The Elbert County tribune., 1919-03-07

ard was finding that Gerty's more ma
ture charms did not accelerate his
heart-beats, but they were certainly
fiattering to his early Judgment. And
he had expected her to be shockl.
He was staring into his plate of
chilled soup. Calf-lovel For he had
loved her, or at least he had loved her
chin, her pretty childish way of lifting
1t. She was prettier than he had pic
tured her. Queer that man like Har-
din could draw such women for sister
and wife-the blood tie was the most
amazing. For when women come to
marry, they make often a queer choice.
Il occurred to him that that might
have been Hardin-he had not wanted
to stare at them.
That was not Hardin's face. 1t held
strength and power. The outline was
| sharp and distinct, showing tile strong
lines, the determined mouth of the pio-
neer. There was something else, some
thing which stood for distinction-no,
1t couldn't be Hardin.
And then, because an outthrust lip
changed the entire look of the man,
Richard asked his table companions,
who was the man with the two ladies,
near the door.
THAT, suh," his neighbor from Ala
baIna became Immediately oratorisal.
that is big man, sub. If the I'm
perial valley ever becomes a reality, a
| fixtuah. it win be because of that one
man, sub. Reclamation Is like seed
ttaI,
it take root? win it grow? That is
what we all want to know"
Rickard thought that he had wanted
| to know something quite different, and
reminded the gentleman from Alabama
! that he had not told him the name.
"The father of this valley, of the
reclamation of this desert. Thomas
Hardin. suh."
Richard tried to reset, without at
tracing their attention, the group of
his Impressions of the man whose per-
sonality had been so obnoxious to him
in the old Lawrence days. The Hardin
he had known had also large features,
but of the fiaccid irritating order. He
summoned a picture of Hardin as he
had shuflled mo his own classroom, or
up to the long table where Gerty had
always queened it among her mothers
boarders. He could see the rough un-
polished boots that had always Offend
ed him as betrayal of the mans in
ner coarseness; the badly fitting coat,
the long awkward arms, and the satis-
fled, loud-speaking mouth. These fea-
lures were more definite. Could time
bring these changes? Had he changed.
like that? Had they seen him? Would
Gerty, would Hardin remember him?
Wasn't it his place to make himself
known; wave the flag of old friendship
over an awkward situation?
He found himself standing in front
of their table, encountering first, the
eyes of Hardin's sister. There was no
surprise, no welcome there for him. He
felt at once the hostility of the camp.
His face was uncomfortably warm.
Then the childish profile turned on him.
A look of bewilderment. flushing into
greeting-the years had been kind to
Gerty Holmes,
DO you remember me, Rickard?
If Hardin recognized a difficult situa-
tion, he did not betray it. 1t was
man Rickard did not know who shook
MIN warmly by the hand. and said that
indeed he had not forgotten him.
I've been expecting you. My wife,
Mr.. Richard, and my sister.1
'Why, what are you thinking of,
Tom? To introduce Mr.. Rickardl 1
introducedsy yv to each other. years
ago !" Gerty's cheeks were red. Her
bright eyes were darting from one to
the other. you knew he was coming
and did not tell meY'
you were at the Improvement club
when the telegram came" put in Innes
Hardin, without looking at Rickard. No
trace of the Tucson cordiality in that
proud little facei No Acknowledgement
that they had .met at the MarshalI's,
'Oh, you telegraphed to us?" The
blond arch smile had not aged. "That
was friendly and nice"
Rickard had not been self-consclous
for many year. He did not know
what to say. He turned from her up-
turned, face to the others. Innes Har-
din was staring out of the window,
over the heads of several crowded
tables; Hardin was gazing at his plate.
Richard decided that he would get out
of this bef-re Gerty discovered that it
was neither friendly nor NICE
IF had known that you were here,
would have insisted on your dining
with US, In our tent. For it's terrible.