The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-08-08

| fly today as it scared yesterday? Rick.
ard was finding that Gerty's more ma
t,lre charms did not accelerate his
heart-beats. but they were certainly
t1attering to his early Judgment. And
he had expected her to be a shock!
He was staring into his plate of
chilled soup. Calf-love. For he had
loved her, or at least he had loved her
chin. her pretty childish way Of lifting
! ii. She was prettier than he had pic.
tured her. Queer that a man like HAIR
| 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.
1t occurred to him that that might
have been Hardin-he had not wanted
to stare ut them.
That was not Hardin's face. 1t held
strength and power. The outline was
sharp and distinct. showing the strong
lines. the determined mouth Of the pio-
neer. There was something else, some
| thing which stood for dis,inction-no,
it couldn't he Hardin.
And then. because an OutthruSt lin
| changed the entire look OF the man,
Richard asked his table companions.
who was the man with the two ladies,
near the door.
THAT. sub" his neighhor from Ala
hama became Immediately oratorical
that is big man. sub. II the I'm.
perial valley ever becomes reality. q
tixtuah. it will be because Of that one
man. sub. Reclamation is like a seed
thrown on a rock. Will it stick? Will
it take root? Will it grow? 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.
THE father of this valley, OF the
reclamation OF this desert, Thomas
Hardin, subj"
Kickard tried to reset. without at
tracing their attention. the group of
his impressions of the man whose per-
>onAlity had been so obnoxious to him
in the old Lawrence days. The Hardin
he had known had also large features.
but Of the tlaccid irritating order He
summoned a picture OF Hardin as he
had shut,ied into his own classroom. or
up to the long table where Gerty had
always Queened it among her mothers
boarderS. He could see the rough I'M
polished boots that had always offend.
ed him rs a betrayal Of the mans in.
ner coarseneSs: the badly fitting coat
the long awkward arms. and the salts
fled. loui-speaaiag mouth. These fea-
lures We're more definite. Could time
bring these changes? Had ne changed.
like that: Had they seen him? Would
Gerry. would Hardin remember him?
Wasn't il 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 no
surprise, no welcome there for him. He
felt at once the hostility Of the camp.
His face was uncomfortable warm.
Then the childish profile turned on him.
4 lool; OF bewiderment, flushing into
sreeting-the years had been kind to
Gerty Holmes.
"Do you remember me, Rickard?"
If Hardin recognized difficult situa-
ton. he did not betray it. 1t was a
man Richard did not know who shook
MIN warmly by the hand. and said that
indeed he had not forgotten him.
"Ive been expecting you. My wife,
Mr.. Richard. and my sister,"
why, what are you thinking OF.
Tom? To introduce Mr.. Richard, l
introduced YOU to each other. years
ago." Gerty'S cheeks We're red. Her
bright eyes were darling from one to
the other. "You knew he was coming,
and did not tell meg"
You We're at the Improvement club
when the telegram came put in Innes
Hardin. without looking at Richard No
trace of the Tucson cOrdiality in that
proud little face. No acknowledgment
that they had met at the Marshall'S.
'Oh. you teleg-aphed to u.s." The
blond arch smile had not aged. THAT
was friendly and nic..'
Richard had not been self-conscious
for many a year. He did no. know
| what to say. He turned from her up
turned face to the others. Inncs 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 before Gerty discovered that it
was neither friendly nor NICE"
If had known that you were here.
I would have insisted on your dining
With ~ IN our tent For it's terrible,