Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-03-28


4 half hour later. MacLcan saw his
chief leave his tent. He was in fresh
linens
81 wouldn't swap places With him
wet hcn!"
Mrs Hardin, from her bed by her
screen window. saw him coming. She
slipped into a seminegligee Of alter
nate rows of lace aud swiss construct
ed for such possible emergencies. She
did not make the mistake of smooth
ing her hair; her instinct told her
that the fluffy disorder bore out the
use of the negigee. She was sew
Ing in her ramada when Rlckard $
knock sounded on the screen door.
Despite his protests she started wa
ter boiling in her chatting dish. He
had not time for tea, he declared, but
she insisted on making this call of n
social nature. She opened a box Of
sugar WATERS, her zeal that of child
with a toy Kitchen; she was playing
dolls house.
Richard made several openings for
his erraud, but her wits sped like
gopher from his laborcd digging
She met his mood with womnnly dig
nifty; She tutorod her coquetries. with
held her archneSs.
He found he would have to discard
diplomacy. burt out his message; use
hludgeons for this scampering agility
MY mission Is little awkward
Mrs. Hardin. hope you will take it
all right, that You will not be of
Tended"
"Ofended?" Her face showed
alarm.
IT'S about Ling. He's a queer fel-
low; they all are, You know He
was laundering like schoolboy I'M
der the growing shadow in Gerty's
blue eyes. They resent authority
that Is, from women. He is tyrant,
Ling Is"
"Yos?' Al. she would not help HIM.
Let him founder.
"IIe wants 10 be let alone; he
doesn't appreciate your kind help,
Mrs. Hardin"
"Oh :" Her eyes were hot with
tears-angry tears She could not
speak or would not She sat in her
spoiled dolls house, all her pleasure
in her toy dishes, her pretty tinory,
ruined. He could not care if he could
humiiate her 50. 1t was the most
rfyid moment of her life. Not even
when Richard had left her. With his
kisses still warm on her lips, had She
felt so outraged. He was treating her
as though She were ii servant-dis
charging her-hecauSe she was the
wife Of Hardin. Her eyes grew black
with anger; she hated them both; be-
tween them. their jealousy, their ri
valry, what had they made of her life?
She remembered the woman She had
seen in his ramada; s9lc had heard
.'thct the Mexican was in camp, en-
ployed by Richard. Her thoughts We're
like swarming hornets.
He's an ungrateful beast, Mrs.
fIut'iiIi- l'iI nun L N'hiN NV ~
you waste your Kindness one instant
longer"
oh she understood. A bitter pleas.
IRE to see him so confused. Richard,
before whose superior appraiSement
she had 50 often wilted. She would
not help him out, never She rose
when he paused He thanked her for
meeting him half way, and her smile
was inscrutable,
$50 I'm discharGedY
"You can't be discharged If you've
| never been employed, can YOU? Thank
| YOU once again, and for your tea. Ii
was delicious. | wish Ling would give
US tea like that"
Boorish. all of II, and laundering
WHY wouldn't he 90? When he had
/ hurt her so. had hurt her so,
Her hand met his, hut not her eyes
If he did not go quickly somethin"
would happen; he would see her cry,
/ ing. The angels that guard blundererS
/ got Richard out of the tent without
| Il suspicion of threatening tears. she
| threw off her negligee and the pale
! blue slip: the tears must wait fol
/ that. Then she flung herself on hel
| bed and shook II with the grief OF
/ wounded vanity.
That evening the chief had viSi
/ tor. The wife of Maldonado. some OF
the fear pressed out of her eyes
/ brought IN his Numbered khakis
| socks, darned and matched all the
missing buttons replaced,
81 haven't worn "A matched sock
he told her, ''for months. That's great
| sonora"
| He wanted TO get 10 bed. but she lin
gered She wanted to talk to hin
| about her troubles; he had cautioned
her against talking about them il
! camp, so she overflowed to hin
whenever she found Il chance--abou
Maldonado, the children. Lupe. |
was getting wearying, bur he coult
i not shove the poor thing out. .l
Sonora MaldOnado gave a sharp in
take of breath, an aborted scream
Richard, too, saw Il mans figure out
side the screen door, The Mexican