The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-03-26
CHAPTER xl.--continued.

~
ever, set Up another very insisten
train OF thought in Irene's mind. She
realized that Bert, with all her SHOW
OF cynicism and masculinity, was
really a very wOmanly young woman
with just the training and the insight
into life that would make her almOs'
Irresistible should she enter the mat
rimOutai 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 &c
time. Although she never doubted
the Ssngleness of Dawes devotion, she
sometimes suspected that In Bert Nor
ris0Efs presence he felt a more frank
c0mraacship than in hers. And 1T was
prepOs6erOus 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 mgther 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 Self-indignation fit
ted the forrn-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 q doubt, the en-
try OF 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, triie. She would be frank.
She would not spare herself. She had
been trifing with him. -. She would
lay her false pride aside. In the purity
Of her ~womanhood, which he could not
misunderstood, she would divest her
self OF al 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
49,
It canse ON n fine summers evening
I'm iAte July, while Dave and Irene
drifted I'm his car over the rich ripen'
ing prairies.
Everywhere were fields Of dark
green wheat, already beginning to
glimmer with the gold of harvest; ev-
erywhere were herds Of sleek cattle
signing and blowing ~contentedly in
the co9l evening air. Away to the west
lay the mountains, blue and soft as a
pillow az velvet for the head Of the
dying day; overhead, inverted islands
OF brass and copper floated lazily in
an Inverted sea Of azure and opal up
from the southwest came the breath
of the far Pacific, mild and soft and
gentle.
I'VE started at the wrong end in our
MUAAAaA UWlkuihSp law Wdo ouyihS
"We started to build cities, leaving
the country to take care of itself. We
are finding out how wrong we were.
Depend upon it, where there Is a pros
porous country the cities will take
care OF themselves. We have been
putting the cart before the horse"
But Irene's eyes were on the sunset ;
ON the slowly fading colors Of the
cloudzaads overhead. Something of
that csi0r played across her fine face,
meilcwfng, softening, drawing as 1t
seemed. the very soul to cheeks and
lips and eyes. Dave paused In his
speech 90 regard her, and her beauty
rushed upon him, engulfed him, over
whesnpi him in such a poignancy of
tenderness that 1t seemed for a mo-
memt ai his resolves must be swept
away and he must storm the citadel
that would not surrender to siege. -.
Only action could hold him ~resOlute
he pressed down the a~ccelerator until
the steel lungs of his motor were
drinking power to their utmost capac-
ity and the car reared furiously down
the stretches of the country road.
II was dusk when he had burnt out
his violence, and, chastened and
spent, he turned the machine to hum
back gently to the forgotten city,
Irene. by some fine telepathy, had fol
lowed vaguely the course Of his emo
tions: had followed them in delicious
excitement and fear and hope. She
sensed I'm some subtle feminine way
the impulse that had sent him roaring
into thu distances; she watched his
powerful hand on the wheel; his clear
steady eye; the minute accuracy witt
which he controlled his flying motor
ana she prayed-and did not know
what sr Why she prayed. But a color
mol nh ef the dying sunlight lit heI
chcsk as she guessed-she feared
she Aoped-that she had prayed thai
he might forget his fine resolves
TINT rs heart might at last ontrult
IN Tt, deepening darkness her I'm
geEs fond his arm. The motion Of thu
chr masked the violence Of her trem
bIlng. hut for q time the pounding 81
h. 49, ~vc.x1S pck a1y~cx ho~ ~~cooh