The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-03
(CondnuedJ

chief leave his tent. He was in fresh linens.
 1T wouldn't swap places with him this minute! She'll be as mad as q wet hen!"
 Mrs. Hardin, from her bed by her screen window, saw him coming. She slipped into a semineglgee of alter nate rows of lace and swiss construct ed for such possible emergencies. She didsnot 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 chafing dish. He had not time for tea, he declared, but she insisted on making this call of social nature. She opened box of sugar waters, her zeal. that of a child with a 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, blurt out his message; use bludgeons for this scampering agility. My mission Is a little awkward, Mrs. Hardin. l hope you will take if all right. that you will not be of tended"
 "ofendedT' Her face showed alarm.
 'It's about Ling, He's a queer feI- low; they all are, you know" He was blundering like a schoolboy un- der the growing shadow in Gerty'5 blue eyes. "They resent authority that is, from women. He Is a tyrant, Ling is."
 "Yesf" An, she would not help him. Let him flounderl
 "Hs wants to be let alone; he doesn't appreciate your kind help, Mrs. EardIn-''
 "Oh!". Her eyes were hot with tenrs-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 hEery. ruined. He could not care if he could humillate her SC. It was the most vivid moment of her life Not even when Rsc&ard had left her, with his kisses stuu warm on her lips, had she felt SC outraged. He was treating her as though she were a servaut-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, em- ployed by Riclard. Her thoughts were like swarming hornets.
 He's m ungrnteful beast, Mrs Q Hardin. I told him l would not let you waste your kindness one instant longer"
 Oh, she understood! A bitter pleas ure to see him so confused. Rlckard, before whose superior appraisement she had so often wilted! She would not help him out, neverl She rose when he paused. He thanked her for meeting him half way, and her smile was inscrutable.
 "So Pm discharEedY'
 You can't be discharged if you've never been employed, can you? Thank you once again, and for your tea. It was delicious. l wish Ling would give us tea like that"
 Boorish, all of it, and bIundering Why wouldn't he go? When he had hurt her SO had hurt her sol
 Her hand met his, but not her eyes. If he did not go quickly something would happen he would see her cry ing. The angels that guard blunderers got Rlckard out of the tent without a suspicion of threatening tears. She threw off her negligee and the pale blue slip; the tears must wait for that Then she flung herself on her bed and shook it with the grief of wounded vanity.
 That evening the chief had a visi tor. The wife of Maldouado, some o1 the fear pressed out of her eyes brought in his laundered khakis socks, darned and matched; all the missing buttons replaced.
 T haven't worn a matched sock, : he told her, flor months. That's great senora."
 He wanted to get to bed. but she lin Eered. She wanted to talk to htH about her troubles; he had cautioned her against talking about them il camp, so she overf1owed to hin whenever she found a chance-abOu Maldonado, the children, Lupe. I was getting wearying, but he coulC not shove the poor thing out.
 senora Maldonado gave a sharp in take of breath. an aborted scream Rickard, too, saw mans figure out side the screen door. The Mexican women pressed a frightened hand tC her heart. Of, course it was the venge f1iI MaldonadO-he would kill her
 If I am intruding." It was tht voice of Hardin.
 f"Come right in," welcomed Rickard sGet along, senora." The Maldonadt slipped out into the night, her hant stfIl against her heart.
 Hardin q roil of ns-- under hi'