The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-04-04

hS touuy dS IL SOuTcu yeSltIuuy RlCh-
ard was finding that Gerty's more ma
ture charms did not accelerate his
heart-beats, but they were certainly
fiattering to his early judgment. And
he had expected her to be 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
it. She was prettier than he had pic
tured her. Queer that man like Har-
and wife-the blood tie was the most
amazing. For when women come to
marry, they make often queer choice.
1t occurred to him that that might
have been Hardin-he had not wanted
to stare at 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 distinction-no,
1t couldn't be Hardin.
And then, because an outthrust lip
changed the entire look of the man,
Richard asked his table companions.
who was the man with the two ladies',
near the door.
(~"That, suh," his nelghbor from Ala
bama became Immediately oratorical,
shat Is big man, sub. If the I'm
perial valley ever becomes a reality, a
fixtuah. 1t will be because of that one
man, sub. Reclamation is like seed
thrown on rock. VIII it stick? Will
1t take root? VIII it grow? That Is
what we all want to know"
Rickard 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, suh."
Rickard tried to reset, without at
tracing their attention, the group of
his impressions Of the man whose per
sonality had been so obnoxious to him
In the old Lawrence days. The Hardin
he had known had also large features,
but of the fiaccid irritating order. He
summoned a picture of Hardin as he
had shuflled into his own classroom, OF
up to the long table where Gerty had
always queened 1t among her mothers
boarders. He could see the rough un-
polished boots that had always offend.
ed him as betrayal Of the mans in
ner coarseness; the badly fitting coat
the long awkward arms, and the satis-
fled, loud-speaking mouth. These fea-
lures were more definite. Could time
bring these changes? Had he changed
like that? Had they seen him? Would
| Gerty, would Hardin remember him
| Wasn't 1t his place to make himself
known; wave the flag Of old friendship
over an awkward situation?
He found himself standing In front
of theip table, encountering first, the
eyes of Hardin's sister. There was nc
surprise, no welcome there for him. He
felt at once the hostility of the camp
His face was uncomfortably warm
Then the childish profile turned on him
A look of bewilderment, flushing into
greeting--the years had been. kind tc
Gerty Holmes!
"Do you remember me, RickardT
If Hardin recognized difficult situa
tion, he did not betray 1t. 1t was G
man Richard did not know who shool
MIN warmly by the hand, and said thai
indeed he had not forgotten him.
"I've been expecting you. My wife
Mr.. Rickard, and my sister,"
"Why, what are you thinking Of
Tom? To introduce Mr.. Rlckard!
introduced you to each other year:
ago!" Gerty's checks were red. Hel
bright eyes were darting from one t.
the other. "You knew he was coming
and did not tell me?".
"You were at the Improvement clul
when the telegram camc," put in lime!
Hardin, without looking at Rickard. M
trace of the Tucson cordiality in tha
proud little facet No acknowledgment
that they had met at the MarsIall's!
''Oh, you ,telegraphed to us?" Th'
blond arch smile had not aged. "Tha
was friendly and nice.'
Richard had not been self-consciou
for many n year. He did not know
what to say. He turned from her up
turned face to the others. Innes Har
din was staring out of the window
over the heads of several crowded
tables; Hardlo was gazing at his plate
Riclsari decl5ed that he would get ou
of this before Gerty discovered that I
was neither friendly nor nice"
eff had known that you were here
I would have insisted on your tiinin