The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-09-26

Pink was too hot. blue too definite. 4
parasol Of pastel green, and she looked
like sprig Of fragrant mign0nette.
She found the open space OF the
trapexlum swarming with strange
dark faces. So silent their coming she
had not heard the arrival Of the tribes.
She isolated the Cocopahs. stately as
bronze statues. their long hair stream.
Ing. or wound mud-caked under the
brilliant headcloths. Eoregathering
with them were men Of other tribes !:
these must be the Yumas and Degui.
nos. the men needed on the river.I
These were the men who were to work
on the RATS. weave the great mat
tresses. A squad Of short-haired ri!
mas with their squaws and babies
and their gaudy bundles. gaped at the
fair-haired woman a. she passed. The
central space was filling up with Pl-
mas and Maricopas, Papagoes, too:
she knew them collectively by their
shont hair. These were brush cutters.
This. then. meant the beginning Of
real activity. Tom would at last be
satisfied. He would no longer sulk
and rage alternately at the hold.up Of
the work.
Before she reached Richards IA.
mazda she saw that another woman
was there. She caught an impassioned
gesture. Her only surmise rested on
1nnes. Gerty saw that she was dark:
she looked the halfbreed. The brown
hcn 4, kR&n
entered. Gerty smiled an airy reas-
surance. She herself would wait. She
did not want to be hurried. She told
Richard that she had plenty Of time.
"There is something you want to tell
met" Richards patience was cour-
teous hut firm. He would hear her or.
rand first. Gerry, remembering the
imploring attitude Of the stranger. de-
termined that she would not be sent
away.
"Will you excuse me. senora1 It
will be only a minute"
She was to tell her errand. and
briefly! Gerry swept past the intruder.
"Sit down. Mrs. Hardin"
Resenting the infection, she said
~
little hard. her eyes were yelled, a.
she told her mission. Her usual Au.
ency dragged; she felt a lack of sym.
pathy. In short. she proposed a com.
missary department, herself in charge.
I'D like to feel was of some use,"
urged Gerty. MY heart is bound up
in this undertaking: II I'm allowed to
stay. I'd like to help along. This il
the only way can. the woman's way"
"Aren't you taking a good deal on
yourself. Mrs. Hardin?"
Then she forgave his hesitation
quite. as 1t was Of her he was think.
ing. "Not II 1t helps" Her voice was
low and soft, as IL this were a secret
between them.
"Why, Of course. anything you want,
Mrs. Hardin" And. remembering her
former position, he added. 1.-THE camps
yours as much as mine."
A glad smile rewarded him. She
went out. reluctantly. There was u
new significance in MacI.ean's absence
from the ramada. What could that
woman have to say that MacLean
must not hear? For the first time
the weak tenure on her old lover came
to her. Not a sign had he yet given
Of their understanding. of the piquant
situation. Themselves old sweethearts,
thrown together in this wilderness.
What had she built her hopes ont A
word here, translated phrase. or
magnified glance. She would not har.
Dor the new worry. Why. 1t would be
all right. In the meantime she would
show them oil what woman with
executive ability could do.
"Sit down. senora." said Richard to
the brown woman. Maldonado's wife.
"Don't be frightened. We won't let
him hurt you." Richard vulgarised
his Castilian to the reach Of her rude
dialect. Familiar az was Richard with
the poems speech In their own coun.