The Ordway new era., 1919-05-09

The bread was cut in precise triangies ;
the butter had been shaved into for
eign-looking roses. A pitcher Of the
valleys favorite beverage. Iced tea.
stood by Hardin's plate. There was a
platter Of cold meats.
It came home to Innes for the hun
dredth time. the surprise Of such a
meal In that desert. A few years ago.
and what had meal beenf She threw
the credit Of the little lunch to sulky
Tom Hardin lying on the portiere-cov-
cred couch, his ugly lower lip out
thrust against an unsmiling vision. 1t
was Tom. Tom and his brave men. the
sturdy engineers. the dauntless sur
veyors, the Indians who had dug the
canals, those were the ones who had
spread that pretty table. not the buxom
little woman darting about in pink
gingham.
'Ts 1t because don't like nerT she
mused, her eyes on the pictures In the
style book which had Just come In that
morning. Certainly Gerty did have the
patience Of q saint with Toms hu-
mors. II she would only lose that set
look Of martyrdomi 1t was not for an
outsider to Judge between a husband
and wife. even If the man were her
own brother. She could not put her
finger ON the germ Of their painful
scenes; she shrank from the recollec-
tion of Toms temper: his coarse
streak. the Gingg fiber. her own mother
called It. Tom was rough. but she
loved him. Why was 1t she was sure
that Gerty did not love her husband?
Yet there was the disrust. as fixed
and as unjust perhaps as the suspicion
of Gerty's little mysteries.
She said aloud: ''This is your last
day. My week begins tomorrow"
Mrs. Hardin adjusted q precise nap
kin before she spoke.
81 think will keep the reins for a
month this time" Her words were re-
Elective, as though the thought were
new. 81 get my hand in just as stop.
I will be running out for my visit In a
few weeks. 1t will be only fair for me
to do 1t as long as can."
Again the girl had sense Of subtle
ty. Whenever Gerty put on that air Of
childish confidential deliberation, she
hunted for the plot. This was not far
to seek. Her sister-in-law was passing
out the hot season to her.
''It's all ready" Gerty's glance was
winging. birdlike. over the table. Moth
ing had been forgotten. She gave a
little sigh Of elastic satisfaction. Har-
din misinterpreted It
II ought to be able to keep a serv-
ant for her." It was like him to have
forgotten the Lawrence days; he was
never free Of the sense Of obligation to
the dainty little woman who was born.
he. felt. for the purple. There was
nothing too good for Gerty. He felt
her unspoken disappointments; her
deprivations. "Of course. she can have
no respect for me. I'm a failure"
doesn't this give you an appetizer
demanded Innes heartily. "And I'm
to be lady for three more weeks. "
The remark was thoughtless. A bright
flush spread over Gerty's face. She
caught an allusion to her origin.
Innes saw the blush and remem-
bered the boarding house. She could
think Of nothing to say. The three
relatives sat down to that most uncom-
Portable travesty, a social meal where
sociability is lacking. Innes said It
had been a pleasant morning. Gerty
thought 1t had been hot. And then
there was silence. again.
Innes began to tell them Of her Tue
son visit, when Gerty laid down her