Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-01-22
CHAPTER xI.-continued.

train of thought in Irene's mind. Sh
realized that Bert, with all her shON
of cynicism and masculinity, wa
really a very wOmanly young woman
with just the training and the insigh
into life that would make her almOs
irresistible should she enter the mat
rimonial market. And Bert and Dave
were already good friends; very goOC
| friends indeed. as Irene suspected
! from fragments of conversation which
| either of them dropped from time Il
time. Although she never doubted
the singleneSs of Dawes devotion, she
sometimes suspected that in Bert Nor
rison's presence he felt a more frank
comradeship than in hers. And it was
prepOSterouS that he should not know
that Bert might be won for the win
ming. And meantime
Another winter wore away; another
spring came rushing from the noun
tain passes; another summer was
upon them, and still Irene Hardy had
not surrendered. A thousand times
she told herself it was impossible, with
her mother to think of-and always
she ended in indignation over her
treatment of Dave. 1t was outrageous
to keep him waiting and some
where back of her STANDARDIZATION fit
ted the form-the now seductive form
of Bert Morrison.
Irene Hardy chose to be frank with
herself over the situation. She had
not doubted the sincerity of her at
tachment for Dave Eden; but, had
she experienced such doubt, the en-
Try If Bert Morrison into the drama
would have forever removed it. In
fairness she admitted that things
could not continue as they were. If she
continued to trifle with Dave Eden
Yes, trifle. She would be frank.
She T@uld not spare herself. She had
been trifling with him. e. She would
lay her false pride aside. In the purity
of her womanhood, which he could not
miSur derstand, she would diveSt her
self Of all convention and tell him
frankly that-that-
She was not sure what she would |
tell or how she would tell it. She was
sure only that she would make him
know. At the very next opportunity.
1t came on fine summers evening
in late July, while Dave and Irene
irifted in his car over the rich ripen-
ing prairies.
Everywhere were fields of dark
green wheat, already beginning to
slimmer with the gold of harvest; ey-
erywhere were herds Of sleek cattle
signing and blowing contentedly in
he cool evening air. Away to the west
ay the mountains, blue and soft as
pillow of velvet for the head of the
lying day; overhead, inverted islands
# brass and copper fioated lazily in
n inverted sea of azure and opal; up
rom the southwest came the breath
# the far Pacific, mild and soft and
.entle.
ave started at the wrong end in our
alton building" Dave was saying.
We started to build cities. leaving
he country to take care of itself. We
re finding out how wrong we were.
Depend upon it, where there is pros
erous country the cities will take
are Of themselves. We have been
utting the cart before the horse" r
But Irenes eyes were on the sunset;
n the slowly fading cOlOrs of the Z
overhead. Something of 4
lat color played across her fine face, Y
softening, drawing as it T
,emed, the very soul to cheeks and n
ps and eyes. Dave paused in his v
)eech to regard her. and her beauty Il
lshed upon him, engulfed him, over
nderness that it seemed for a mo- n
ent I'LL his resolves must be swept q
way and he must storm the citadel II
at would not surrender to siege. n
ally action could hold him resolute {; Il
, pressed down the accelerator until q
linking power to their utmost capac- &c
= and the car roared furlously down c,
e stretches of the country road. Ir
1t was dusk when he had burnt out d,
S violence, and, chastened and a,
ent, he turned the machine to hum in
ok gently to the forgotten city. ia
enc, by some fine telepathy, had fol- OF
wed vaguely the course of his emo cl
ms; had followed them in delicious III
element and fear and hope, She w
nscd in some subtle feminine way bl
e impulse that had sent him roaring
10 the distances; she watched his
werful hand on the wheel; his clear, NJ
lady eye; the minute accuracy with wi
itch he controlled his flying motor; w,
d she prayed-and did not know te
lat or why she prayed. But a. color oil
t all of the dying sunlight lit her
eek as she guessed-she feared II;
2 hoped-that she had prayed that be
might forget his fine resolves ca
It his heart might at last outrule on
head. an
n the deepening darkness her fin tn;
IS found his arm. The motion of the ito
; masked the violence of her trem- gu
ne, nut for time the pounding of lisl