The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-05-22

her hostess TO aay Inconvenience al
tvs last moment She wanted TO
prolong the eouversatlo1-had the
guests al cornef Were they really
going, Thea she nus; be getting old.
for a night Ike this dIsuayed heri
Gerty felt her good-ulght vas rudely
abrupt But Vas she TO stand there
szbbIIng al night. her guests wait
Irg1
She prayed that Richard would be
there when she returned What q
trzvesty II the guest Of honor should
dissppoint heri Though he was not
among the diferent groups. her con-
fdence In his punctiIiousness reas-
sured her. She must hold them a 1T
tie longer. She fitted gaily from one
standing group 10 another. Her eyes
constantly questioned the clock.
How long are you going TO wait
for Mrs Hatfe,dT Her husband
came up. protesting
Mrs. hatfeld.- she explained dis
tantIy. sis not coming. We are wait
Ing for Mr.. Rickard-"
He didn't come In on that train:
he's at the Heading Hardin added
something about trouble at the intake.
but Gerty did not heed Tom had
known and had not told her when
there was Jet time to call It OIL
"A pretty time to tell mel" Had
he been looking at her, be would have
been left no illusions. Her blue eyes
flashed hate.
Il did not know Il until we got
tere- There was a message from Mac
Lean at the desk. waiting
MacLean was not there, either,
we are all ready" she cried
Mrs. Hatfield and Mr.. Rickard cannot
come" Not for worlds would she give
In to her desire to call the whole
grim affair of; let them think she
was disappointed. not she. Though
the world blew away. she would 60.
She found herself distributing slips
Of mangied quotations The white
slips went to the women; the green
bits Of pasteboard to the men. She
held q certain green card In her
glove: Leads on to fortune" Rick
ard might come dashing In at the last
moment. the ideal mans way; a spe-
cial. perhaps; 1t did not seem credible
that he would deliberately stay away
without sending her word.
In a burst Of laughter. the COM
pany discovered then that the guest
OF honor was also absent. Mrs.
Hardin hurried them cut to the walt.
ing buggies.
Drearily. they drove down the n.y.
ing street. The wind was at their
backs, but II tore at their hats, pulled
at their tempers. Their eyes were
full Of street dust.
A fash Of light as they were leav-
Ing town frightened the thick dust
clouds. what was thatr' cried Gerty.
She was ready for any calamity now.
"Not nghtningr Again, the queer
light flashed across the obscured sky.
Tom reused himself to growl that he
hadn't seen anything. And the dreary
farce went on.
Innes partner wns young Sutcll6e.
the English xanjero. He was In the
quicksand Of q comparison between
English and American women, Innes
mischievously coaxing him Into deeper
waters, when there was q blockade
OF buggies ahead Of them.
'The A B @ ranch" cried Innes,
peering through the veil Of dust at
the queer unreal outlines of fences
and trees. Its our first stop"
"Oh. I say. that's too bad" began
Sutcliffe. Innes was already on the
road, her skirts whipped by the wind
Into clinging drapery.
Gerty's party found itself disorgan-
tied. Partners we're trying to find
or lose each other. "Get In here !"
Innes heard the voice of Estrada be-
hind her. Ee had top buggy. She
hailed refuge.
"Splendidr" she cried. "what a
relief" Climbing In, she said: II
hope this isn't upsettlng Gerty's ar
rangement."
Arrangement Look at them I"
The women were Fastening out Of the
dust swirl into any haven that Of
fered. With little screams OF dismay,
they ran like rabbits to cover.
Gerty found herself with Blinn. At
the next stop there was a block of
buggies. mo use changing again !"
She acknowledged herself beaten.
Let's 60 on. What are they stopping
forT Dismal farce It all wasi
She was pushing back her disheart.
ened curls when the beat Of horses
hoofs back Of them brought the blood
back into her wind-chilled cheeks.
"RickardI" she thought. "He must
have come In a special" The gloom
suddenly disgorged MacLean.
"Hardlnl Where is he7"
"What's upr yelled Blinn. Els Il
the riverT MacLean's face answered
him. His ranch secured agaIn-'God
Almighty
THE river" screamed the women.