge. He was q ru.
rale; he was there to uphold the law.
He had caught some of those drunken
Indians on the road. He had brought
them here.
Maldonado showed three men In a
locked shed. deep In drunken stupor.
He fh0nfhf thu linvnp ,wnc rh<o - nr4
somewhere back In the sandhills. He
would md the place. But the senior
must be patient: his hands were so
full.
Both men were glad to get away
from the place and MaldOnadO. Oh.
viously he was q brute; undoubtedly
he was q liar.