White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-20
CHAPTER XIII.
White Woman and a Brown.

Delta had expanded the capacity of
the camp her soft look had been over
taxed, her hospitality strained. The
men of the reclamation service, thrown
into temporary inactivity, were Eager
10 accept the opportunity created for
another. Failing that other, her zeal
had tagged. Events were moving
quickly at the break Richard was alb
sorbed. Mrs. Hardin told herself that
1T was the heat she wished to escape !;
not to her own eur did she whisper
that she was following Richard, nor
that the p%ercoiator and chatting dish,
her shelves and toy kitchen were n
wasted effort. She kept on good terms
with herself by ignoring self-confi-
dences.
Richard. the discovery unfolded
slowly. took his meals irregularly. lis
breakfast was gulped down before the
women appeared; his dinners where
he found them.
mo wonder !" reflected Gerry Har-
din. "Ling's cooking Is SO bad" Small
wonder the manager foraged for hts
meals.
She worked out n mission as she
lay across her bed that hot afternoon.
Her duty became so clear that she
could no longer lie still. Immediately
she must retrieve her weeks of idle
ness; what must Richard think Of her?
She buttoned herself ~thoughtfully into
a frock of pale eolored muslin, cream
slipping toward canary. White was
fnn Olo rim o. ON "A rod hot dow HEa this
Pink was too hot, blue too definite. A
parasol of pastel green. and she looked
IKE n sprig of fragrant m~ignonette.
She found the open space of the
trapezium swarming with strange
dark faces. So silent their coming she
had not heard the arrival of the tribes.
She isolated the Cocopahs. stately as
bronze statues. their long hair stream
ing. or wound mud-caked under the
brilliant headcloths. F%oregathering
with them were men of other tribes
these must be the Yumas and Degui-
nos. the men needed on the river.
These were the men who were to work
on the RATS. weave the great mat
tresses. A squad of short-haired Pr
mas with their squaws and babies
and their gaudy bundles. gaped at the
fair-haired woman as she passed. The
central space was filling up with Pr
mas and Maricopas. Papagoes, too
she knew them collectively by their
short hair. These were brush cutters.
This, then, meant the beginning OF
real activity. Tom would at last be
satisfied. He would no longer suik
and rage alternately at the hold-up of
the work.
Before she reached Richards ra-
NADIA h saw that another woman
was there. She caught an impassiOned
gesture. Her only surmise rested on
Innes. Gerty saw that she was dark
she looked the halfbreed. The brown
woman drew back as the white woman
entered. Gerty smiled an airy reas-
surance She herself would walt. She
did not var to be hurried. She told
Richard that she had plenty of time
"There Is something you want to tell
me?" Richards patience was cour
teous but firm. He would hear her err
rand first. Gerty, remembering the
imploring attitude of the stranger. de
u thab ohC NOuiu hOl DC Sth'
away.
VIII you excuse me. senora?. II
will be only a minute"
She was to tell her errand, anC
briefly Gerry swept past the intruder
"Sit down, Mrs. Hardin"
Resenting the infection, she sale
she would stand. Her voice was
little hard. her eyes were yelled. a
she told her mission. Her usual flu
ency dragged; she felt a lack Of sym
pathy. In short. she proposed a com
missary~ department. herself In charge
'Td like to feel I was of some use.'
urged Gerry. MY heart Is bound vi
in this undertaking; IL I'm allowed T.
stay, I'd like to help along. This 1
the only way l can. the woman's way.
"Aren't you taking a good deal oil
yourself, Mrs. Hardinf"
Then she forgave his hesitation
quite, as 1t was of her he was think
ing. "Not IL 1t helps" Her voice wa
low and soft. IS IL this were a secre
between them.
"Why, of course. anything you wan
Mrs. Hardin" And. remembering he
former position, he added. "The camp
yours as much as mine.'
A glad smile rewarded him. Sh
went out, reluctantly. There was
new Significance In MacLean's absenc
from the ramada. What could tha
woman have to say that MacLea
must not hear7 For the first tim
the weak tenure on her old lover cam
to her. Not a sign had he yet give
of their understanding. of the piquan
situation. Themselves old sweetheart
thrown together in this wilderness
What had she built her hopes on? 4
word here, q translated phrase. o