The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-03-21
CHAPTER x-contInued.


She didn't need to pierce those can
sas walls to know that there had
been feyerlsh activity for this dinner.
A new gown would appear tonight,
made secretly. An exquisite meal,
and no one must comment on IT'S elnb-
grafton. Twice Tom aud she had
been asked to take tfielr lunch at the
hotel because OF a headachel" A
headachel
Toms wife could not even shop
openly Bundles had always the air
Of mystery, never opened before Tom
or herself. She must have yards OF
STUFF laid away, kept for sudden emer-
gencies.
1She can't help II. It's her DISPOSE
sion. She can't help being secretlve.
Look at your face. Innes Hardlni"
What wns II to her, the pettlness OF
woman whom an accident OF life had
swept upon the beach beside her?
Herty was not her kind, not the sort
she would pick out for friend. She
was an oriental one OF the harem
women, whose business Il IN In life TO
please one man, 20 keep his home soft,
bis comforts ready, keep him con-
vineed, moreover. that II Is the desire
Of his life to support her. Herself dis
satisfied. often rebellIous, staying by
him for self-intercst. not for loye--ah
that was her impeachment. "Not low
ingi'
Soberly she covered her plain bras
siere with white waist OF cotton
ducklng. A red leather belt and Grim
@on tie she added self-consciously.
where Is my bloodstone pIn7"
Hadn't she spent an hour at least
matching that particular leather belt2
But he was man. In battle. The
headgate held up. It was too bad
Silent, Bodefeldt, Wooster, Grant, all
Of them fighting mad because OF the
deadlock at the Heading. All up In
arms, at Inst, against Marshall, be-
cause Of this cruel cut to their hero,
Hardin. Her eyes glowed like yellow
lamps as she recalled their fervid par
sisanship.
''Orly one man who can save the
valley. and that's Tom Hardin" woos-
ter had said Tint; but they all be-
neyed II. The loyalty OF the force
made her ashamed Of her soft woman
fears. For there were times when
she questioned her brothers ability.
Tie had large. loose way OF handling
things. He was too optimistic But
those men. those engineers must know,
II was probably the mans way of
sweeping ahead. ignoring detail The
verdict OF those fleld-trled men told
her that the other, the careful. plan
ming way, was the office method. Rick
ard is dlnner neighbor, she had
found interesting. but for great UNI
dertakings man who would let a
Gerty Holmes jIlt him. ruin his life
for hint The whole story sprang AT
hst clear from the dropped innuendos.
She adjusted barrette In her
smoothly brushed hair. Slowly she
walked over to the neighboring tent.
Gerty frOwned NJ the white duck.
-You might at least have worn your
bluep
you're elegant enough for the two
Of us. Isn't that something nswr'
Gerry said carelessly that she had
had Il for a long tune For she had
had the material hong timel II
wasn't necessary 20 explain to her
husbands sister chat Il had been
made up that week. She hoped that
she didn't look "fusssd up." Would
Mr. Richard think she was attaching
any importance to the simple little
visitf For Il was nothing to him, of
course. A man OF his standing. whom
the great Tod Marshall ranked SO
high, probably dlned out several times
each week, with white-capped maids
and eaadelabral II Tom had only
made the most OF his opportunities.
What gamble. life TO a woman
She made trip into her bedroom
and took a reassuriDg survey in her
mirror. The lingerie frock would look
simple TO man who would never
suspect II OF handmade duplleIty.
Her glass declared the hand-whipped
naedallions casual and elegant. And
long time ago. lifetime ago, Rick
ard had told her that she always
should wear blue, because OF her eyes.
Innes from the nsxt room could hear