The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-05-11

her young strength Slapped after our
Of struggle, her futile last efforts, his
own lifetime of remorse, returning to
the oil camp and unbearable suffering,
cursing himself for W suggesting hat
Cecilia come out alone to him.
He wet his dry lips. Miss Edmonds
was a hateful person.
"Of course, nothing ever happens"
he exploded. 1T is only in slushy stor-
les that the heroine is wrecked on her
way out to India to her beloved. Bosh!"
"Of course Miss Edmonds smiled
sweetly.
He left her abruptly. His i'll humor
was 81 keen he tramped all the way
around the Savannah again in spite
of the rising tropical sun.
There was a letter for him at lunch
time. A letter from Cecilia! He took 1t
into the lunch table to re-read over his
plantain. It made him feel so thrilled
and happy he waved it merrily at Miss
Edmonds, quite as if she had never
been a despicable little Joy killer and
prophet Of shipwreck. She smiled back
at him warmly, and in his shame at
being so bad tempered he took her off
for an afternoons drive and swim. She
was a peach about his letter. Even let
him recite bits from it that showed
what a lovely and ultra superior per-
son he had the luck to be marrying.
That night, sitting on the veranda
in the bland, tropical moonlight, he
expounded his theories of love to Miss
Edmonds. He felt unworthy, as all
men must, Of the girl he was going to
mo Y1-u Hooi1io uyoc ca xyO,,nn md iHaQJ-
istic and sure, it seemed unfair to
problems of marriage and especially
into the hardships and loneliness of a
strange life in the oil camps.
"She is just a kid" he said. 1T is
the first time she has been in love. She
told me-"
How lovely" said Miss Edmonds.
Again he felt a moment of irrita-
ton against her.
1T may be damned hard on her." he
answered. "She thinks it Is all going
to be perfect. She doesn't know what
a nasty temper I have"
20, I think your bad temper is n
~tertaining," Miss Edmonds smiled.
But Cecilia is in love with me. It
would only hurt her"
He felt quite low and miserable, an
illtempered villain snatching a young
innocent from a life of peace. It was
in this mood of self abasement and
Sacrafice that he rode down to the
telegraph office and radioed Cecilia
that If she chose they'd consider this
trip just a chance for her to look him
over and consider him. He figured he
could fix it so she would be c"haperoned
properly and not be talked about. Just
because he wa lonely, he mustn't take
advantage of her young and impulsive
love. If they could only spend an idylic
holiday together it would give him the
strength to wait until he could go
to her home and claim her properly.
1t couldn't be expected that a man
as much in love as he vas would are
to dance at the usual biweekly affair
the Queens Park hotel staged. Yet the
fun everyone was having made him I'M
bearably lonely. He wanted Cecilia so
much. It seemed quite natural to steer
Miss Edmonds away from the dance
floor to an isolated corner of the porch
where he could talk about Cecilia un-
disturbed. It simply didn't occur to
him that he was keeping other part
ners from asking Miss Edmonds to
dance.
Out Of the corner of his eye he saw
Hatfield approaching. Because he dis
liked the fellow SO much, he turned his
face away. Under the mellowness Of
the evening he "a telling Miss Ed
monds how Cecilia had an old fash
toned way Of reciting poetry. It pleased
him that he wa able to remember the
poem that she recited and that he
could repeat it over again. He was
grasping for an Elusive line when Hat
fields voice burst in upon them.
Hello, I didn't think your fiancee was
arriving quite so soon"
Cecilia doesn't arrive until Friday"
Rodney answered shortly, controlling
his temper with an effort.
Miss Edmonds Is merely being kind
enough to listen to my rawlings. Miss
Edmonds may I present MI. Hatfield?"
mo, I thank you, I don't feel like
dancing" Miss Edmonds refused Hat
fields request sweetly, and explained
to Rodney after Hatfield went away,
grinning, II suppose I should have
danced with him, but he was such an
~unbearable old cat"
You're a PEACH" Rodney answered
with feeling, and reached over and
gave her slender hand an appreciative
squeeze.
Cecilia's response to his radio was
appalling in its youthfulness. Much
as he adored and worshipped Cecilia,
he was jolted frightfully. OF course, it
was just her innocence that made her
unconscious of any possible misinter-
probation. OF course, she didn't know
how gossipy a West Indian town can
be and how quickly everybody would
jump to conclusions and spread I'M
fortunate reports. It was all because
she was so young and unafraid OF gos-
sip, but he felt cold and clammy inside
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