The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-05-15

ler OOSteSS 10 any iuCOusCiuChSc a.
this last moment. She wanted to
prolong the conversation-had the
guests all come? Were they really
going? Then she must be getting old,
for a night like this dismsyed hevi
Gerty felt her goodnight was rudely
abrupt. But was she to stand there
Cabling oil night, her guests wait
ing7
She prayed that Richard would be
there when she returned What a
travesty II the guest Of honor should
disappoint herl Though he was not
amoDg the different groups, her con-
idence In his punctliousness a
sured her. She must hold them a lit
tie longer. She fitted gaily from n
standing group to another. Her eyes
constantly questioned the clock.
slow long -dfe yon going TO wait
for Mrs. Hatield2" Her husband
came up, protesting.
MRS. Hatfield" she explained dis
family, sis 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 1t OIL
"A pretty time to tell met" Had
he been looking at her, he would have
haaR Iafk M flIn1fnAS Har hlnn nVpS
flashed hate.
Il did not know II until we got
here. There was a message from Mac
Lean at the desk, waiting"
MacLean was not there, either!
"We are all ready" she cried,
"Mrs. Hatfield and Mr.. Richard cannot
come" Not for worlds would she give
In to her desire to call the whole
grim affair off let them think she
was disappointed, not she. Though
the world blew away, she would go.
She found herself distributing slips
Of mangied quotations. The white
slips went to the women; the green
bits of p~asteboard TO the men. She
held a 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 a 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 vas young Sutcliffe.
the English zanjero. He was in the
~quicksand Of a comparison between
English and American women, Innes
mi~schievously coaxing him into deeper
waters, when there was a blockade
of buggies ahead Of them.
'SThe A b @ ranch" cried lines,
peering through the veil of dust at
the queer unreal outlines Of fences
and trees. ITS our first STOP"
"Oh, 1 say. that's too bad" began
Sutclife. 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 a top buggy. She
hailed a refuge.
Splendid" she cried. what a
relief" Climbing in, she said: II
hope this isn't upsetting Gerty,s ar
rangement-"
Arrangement Look at them r
The women were Fastening out Of the
dust swirl into any haven that Of
fered. With little screams OF dismay,
they ran like rabbits to cover.
Gerry found herself with Blinn- At
the next stop there was q block of
buggies- mo use changing again -
She acknowledged herself beaten.
Lets go on What are they stopping
forr' Dismal farce II all wasI
She was pushing back her disheart-
ened curis when the beat Of horses
hoofs back OF them brought the blood
back into her wind-chiIled cheeks.
@Rickardi" she thought. He must
have como In q special" The gloom
suddenly disgorged MacLean.
"Hardini Where is her
"What's upr' yelled Blinn. "Ts 1t
the river7" NacLean's face answered
him. His ranch secured again--God
Almighty!
The rfveri" screamed the women.
The men were surrounding AacLean,
whose horse was prancing as II with
the importance Of having carried q
Revere. The levee~ called Mac
Lean. ~where's HardinY' He spurred
a 49, $3.50