Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-11-26

and the familiar pain drove unrOugn
her heart. When morning came she
dragged her aching limbs to the kitchen
and set coffee on the stove and 1t was
ready when Jimmy came in. He did not
tell her where he had slept.
Trudy worked that day for Mrs.
Harper on Broome street. They had
known one another in grammar school,
but Mamie Harper had gone up In the
world as Trudy came down and some
times she took a not inhuman salts
faction in showing her former friends
their place in her scheme Of events.
That morning, however, the bars of
caste were down and Mamie was ex-
pansive to her day helper.
whatever Mr.. Harper will say to
Agnes Jo." she fretted, 'he told her not
to take the car out and she did and
now look what has happened"
The Harper sedan stood In the drive
way stripped of handsome sidemounts
and with bent and aching tenders. A
ruthless knife had slashed leather
straps and at the back was a void
where a trunk had been. For weeks car
thieves had been making merry in Cor
NTH but this was the first time Trudy
had faced an example of their vandal-
ism. She heard Mamie Harper whim-
pering. Every one says an expert did
that. Somebody who knew all about
cars and had the right tools and things.
They didn't make a sound - just
sneaked in the driveway right under
our noses and stripped the car. Agnes
10 had no business leaving 1t there"
She was forced by Trudy's face to
think of something beside herself.
Goodness me, you look like you're
going to faint. Well, there's no use
wasting time over what the insurance
peoplell pay for. Well begin in my
bedroom"
All day over the grim tasks that
passed through her hands Trudy was
saying wei and over, I've got to do
something to be sure. I've got to know.
Somebody must tell me what to do"
Her heart was beating in thick un-
even jumps when she turned in at the
imposing white pillared gates Of the
Harding place on the ridge. It was like
a story from a book that she and Ellis
Harding had one picked violets on this
very spot, barelegged children with
sandwiches in their pocketS-brought
by her from her warm, bountiful home
because she knew that her friend was
often hungry. And the later years were
even more unreal. Through her sallow
cheeks the blood seemed trying to rise.
Would he remember that part Of their
association as she did? Would he re-
member how they had given each other
up because he knew even then that
love alone could not carry them to the
place where he meant to stand.
He was as young as Jimmy was now,
but he had thought it all out and de-
cided what was to be. 1t would be years
and years before he could marry and
it wasn't fair to ask her to wait. Wom-
en- couldn't stand waiting as well as
men. they grew old and %despaired so
much sooner. She remembered her in
dignation and hurt at his philosophy
:. it had seemed to her then that he
was saying cruel things and that her
pain did not matter to him. So she
had rushed off without waiting to un-
derstand and presently she had met
some one else.
But it was foolish and wrong to be
thinking of these old scars when her
trouble was all that mattered. She was
going to see Ellis Harding because he
was a wise, strong man and could tell
her what to do, and because-because-
in some dim way there was a bond be-
tween him and Jimmy. The daring of
that thought appalled, her. For how
could it be when Clement Payne was
Jimmy's father?
Before the porch of the Harding
house stood a sleek, black roadster and
as Trudy approached a young mar flung
himself from the house into the car
and was off with an angry roar of
motor and tires. She glimpsed his low
ering, puffy face under the visor of his
cap and recognized Ellis Harding's son,
who was not following in his fathers
footsteps. People said that money had
spoiled him, but Trudy did not be-
lieve that. Poverty spoils more people
every day than riches ever could.
A servant hesitated but carried her
message and presently she was walk
ing upon rich rugs spread over cool,
dark tiles to the door of an enormous
room all Spanish gratings and water
jugs where an uncomfortable gentle
man stood up to greet her with a sue
cessful display of interest.
"Trudy' ! am very glad to see you
again"
They had lived in the same town all
their lives but he spoke as If Trudy
had been travelling in foreign parts
That was not strange, however, for Ellis
Harding was not likely to meet a wom-
an who worked out by the day, even If
she had been a childhood friend. He
added with just enough fervor, Il hope
I can be Of some service to YOU"
He was a successful lawyer but he
was also a successful politician and
his tone had just the right amount Of
warmth without encouragement. Trudy
felt chilled even as she vas welcomed
and a doubt of her wisdom in coming
here shared her trouble. She was ar
alien in the richly furnished room and
alien to Ellis Harding in whom nc
trace of playmate or past remained
She had seen him sometimes in these
years, but always with fleeting impress
sions Of Ellis grown older, taller, hand
somer. 1t was only when they were
face to face in the ornate Spanish room
that she felt the tremendous funda'
mental spirit of change. She hat
planned so often, so wistfully, what sh,
would say to him but now her minC