Gilpin observer., 1919-05-08

l
ard was finding that Gerty's more ma
ture charms did not accelerate his
heart-beats, but they were certainly
flattering to his early judgment. And
he had expected her to be shock!
He was staring into his plate of
chilled soup. Calf-love! 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 queer choice.
1t 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 the strong
lines, the determined mouth of the pio-
neer. There was something else. some
thing which stood for distinction-no,
it 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
bama became Immediately oratorisal,
that is big man, sub. II the I'M
perial valley ever becomes a reality, a
fxtuah, 1t will be because Of that one
man, sub. Reclamation Is like a seed
thrown on rock. Will it stick7 viii
it take root? viii it grow2 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 flaccid Irritating order. He
summoned a picture of Hardin as he
had shuflled into his own classroom, or
up to the long table where Gerty had
always queened it among her mothers
boardeIs. He could see the rough un-
polished boots that had always offend
ed him as a betrayal of the mans in
ner coarseness; the badly fitting coat,
the long awkward arms and the salts
fed, 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 1t 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 difficult situa-
tion, he did not betray 1t. 1t was n
man Rlckard did not know who shook
MIN warmly by the hand, and said that
indeed he. had not forgotten him.
'Pve been expecting you. My wife,
Mr.. Rickard, and my sister,"
"Why, what are you thinking of,
Tom? To introduce Mr.. Rickard! 1
introduced you 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 me?
"You were Mt the Improvement club
when the telegram came" put In Innes
Hardin. without looking Mt Rickard. No
trace of the Tucson cordlality In that
proud little face! No acknowledgment
that they had met at the Marshall's!
'Oh, you telegraphed to us7" The
| blond arch smile had not aged. "That
was friendly and nice"
Rickard had not been self-conscious
| for many a 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 before Gerty discovered that 1t
was neither friendly nor nice"
III l had known that you were here,
would have insisted on your dining
with us. In our tent. For It's terrible,