The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-07-12

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dust-laden wind in her face? She de-
cided to wait for the dawn. A snatched
sleep first, but who would call herF
She would sleep for hours, so weary
every muscle. Her mind fixed on Sam
as the only man in town who had
time to saddle a horse for woman.
| She went in search of him. she
found that the long adobe office build
ing had already taken on the look OF
defeat, of ruin. The easements had
been torn from the partitions; the
doors and windows were out. The fur-
niture had been hauled up to high
ground farther away for safety. She
went hunting through the ghoulish
gloom for the darby, turning her Ian
tern in every dark corner. She knew
4 that she would find him sleeping.
Then she heard steps on the veranda.
She ran toward them, expecting to see
Sam. She swung her lantern full on
two figures mounting the shallow
steps. Richard was with her sister
in-law.
"Oh. excuse mer' she blurted blum
deringly. OF course Gerty would take
a wrong intention from the stupid
words!
The blue eyes met those Of lines
with defiance. 1t was as though she
had spoken: "Well, think what you
will of it, you Hardins! l don't care
what you think of me-"
What indeed did she think of it?
Why should she feel like the culprit
before these two, her words desert
ing her? 1t was Gerty's look that
made her feel guilty, as though she
had been SPYING To meet them to-
getber, here at Ieldnight, why should
not they feel as lined? She had done
nothing wrong. And Tom down yon-
der fighting-and they make his alb
sence a cover for their rendezvous.
I'm looking for SAM The effort
behind the words turned them into an
oratorical challenge.
$50 are we. l want to send him
home with Mrs. Hardin. She's worn
out"
"She can 60 home with me. l am go
ing directly. AS soon as l give mes
sage to Sam" She instantly regretted
her words. abruptly hating. 1t came
to her that Richard would insist upon
delivering her message. OF course, he
would oppose her going. Some petty
reason or other. She knew from the
men that he was oppositional. that ne
liked to show his power. Not safe, he
would say, or the horse was needed
or Sam too busy to wait on her!
"You cannot go home alone. you
two. The town is full of strange In
dams. Give me your lantern, Miss
Hardin; I'll rout out that darby"
RebelliousIy sne gave him the Ian
tern. The light turned full on her
averted angry eyes.
A naughty Thusnelda followed him
Sam was discovered asleep in the
only room where the windows had not
yet been attacked. His head rested or
a bundle of Sucked trees which the
ladies of he~ImprOvement club hat
/ planned to plant the next day. DeeI
e SHORES betrayed his refuge.
e "Here, Saml / want you to take
J these ladies home. Chase yourself
e They've been working while you've
e slept. l thought you'd have all these
] windows out by now"
Gerty had to supply the courtesy fol
two. She told Mr.. Richard in her ap
pealing way that he had been very
: kind; that she ''would have beer
frightened TO death to go home alone
Innes had to say something! Good
/. night 2" The words had an insulting
; ring.
The wind covered a passionate 81
a lence, as the two women, followed by
!, Sam, yawning and stretching, made
, their way down the shrieking street
O 1T was true" Innes was thinking. Sh'
O had at last stumbled on the rout, bu
il was not a matter of personal, bu
. moral untidiness; not a carelessnes.
= of pins or plates. of tapes or dishes. L
q was far worse; slackness of ethics
1t meant more unhappiness for Tom.
" HluSCiCS
A she could not have slept four hours
9 when the darky was back, knocking a
her door.
- lines horse Hoped through tn
c silent streets.
Il "Tll run past the levee; perhaps
f Tom has come back" 1t occurred t
n her that there might be message a
I the hotel. She pulled on her left rein
s and swept past the deserted adobe.
e As she refined in her horse, Rickar'
stepped out on the sidewalk. He, toe
was heavy-eyed from a snatched nap.
[. "Were you looking for meT
The scorn in the girls face told hin
(. that his question was stupid. Flo
IS him.
"Has my brother come backT"
Z He said he did not know. You ca
v see have been dreamingw She wOul