The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-04-22


"He finds the tent stuffy." Gerty's
lips were prim with reserve. They
walked toward the river in silence. AS
they reached the encampment, Gerty
recovered her vivacity.
"That's Mr.. Richards Office, that
ramada. Isn't it quaint? And that's
his tent; no, the other one. MacLean's
is next; there's Junior, now"
But his eyes were too full Of Innes to
see Gerty's dimples. The difference In
the quality of his greetings smote Gerty
like a blow. And she had never con
sidered Toms sister attractive. as g
possible rival. Yet, after q handshake
she saw that to MacLean, Jr., she did
not exist.
Gerty was deeply piqued. Until now
the field had been hers. She might per
haps have to change her opinion OF
Toms sister. Boys, she had to coTr
cede, the younger men, might find hel
attractive, boyishly congenial; older
men would fail to see charml
The arrangement at table annoyed
Gerty. The boss, MacLean explained
gaily, would not be there for dinner
He might come In later. Two men from
the Reclamation Service tried to enter.
tain Mrs. Hardin.
1T isn't a battle" Innes looked
around the gay rectangle. "It's play!"
The thought followed her that eve
ming. Outside, where the moonlight
was silvering the deck, and the quiet
river Tapped the sides Of the dredge
Jose's strings, and his "amlgo's" throb-
bing from a dark corner, made the II.
lusior of peace convincing. This was
no battle. It was easy to believe her
self age.n at Mare island-the Delta .
cruiser.
Later. GerU passed her, tvo-step
ping divinely. Before her partner
turned his head, Innes recognized tn
stiff back and straight poised head and
dancing step Of Rickard. She admit.
ted he had distinction, grudgingly. She
could not think of him except compare.
lively; always antithetically, balanced
against her Tom.
'Pm tired; let's rest here" Innes
drew into the shadow of the great arm
Of the dredge. They watched the
dancers as they passed, MaeLean play
ing the woman in "Pete's" arms, Gerty
with Rickard, two other masculine cou.
pies. The Hardins were the only WON.
en- aboard.
1t was because Of Tom that 1nnes
felt resentment when the upiifted ap-
pealing chin, the lace ruffles fiuttered
by. Tom, lying outside an unfriendly
tent!
It was easy, in that uncertain light,
to avoid Richards glance Of recogni-
ton. Estrada, who had come aboard
with the manager, sought her out, and
then Crothers of the o. P. Again, she
saw Rickard dancing with the lingerie
gown. There seemed to be no attempt
to cover Gerty's preference; for Rick
ard, she was the only woman there
Because she was Toms sister, she had
q right to resent 1t, to refuse to meet
his eye. Small wonder Tom did not
come to the Delta!
Going in with MacLean, Jr., to the
messroom for a glass Of water, she met
Rickard, on his way out. She man
aged to avoid shaking hands with him.
She wondered why she had consented
to give him the next waltz.
"Hell not find me-" she determined.
MacLean followed her gladly to the
dark corner of the deck where's Jose's
guitar was then syncopating an accom-
paniment to his amigos" voice.
To her surprise, Rickard penetrated
her curtain Of shadows
"Our dance, Miss Hardin? Give US
'Sobr' Las Olas,' again, JOSE"
Thes hand that barely touched his
arm was stiff with antagonism. She
told herself that he had to dance with
her-politeness, conventionality, de-
manded it. But, instantly, she forgot
her resentment, and forgot their awk-
ward relation. 1t was his dancing, not
Gerty's, then, that was superb" Any
body could find skill under the leader
ship Of that Irresistible step. And then
the motion claimed her. She thought
Of nothing; they moved as one to the
liquid falling beat.
The music dropped them suddenly,
solating them at the stern Of the deck.
The silence was complete. Rickard
broke it to ask her what she thought q
the camp.
Her resentments we're recaAed. Slsa
biundered through her impression OF
The hghtness, the saysty.
"A work camp does not have 10 be
solemn. Youn md N ths IrtnDees
HM.yant T. yea look beneath tas 1pr-