The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-09-06
MAN

mean, deserted like that. Eight o.
clock, so we'll have time for cock
tails.
He made some thankful noises and
hung up the telephone. So that was
that: Sally and Clyde. Back in Sleep
and Mr.. Billings. But now Clyde's
bosom glowed and prickled with some
new emotion. You might call it van
ity, you might call it animal magnet
ism, according to your of def
initions. The last time he talked to
Sally-at one of her very large sand
wich rodeos-he had said some witty
things that made her giggle before
she cast her eyes for another man.
woman who chucked her personality
at too many people, all owe the lot.
But she must have a human side, this
Sally, to think of him as lonesome.
He dressed m~eticulously and reached
the Pitches at minute past eight.
It was two o'clock when he got home,
but he wasn't sleepy, and his conscience
urged him to write like this to Mabel:
Maybe its the climate, but certainly
Sally Fitch is a lot different. I think
we got her wrong when we called her
high hat. Down here she's the life Of
the party. And some party. Thirty
people. I sat on her right, and she
told me a lot of funny. stuff about try
ing to raise turkeys from the egg. She's
a riot when she gets going. They've
asked me for a riding party tomorrow,
going over to Storm lake. And a hunt
dinner with somebody named Ogle-
thrope. Sally hauled me in on that.
I was sort of embarrassed about to-
morrow mean day after tomorrow,
because it's tomorrow now.
IT half promised a Mrs. Blaney that
I'd lunch at her house-they've got a
perfect Grand Central station out by
the river, but a Mrs. Byrd I danced with
seemed to take it for granted that I'd
lunch with their party at the Saddle
club. I had to tell her that Mrs. Blan-
ey had first call, so she compromised
by asking me to go with them to the
country club dance.
They're awfully nice and cordial
down here. Not stiff and catty, the
way they can get at Sleeping Willow.
I'm running my head off, trying to
keep up with my dates; I'd be bored
blue, but I have a feeling that I'm
sort of breaking the ice, darling, so that
you won't be a stranger when you get
here.
Dear little Mabel, you're going to
love it, because I know you'll want some
excitement, after staying home so much
with the baby. OF course, We'll have to
duck a lot of parties if we want any
time to ourselves. Anyhow, I promise
you we won't have a dull moment ..."
Dull moments were certainly scarce
at Shadow Rock that week and the
next; and it was quite natural that
Clyde should have taken some of the
credit for the welcoming smiles, mostly
feminine, that met him on every hand.
It was wonderful how the companion
ship of women brought him out. He
found that they liked his intimate, wit
ty type. He was a little out of practice
when first he came to Shadow Rock;
but after a couple of parties he was
back to the form he had shown when
he was counting Mabel.
He thought of Mabel a great deal,
even in his more feverish moments
with Shadow Rocks hunting set. When
he did that rather undignified bull
fight dance with Sally Fitch he was
thinking of Mabel. Or when he got
lost with Sue Blaney at a picnic party
and heard her very southern husband
talk like a dueliSt-even then he was
thinking of Mabel. Or when Hilda
Oglethorpe and Katherine Bolt both
held seats for him in their cars, going
over to the Viaduct Cup races, and al
most quarreled over him-even then
AdO Wo6 OINoPy AA1S LIZ U11OuS1lCo. ol1C
knew the society game better THAI h.
did, he admitted. And when Mabel
came to Shadow Rock they'd develop
teamwork and fairly own the place.
The second night before she did
finally come-he had been writing her
daily bulletins, reporting another and
another triumph-there was a big
dance at the Oglethorpes'. It was only
half past twelve; as dances go. the
thing was just started. Clyde had been
devoting himself to Hilda Oglethorpe,
with any number of others, picking
only the prettiest; since he seemed to
have his choice. But now, dancing with
Hilda, he was forced to stop because
she spied a couple going home early.
With something between a lovers
sigh and a muttered curse Hilda went
over to them; she wore that must-you-
go-so-soon expression as her hand went
out to a young man who would have
been handsome had it not been for
his worried black brows. And now she
women who can't be pretty because a
meanness Of spirit seems to pinch away
every gracious line. when Charles is
up all night he's not worth a thing
This was a scrap from the wom-
ans thin lips, speaking stingily:
Poor Charley! What a pitiful
thing!" said Hilda, coming back.
"And who's poor Charley?" asked
Shadow Rocks social hit.
Charley Bryne. He was such a dear
before she got him. We have to ask
them-well, he's our lawyer. They call
her the Scourge Of Locusts."
"And she swings a mean scourge on
Charles?" asked Clyde in the flippant
name he a perfecting.
Mean scourge is right. Charley used
to be the life of the party. She's dull
ed him so he can't say a word without
fighting. for it.. She has a lot of stunts.
Like getting Jealous and taking him
home. And he goes. That's the pity of
it. Aren't w women terrible!"
Men aren't so hot" he said, when
it comes to that"
They're darlings." Squeezing his
There aren't enough men in
Shadow Rock. We spoil them, of course.