The Raymer enterprise., 1919-07-03

~ s"'"y "S ~ S""iSu ySStctuny kiNA
ard was finding that Gerty's more ma
ture charns did not accelerate his
heart-beats, but they were certainly
fiatterlng to his early judgment. And
he had expected her to be shock!
He wns staring into his plate ol
chilled soup. Calf-love! For he had
loved her. or at least he had loved her
chin, her pretty childish way of lifting
1t. She was prettier than he had pic
tured her. Queer that man like Har,
din could draw such women for sister
and wIfe-the blood tie was the most
amazing. For when women come to
marry, they make often a queer choice
II occurred to him that that might
have been Hardln-he had not wanted
to stare at them.
That was not Hardn's face. II held
strength and power. The outline was
sharp and distinct. showing the strong
lines, the determined mouth Of the plo-
neer. There was something else. some.
thing which stood for dlstlnctIon--no,
1t couldn't be Hardin.
And then, because an outthrust lip
changed the entire look Of the man,
Richard asked his table companions,
who was the man with the two ladies',
near the door.
"That, suh,' his nelghbor from Ala
bnma became Immediately oratorisal,
"that is a big man, sub. II the I'M
perlal valley ever becomes reality. a
fixtuah, II win be because Of that one
man, sub. Reclamation Is like a seed
thrown on rock. VIII 1t stick? VIII
1t take root? VIII 1t growi That is
what We all want to know"
Richard thought that he had wanted
to know something quite different. and
reminded the gentleman from Alabama
that he had not told him the name.
"'fhe father OF this valley, Of the
reclamation of this desert. Thomas
Hardin, sub"
Rlckard tried TO reset, without at.
tracing their attention, the group OF
his impressions OF the man whose per
sonality hnd been so obnoxious to him
In the old Lawrence days. The Hardin
he had known had also large features
but of the flaceid Irritating order. lie
summoned picture of Hardin as he
had shuflled into his own classroom, OF
up to the long table where Gerty had
always queened 1t among her mothers
boarders. lie could see the rough un.
polished boots that had always offend
ed him as a betrayal OF the mans In.
ner coarseneSs; the badly fitting coat
the long awkward arms. and the salts
fed, loud-speaking mouth. These fea-
lures Were more definite. Could time
bring these changes? Had he changed
Ike that? Had they seen him? Would
Gerty, would Hardin remember him
Wasn't 1t his place to make himself
known; wave the flag Of old friendship
over an awkward situation?
He found himself standing In front
OF their table, encountering first, the
eyes of Hardin's sister. There was nc
surprise. no welcome there for him. He
felt at once the hostility Of the camp
His face was uncomfortably warm
Then the childish profile turned on him
A look of bewilderment, flushing into
greeting-the years had been kind tC
Gerty Holmes,
DO you remember me, Rickard?"
II Hardin recognized a difficult situa
tion, he did not betray ii. 1t was q
man Rickard did not know who SHOOK
MIN warmly by the hand. and said tina,
indeed he had not forgotten him.
"Gye been expecting you. My wife
Mr.. Rickard, and my sister,"
why, what are you thinking Of
Tom? To introduce Mr.. Rickard!
introduced you to each other, years
ago!" Gerty's cheeks were red. Her
bright eyes were darting from one to
the other. "You knew he was coming
and did not tell me?"
"You were at the Improvement club
when the telegram came," put In Innes
Hardin. without looking at Rickard. No
trace Of the Tucson cordiality In that
proud little face! No acknowledgment
that they had met at the Marshall's!
"0h, you telegraphed to usi" The
blond arch smile had not aged. THAT
was friendly aud nice
Richard had not been self-conscious
for many year. He did not know
what to say. He turned from her up
turned face to the others. Innes Har.
din was staring out of the window,
over the heads of several crowded
tables; Hardin was gazing at his plate.
Richard decided that he would get out
of this hef-re Gerty discovered that II
was neither friendly nor nice.'
''If had known that you were here,
I would have insisted on your dining
with US, In our tent. For It's terrible.