The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-05-01

besOught his wife plaintlvely. "A hg-
ure. l wanted Innes to try to get one
for me In Los Angeles"
81 did tfy," began lines.
"Yours is good enough for anyone.
Why should you get anotherT' He
was openly admlring the ample bust
swelling under the pink gingham.
Don't, Tom"
lines tried to explain the sincerity
Of her search. She had visited every
store (which might be suspected Of
having a figure" She could not bring
n smile to her sisters face. There
was none your size. They offered to
order me from Chicago. They have to
be made to order. II they are special
sizes. You are not stock size, did you
know that?"
81 should think not" cried Gerty,
bridling. my waist is absurdly small
for the size of my hips and shoulders"
Innes wondered if il would be safe
to agree with her.
when will 1t be here7-
you'll be Disappointed lines
found herself stammering. "But not
for six weeks. l did not know whether
to order 1t or not"
And l IN Los Angeles with my sum-
mer sewing all done! What good will
1t do me them" The pretty eyes
looked ready for childish tears.
Il know. That is, i didn't know
what to do" a~pologized Innes Hardin.
Il decided to order Ii as I'd found the
place. and was right there, but / made
sure that I could countermand the or
der by telegram. SO / can this very
afternoon. I knew you would be dis
appointed. / was sorry"
"Iu need 1t next winter" admitted
Gerty, helping herself to some Of the
chilled tomatoes. "Tm sure I'm much
obliged to you. I hope it did not pat
you to much trouble"
Thee words raised the wall of Cor
mality again. Innes bent over her
plate.
What made you change your plans9'
suddenly demanded his wife of Hardin.
when Sam came in with your bag, he
surprised me so"
My boss kept me-" Hardin's face
looked coarse, roughened by his ugly
passion. "Rickard, your old friend.
He served a subpoena on me at the
station"
"oh," cried Gerty. Surely, he did
not do that. Toni"
"Sure he did" Hardin's face was
black with his evil mood. I'm only an
underling. a disgraced underling. He's
my boss. He's going to make me re-
member It,"
you mustn't say such things" pout-
ed his wife. "If it does not hurt you,
If you do not care, think how / must
feel"
"Oh. rotr" exclaimed Hardin. The
veneer was rubbed down to the rough
wood. lines saw the c-oarseness her
mother had complained of, the Gingg
fiber.
Il suppose you think I like to take
orders, TO jump at the snap of the
whipT He was deliberately beating
up his anger into a froth. "Oh, sure, /
do. That's a Hardin, through and
through"
Again the angry blood flooded his
wife's cheeks. He, too, was throwing
the boarding house at her.
"You md II yourself" Gerry with
difficulty was Withholding the angry
tears. n told you how II would be.
You would do It,"
-Oh. hell" cried Tom, pushing back
his plate.
His sister looked dreariiy nj the
wire-screened door. Her view was a
dusty street Hardin got up. scraping
his chair v the board floor.
"And to keep II from me-" persisted
the wife. ITO let me ask him to din
ner-"
Does that dismal farce have to go
onr' demanded Hardin. turning back
to the table. You'll have to have II
without me. then, I'll not stay and
make a fool Of myself. Ask him to
dinner. Mel I'll zee myself"
Innes wished she was In the neigh
boring tent. Tom was flashing himself
into a coarse fury.
To her dismay, Gerry burst into
tears II was killing her, the disgrace,
she cried She couldn't endure IL She
couldn't stand IL there; she had not
he courage TO 60 TO Los Angeles,
where her friends would pity her. 1t
was crushing her. She was not q Har-
din; she was sensitive: she could not
justify everything . Hardin did as
right. no matter what the consequences.
The pretty eyes obscured. she rushed, q
streaming Niobe. from the room.
The brother and sister avoided each
others eyea lines rose and cleared
the table Of the dishea She made a
load noise with the running water In
the shed. racketing the pans to drown
the insistence Of Gerty's sobbing.
She kept listening for Toms step.
She wanted to go with him when he
left; he must not reach the Office In
the blackness of that mood She
wished he would not betray his feel
ings; yet she knew It was not he who
was TO blame.
When she heard the screen door
slam. she flashed out the back way.