Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-03-27
CHAPTER x-cont,nued.

CHATTER 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-
grafton. Twice Tom and she had
been asked to take their lunch at the
hotel Because Of q headache A
headachel -A.5...
TOMS wife could not even shon
openly! Bundles had always the air
OF mystery, never opened before Tom
or herself. She must have yards Of
stun laid away, kept for sudden emer.
gencies.
"She can't help 1t. It's her DISPOSE
tion. She can't help being secretive.
Look at your face. lines Hardin I"
What was it to her, the pettiness of
a woman whom an accident of life had
swept upOE the beach beside her?
Gerty was not her kind, not the sort
she would pick out for a friend. She
was an oriental, one Of the harem
women. whose business it is in life to
please one man, to keep his home soft,
MS comforts ready, keep him con-
WINGED. moreover. that it is the desire
OF his life to support her. Herself dis
satisfied. often rebellious. staying by
him for self-interest, not for love-ah,
that was her impeachment. mot low
'ing!" .
Soberly she covered her plain bras
siere with white waist of cotton
ducking. A red leather belt and GRIM
son tie she added self-consclously.
"Where is my bloodstone pin?
Hadn't she spent an hour Mt least
matching that particular leather belt?
But he was man, in battle. The
hendgate held up; 1t was too bad.
Silent, Bodefeldt, Wooster, Grant, all
of them fighting mad because of the
deadlock ut the Heading. All up in
arms. at last, against Marshall, be-
cause OF this cruel cut to their hero,
Hardin. Her eyes glowed like yellow
amps as she recalled their fervid par
tisanship.
"Only one man who can .nve the
valley, end that's Tom Hardin" Woos-
ter had said that; but they all be-
lieved l.. The LOYALTY of the force
made her ashamed of her soft woman
fears. For there were times when
she questioned her brothers ability.
He had 4 large, loose way Of handling
things. He was too optimistic. But
those mea, those engineers must know
1t was probably the mans way Of
sweeping ahead, ignoring detail. The
verdict OF those fleld-tried men told
her that the other, the careful, plan
ming way, was the office method. Rick
ard, "a u dinner neighbor, she had
found interesting; but for great un-
aertakings man who would let q
Gerty Holmes jilt him. ruin his life
for him The whole story sprang ut
last clear from the dropped innuendos.
She adjusted a barrette in her
smoothly brushed hair. Slowly she
walked over to the neighboring tent.
Gerry frowred ut the white duck.
'You might ct least have worn your
bluef I"
you're elegant enough for the two
of us. Isn't that something newT''
Gerty said carelessly that she had
had It for long time. For she had
had the material long time! 1t
wasn't necessary to explain to her
husbands sister that it had been
made up thai week. She hoped that
she didn't look "fussed up" Would
Mr.. Richard think she was attaching
any Importance to the simple little
VISIT For it was nothing to him, of
course. A man of his standing, whom
the great Tod Marshall ranked SO
high. probably dined out several times
each week, with white-capped maids
and candelabraI II Tom had only
made the most of his opportunities.
What q gamble. life to womanl
She made a trip into her bedroom
and took a reassuring survey in her
mirror. The lingerie frock would look
simple to man who would never
suspect 1t Of handmade dnplicity.
Her Riass declared the .hnnd.whipped
Ac,iailions casual and elegant And
: long time ago, a lifetime ago, Rick
Lsd had told her that she always
lAould wear t1pe. because Of her eyes.
Innes from the next room could hear