Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-04-04
CHAPTER VIE.
Under the Veneer.

had been partitiOned with rough red
wood boards into a bed chamber on
the right, combination dining room
and ''parlor" on the left. Her glance
Immediately segregated the three
stalks of pink geraniums in the center
of the Mexican drawn-wOrlll cloth that
covered the table. Gerty, herself, in
fresh pink Bingham frOck, was dancing
around the table to the tune of forks
and spoons. 1t was just like Gerty to
dress up to her setting, even though it
were only a pitiful water-starved hOu-
quet. She had often tried to analyZe
her SiSter-in-law'S hold ON her brother;
certainly they were not happy. Was it
because she made him comfortable?
Was it the little air of formality, or
mystery, which she drew around her?
Her rooms VIXEN Innes was allowed to
enter them were always fiawless;
Gerry took deep pride in her house
keeping. Why was it, Innes wondered,
that she could never shake off her sus-
picion of an underlying untidiness?
There was always closed door on
Gerty's processes.
"May I help?" The sun was still
following the room to her.
"Hello!" Hardin looked up from
the couch where he was lying. Innes
suspected it of being a frequent re-
treat. She had found it tumbled once
when she ran over early. 1t was then
that Gerty made it understood that she
liked more formality. Innes was rare
ly in that tent except for meals now,
or during her alternating week of
house chores.
Il was afraid I was late" said the
girl.
Lunch will be ready in a few min
utes," announced Gerty Hardin. won't
you sit down? There's the new Jour-
nal. Sam came to clean this morning,
and l couldn't get to the lunch until
an hour ago.
Innes, settling herself by the reading
table, caught herself observing that it
would not have taken her an hour to
get Il cold lunch. Still, it would never
look so inviting! If Gerty's domestic
machinery was complicated and pri-
vate, the results always were admir-
able. The early tomatoes were peeled
as well as Sliced and were lying On
bed of cracked ice. The ripe black
olives were resting in a lake of Cali
forna olive oil. A bowl of crisp let
tuce had been iced and carefully dried.
The bread was cut in precise triangles;
the butter had been shaved into for
eign-loOking roses. A pitcher of the
valleys favorite beverage, iced tea,
stood by Hardins plate. There was
platter Of cold meats.
1t came home to Innes for the hun
meal in that desert. A few years ago,
and what had meal been? She threw
the credit of the little lunch to sulky
Tom Hardin lying on the portiere-cOv-
cred couch, his ugly lower lip out
thrust against an unsmiling vision. 1t
was Tom, Tom and his brave men, the
sturdy engineers, the dauntleSs sur
veyors, the Indians who had dug the
canals, those were the ones who had
spread that pretty table, not the buxom
little woman darting about in pink
gingham.
SIS it because I don't like herr" she
unused, her eyes on the pictures in the
style book which had just come in that
| morning. Certainly Gerty did have the
patience of saint with Toms hui
| mors. If she would only lose that set
| look of martyrdom 1t was not for an
outsider to judge between husband
and wife, even if the man were her
| own brother. She could not put her
finger on the germ of their painful
scenes; she shrank from the recollec
| ton of Toms temper; his coarse
streak, the Gingg fiber, her own mother
called it. Tom was rough, but she
| loved him. Why was it she was sure
| that Gerty did not love her husband?
Yet there was the distrust, as fixed
| and as unjust perhaps as the suspicion
| of Gerty's little mysteries.
| She said aloud: "This is your last
day. My week begins tomorrow"
Mrs Hardin adjusted a precise nap
kin before she spoke.
| 81 think l will keep the reins for a
month this time" Her words were re-.
Elective, as though the thought were
new. 81 get my hand in just as I stop.
I will be running out for my visit in
few weeks. 1t will be only fair for me
to do it as long as cam.
Again the girl had sense of subtle
ty. Whenever Gerty put on that air OF
childish confidential deliberatiOn, she
hunted for the plot. This was not far
| to seek. Her sister-in-law was passing
out the hot season to her.
| Its all ready" Gerty's glance was
winging, birdlike, over the table. Moth
ing had been forgotten. She gave a
| little sigh of elastic satisfaction. Har-
din misinterpreted it.
! II ought to be able to keep sery-