The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-04-18

an inauspicious day for Mrs. Hardin's
visit. Things had gone wrong. vex-
atoms were piling up. A tilt with Har-
din that morning. a telegram from
Marshall he was feeling sore. Des-
perately they needed labor. Wooster
had just reported, venomously. it ap-
peared to Richards spleen, increasing
drunkenness among the Indians.
Gerty's ruff1es swept in. Her dress,
the blue null with the lace medallions,
accented the hue Of her eyes, and
looked deliciously cool that glariny
desert day. Her parasol, Of pongee,
was lined with the same baby hue.
Her dainty fairness and childish af-
liability should have made an oasis in
that strenuous day, but Richards dis
Indignation of temper was too COM
plete. He rose stifly to meet her, and
his I'M demanded her errand.
She told it to him, plaintively. Her
eyes We're appealing, infantile. Would
1T be too much to ask, would Mr..
Richard mind in the least, he must be
perfectly frank and tell her if they
would be In the way at all, but while
this hot spell lasted. could they, the
three of them, eat in the mess ten
with the men?
"Surely!" Richard met it heartily.
She would find it rough, but if she
could stand it, yes, he thought it a
good idea.
And then there was nothing for her
to do but go. Her retreat was grace
full, without haste, dignified. She
smiled n farewell at MacLean, who
was watching the approach of Innes
Hardin and Estrada. Richard did not
see the abOrted entrance of Hardin's
sister and the young Mexican. He
was itching to be at his work.
He let out a growl when Mrs. Har-
din was out Of earshot.
"Shucks! What in Halifax do wom-
en- come to a place like this for?
There's Hardin-brings in two women
to cook for him. and now. please may
they all eat with the men?"
His secretary subdued a chuckle.
He was visualizing a procession of
boxes of choice Havanas-from Bode-
feldt, Hamlin and the rest of the
gang. He need not buy a smoke for
. year.
Richard threw himself back in his
chair. Take this letter. MacLean. To
Marshall" Then his worry diverted
him. "Who in thunder is selling liquor
to my Indians?"
"Hold on that letter can wait. You
get the horses up, MacLean, and well
ride down to Maldonado's. It's his
place to stop this liquor business, not
mine."
A few hours later they were ap-
preaching the adobe walls of MaldO-
nado. They found the gate locked. A
woman, whose beauty had faded into
a tragic whisper, a CHASTITY twilight of
suggestion, came to their knock. and
unbarred the gate for the white
strangers. Mystery hung over the in
closure like a pail.
Richard told his errand. Maldonado
sputtered and swore. BY the mother
Of Mary the Virgin, that thing would
be stopped. He showed to the seniors.
with pride, his badge. He was q ru-
rale; he was there to uphold the law.
He had caught some Of those drunken
Indians on the road. He had brought
them here.
MaldonadO showed three men in a
locked shed. deep In drunken stupor.
He thought the liquor was obtained
somewhere back in the sandhills. He
would find the place. But the senior
must be patient; his hands were SO
full.
Both men e glad to get away
from the place and Maldonado. OBJ
vi0usly he was a brute; undoubtedly
he was q liar.