White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-23
CHAPTER v.
A Game of Checkers.

The uneasy mood of the desert, the
wsnd.blown sand, drove people indoors
the next morning. Richard was served
a substantial, indifrerently cooked
breakfast In the dining room of the
Desert hotel. whose limitations were
AS conspicuous TO the newcomer rs
they were nonexistent TO the other
men. They were finding 1t a soft ron
trast to sand-blown tents, 10 life In the
open.
Later he wandered through the
group OF staring ldlers In the Office.
past the popular soda stand and the
few chnir-tilters on the sidewalk, go
ing on. as II without purpose. TO the
railroad sheds, and then on. down tn
the ofhces Of the Desert Reclamation
company. He discovered 1t to be the
O engaging spot In the hastily
acknowledgement town. There were
oIeanders. rose and white. blooming In
abe patch Of purple blooming alfalfa
that stood for a lawn. Mornlng-glories
riambered ove the supports OF the
veranda. and on 0ver the roof. Rick
ards deductions led him TO the Har-
dins.
What school of experience had 80
changed the awkward country fellow?
He had resented his rivalry, not that
he was a rival. but that he was n boor.
His kisses still warm on her lips. and
she had turned to welcome. to coquet
NTH Tor. ITa rltt, Yrh. ..a. ,,I.A
was to be his wife must be steadier
Than that. II had cooled his fever.
Not for him the aspen who could
shake and bend her pretty boughs To
each rough breeze that blewl
Men tossed into u desert. fighting to
keep n foothold, do not garland their
Offices with morning-gloriesl Was II
she gracious quiet influence of a wife,
a Gerry Hardin? The festive build
ing he was approaching was IA unex
~pected-as Captain Brandon! Richard
walked on, smiling.
He was fairly blown into the outer
room. the door banging behind him
Every one looked up at the noisy inter
ruption. There were several men In
the long room. Amsug them two alert
tlean-faced youths, college graduates
Or students out on furlough. the kind
OF stun In his class at lawrence. Taree
OF the seasoned. r~oad-coached type
we're leaning their chairs against the
cool thick walls. One was pufing at
. cigar. The other. a big. shy giant.
q drawing clouds OF comfort from q
pipe. There was a telegraph operator
at work In M end Of the room. her
instrument rapidly clicking. In an op'
posite corner was a telephone ex'
change. A girl with a metal band
around her forehead was punching
connections between the valley towns
Richard lost the feeling Of having
gone Into q remote and isolated re-
gion. The twin towns were on the
map.
. One Of the older men returned his
nod. The young men returned theiI
hastily withdrawn attention to theiI
game OF checkers. The other smoker
was watching with c~ross-eyed ABSORB
ton the rings his cigar was sending
into the air. Richard might not have
been there.
One Of the checker players looked
mp.
"Anything l can do for your Do yor
want to see anyone In particularly
sNo," It was admitted. mo one 10
particular. l was just looking round
ITS the show place Of Calexico. RI
sske you around. 1t 10 the only place
n town that Is comfortable when It'll
lot, or when the wind blows. and
that's the program all summer. Take
ny place. Pete"
Pete. the young giant. with the face
of his infancy enlarged rather thar
matured. slipped into the vacant chair
He had been the flrst to discover the
stranger. but he had evaded the re-
sponsibility. The game Immediately
absorbed him.