Gilpin observer., 1919-06-05

and hoped that she was not putting
her hostess to any Inconvenience at
this last moment She wanted to
prolong the conversation-had the
guests all GOMEZ Were they really
goingf Then she must be getting old,
for a night like this dismayed her
Gerty felt her goodnight was rudely
abrupt. But was she to stand there
gabbling all night her guests wait
ing3
She prayed that Rickard would be
there when she returned. What a
travesty If the guest of honor should
disappoint heri Though he was not
among the different groups, her con-
fldence in his punctiliousness reas-
sured her. She must hold them lit
tie longer. She fitted gaily from one
standing group to another. Her eyes
constantly questioned the clock.
'How long are you going to wait
for Mrs. HatfieldY Her husband
came up. protesting.
"Mrs. Hatfield" she explained dis
tantly. 'is not coming. We are wait
ing for Mr.. Richard"
"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 yet time to call it OIL
"A pretty time to tell me" Had
he been looking at her, he would have
been left no illusions. Her blue eyes
flashed hate.
II did not know 1t until we got
here. There was message from Mac
Lean at the desk, waiting"
MacLean was not there. eitherl
1--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 mangled quotations. The white
slips went to the women; the green
bits Of pasteboard to the men. She
held 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 burst Of laughter, the COM
pany discovered then that the guest
Of honor was also absent. Mrs.
Hardin hurried them out to the wait
ing buggies.
Drearily, they drove down the fly
ing street. The wind was at their
backs, but 1t tore at their hats, pulled
at their tempers. Their eyes were
full of street dust.
A flash of light as they were leav-
ing town frightened the thick dust
clouds. "What was that?" cried Gerty.
She was ready for any calamity now.
Not lightning?" 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 was young Sutcliffe,
the English zanjero. He was in the
Qufcksand of comparison between
English and American women, Innes
mischievously coaxing him into deeper
waters, when there was a blockade
Of buggies ahead Of them.
''The A B G RANCH" cried Innes.
peering through the veil of dust at
the queer unreal outlines of fences
and trees. Its our first STOP"
"Oh, 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-
lied. Partners were trying to find
or lose each other. "Get in here !"
Innes heard the voice Of Estrada be-
hind her. He had top buggy. She
hailed a refuge.
"Splendid" she cried. "What a
reliefw Climbing in, she said: II
hope this isn't upsetting Gerty's ar
rangement."
Arrangement Look at them I"
The women were hastenfAg 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.
Lets go on. What are they stopping
for?" Dismal farce 1t all was!
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.
"Rickard" she thought. HE must
have come in q special" The gloom
suddenly disgorged MacLean.
"Hardinl Where is he7"
whats up2" yelled Blinn. els 1t
the riverT" MacLean's face answered
him. His ranch scoured aOain-"God