The Ordway new era., 1919-05-16
CHAPTER x-continued.

She didn't need to pierce those can
vas walls to know that there had
been feverish activity for this dinner.
A new gown would appear tonight,
made secretly. An exquisite meal,
and no one must comment on its elab-
oration. Twice Tom and she had
been asked to take their lunch at the
hotel. Because of n headacheW A
headache!
Toms wife could not even shop
openlyi 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-
Sencies.
"She can't help 1t. It's her disposi-
tlon. She can't help being secretive.
Look at your face. Innes Hardin !"
What was 1t to her. the pettiness of
woman whom an accident of life had
swept upon the beach beside her?
Gerty was not her kind. not the sort
she would pick out for friend. She
was an oriental. one of the hnrem
women. whose business 1t is in life to
please one man, to keep his home soft.
tho toihlollo lthtys httP Noh-
vinced. moreover, that it is the desire
of his life to support her. Herself dis
satisfied. often rebellious. staying by
him for seIf-interest, not for love-ah.
that was her impeachment. mot low
ingl"
Soberly she covered her plain bras
niere with white waist of cotton
ducking. A red leather belt and GRIM
son tie she added self-consciously.
'"Where is my bloodstone pin2"
Hadn't she spent an hour at least
matching that particular leather belt?
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, ut last, against Marshall, be-
cause of this cruel cut to their hero.
Hardin. Her eyes glowed like yellow
lamps as she recalled their fervid par
tisanship.
"Only one man who can save the
valley, and that's Tom Hardin" Woos-
ter had said that; but they all be-
lieved 1t. The loyalty of the force
mnde her ashamed of her soft woman
fears. For there were times when
He had large. loose way of handling
things. He was too optimistic. But
those men. those engineers must know
1t was probably the mans way OF
sweeping ahead, Ignoring detail. The
verdict of those feld-tried men told
her that the other. the careful, plan.
ming way. was the office method. Rick
ard. as dinner neighbor, she had
found interesting; but for great un-
dertakings man who would let a
Gcrty Holmes jilt him, ruin his life
for him The whole story sprang at
last clear from the dropped innuendos
She adjusted barrette in her
smoothly brushed hair. Slowly she
walked over to the neighboring tent
Gerty frowned at the white duck
you might at least have worn your
bluei"
You're elegant enough for the twt
of us. Isn't that something new?"
Gerty said carelessly that she hat
had 1t for long time. For she hat
had the material long timel
wasn't necessary to explain to he
husbands sister that 1t had beeI
made up that week. She hoped tina
she didn't look "fussed up" Woult
Mr.. Rickard think she was attaching
any Importance to the simple littl
visit? For it was nothing to him. o
course. A man of his standing, whor
the great Tod Marshall ranked s
high. probably dined out several time
each week. with white-capped maid
and candelnbrnl II Tom had onl
made the most of his opportunitIe.
What a gamble. life to womanl
She made trip into her bedrool
nnd took reassuring survey In he
mirror. The lingerie frock would loo
simple to man who would nevt
suspect 1t of handmade duplicit.
Tier glass declared the hand-whippe
:nedallions casual and elegant. An
long time ago. lifetime ago. Ricl
rrd had told her that she nlway
.nould wear blue, because of her eye
Innes from the next room could hea