The Ordway new era., 1919-06-20

/
ing.
A shadow fell on the pine desk.
Ling In blue ticking shirt and white
butcher apron. waited for the "boss'
to look up. He stood wiping the per-
spiration from his head. hairless ex-
cept for the long silk-tapered queue.
"well, Ling?"
| 'T go tamale." His voice was soft
as silk. II no stay"
It was a thunderclap. There was
no one to replace Ling, who was
drawing down the salary of private
secretary. Lose Ling? 1t would be
more demoralizing to the camp than
to lose an engineer.
money all lite. Bossee all lite. No
lIkee woman. Woman she stay, Ling
CO."
Mrs. Hardinr' RIckard woke up.
"She all time makee trouble. She
clazy. She think woman vellee fine
cook. She show Ling cookee plunes.
Teachee Ling cookee plunes! I no
stay that woman" Unutterable final
ity in the leathern face. Rickard and
MacLean, Jr., exchanged glances
which deepened from concern into
perplexity. They could not afford to
lose Ling. And offend Mrs. Hardin.
the camp already Hardinesque?
Rickard grew placating. He spent
half hour wheedling. They met at
the starting place. "Ling go tamale."
"oh, Lord" groaned the manager.
captivating. "All right. Ling"
With the dignity of an oriental
prince. Ling pattered out of the tent,
Rickard was puckerIng his lips at his
secretary. I'D rather take castor
OIL"
A half hour later. MacLean saw his
chief leave his tent. He was in fresh
linens.
II wouldn't swap places with him
this minute! She'll be as mad as a
wet henl"
Mrs. Hardin, from her bed by her
screen window, saw him coming. She
slipped into n seminegligee Of alter
nate rows of lace and 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 negligee. She was sew
ing In her ramada when Richards
knock sounded on the screen door.
Despite his protests she started wa
ter boiling In her chnfing dish. He
had not time for ten. he declared, but
she insisted on making this call of
social nature. She opened box Of
sugar waters, her zeal that of child
with n toy kitchen; she was playing
dolls house.
Rlckard made several openings for
his errand, but her wits sped like
a gopher from his labored digging.
She met his mood with womanly dig
nifty; she tutored her coquetries. with
held her archness.
| He found he would have to discard
diplomacy, bIurt out his message; use
bludgeons for this scamperlng agility.
my mission is little awkward.
Mrs. Hardin. hope you will take It
all right. that you will not be Of
Tended"
"oTended" Her face showed
alarm.
Its about Ling. He's queer fel-
low; they all are, you know" He
was laundering like a schoolbOy un-
der the growing shadow in Gerty's
blue eyes. "They resent authority
that Is. from women. He is q tyrant,
Ling Isl
"Yes" All. she would not help him.
Let him founder
"He wants to 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 finery,
ruined. He could not care If he could
humiliate her so. 1t was the most
vivid moment of her life. Not even
when Rickard had left her, with his
kisses still warm on her lips, had She
felt so outraged. He was treating her
as though she were servant-dis-
charging her-because 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; she had heard
that the Mexican was in camp. EN-
ployed by Richard. Her thoughts were
like swarming hornets.
Hes an ungrateful beast, Mrs
Hardin. told him / would not lei
/, you waste your kindness one instant
p longer"
Oh, she understood A bitter pleas
, ure to see him so confused. Rickard
+ before whose superior appraisemen
, she had so often wlltedl She woult
q not help him out, never! She ros'
o when he paused. He thanked her TO
e meeting him half way. and her smil,
: vas inscrutable.
&C. Y,,,, ,1i.oha