Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-02-21
CHAPTER v.
A Game of Checkers.

The uneasy mood of the desert. the
Tind-blown sand, drove people indoors
the next morning. Rickard was served
substantial, indifferently cooked
breakfast in the dining room of the
Desert hotel, whose limitations were
as conspicuous to the newcomer as
they were nonexistent . to the other
men. They were finding it a soft con-
trast TO sand-blown tents, to life in the
| open.
Later he wandered through the
group of staring idlers in the office.
past the popular soda stand and the
few chaif-tilters on the sidewalk, 60
ing on, as if without purpose, to the
railroad sheds, and then on, down to
the offices of the Desert Reclamation
company. He discovered it to be the
one engaging spot in the hastily
thrown-together town. There were
oleanders, rose and white, blooming in
the patch of purple blooming alfalfa
that stood for lawn. Morning-glories
clambered over the supports of the
veranda, and on over the roof. Rick
ards deductions led him to the Har-
dins.
What school of experience had so
changed the awkward cIIntry fellow
BE had resented his riYsiry not that
he was rival, but thp, he was a boor
His kisses still waTY1 on her lips. and
she had turned u welcome, to coquet
with Tom Hardinl The woman who
was to be his wife must be steadier
than that 1t had cooled his fever
Not for him the aspen who coulc
shake and bend her pretty boughs tc
each rough breeze that blew!
Men tossed into a desert, fighting tC
keep a foothold, do not garland theil
offices with morning-glories Was il
the gracious quiet influence of wife
q Gerty Hardin? The festive build
ing he was approaching was as unex
pected-as Captain BrandOnl RickarC
walked on, smiling.
He was fairly blown into the QUITE
room, the door banging behind him
Every one looked up at the noisy inter
ruption. There were several men il
the long room. Among them two alert
clean-faced youths, college graduates
or students out on furlough, the kin,
of stuff in his class at Lawrence. Thre
of the seasoned, road-coached typ
were leaning their chairs against tn
cool thick walls. One was putting a
q cigar. The other, a big, shy giant
was drawing clouds of comfort from
, | nj TIhnrn NUo fol nh
at work in one end of the room. ne
instrument rapidly clicking. In an OF
/, kposite corner was a telephone e2
change. A girl with a metal ban
around her forehead was punchin
connections between the valley town
Richard lost the feeling of havin
gone into remote and isolated r,
gion. The twin towns were on til
= map.
;, One of the older men returned h
nod. The young men returned the
hastily Withdrawn attention to the
. game of checkers. The other smoke
: was watching with cross-eyed absor
T. ton the rings his cigar was sendiT
= into the air. Richard might not ha,
been there.
One of the checker players loollt
a up.
i Anything l can do for you? Do "
n want to see anyone in particular|
10 No" it was admitted. mo one
!. particular. was just looking round
s. "It's the show place of Calexico. /
l. take you around. 1t is the only pla
Il in town that is comfortable when il
hot, or when the wind blows, al
n that's the program all summer. Ia
my place, Pete"
n Pete, the young giant, with the ia
of his infancy enlarged rather TIL
IL matured, slipped into the vacant cha
He had been the first to discover t
er stranger, but he had evaded the
n sponsibility. The game immediate
absorbed him.
ITS nice here" repeated the you
fellow, leading the way. They We
ed followed by few idle glances.
er Rickard looked with approval at [
tn, tan slim figure which was assumi
ng the courtesy of the towns. The
ldCC was IllllOoI lOO
re- the muscles of the pOuth too sensiti
RS. yet for manly beauty but he liked
,e? type. 1.-the as a young desert-real
ou Indian, his manner and carriage t
of careful home and rigid school {
led cipline.
He was ushered into large c
lid room. The furnishings he inventors
f?' q few stiff chairs, long table ant
lad typewriter desk, closed for the S
In bath.
etl "The stenographer's room,"
Die, nounced the lad superfuously.
Cor Whose stenOgrapher"