Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 1919. THE RT By EDN^ CHAPTER XIII. The Wrong M2n. Mrs. Hardin heard from everj source but the right one that Riekard had returned. Each time her telephone rang, it was his voice she expected to hear. She began to read n meaning into his silence. She could 4V:~i. 4-Ka cfminirr luiuiY ui uuiiiin& uiuu me coincidence that had brought their lives again close. Or was it a coincidence? That idea sent her thoughts far afield. She was thinking too much of him, for peace of mind, those days of waiting, but the return of the old lover had made a wonderful break in her She Spent Most of Her Days at the Sewing Machine. life. Her eyes were brighter; her - smile was less forced. She spent most of ber days at the sewing machine. A lot of kice was whipped onto liugerie frocks of pale colors. She was a disciple of an Eastern esthete. "Women," be had said, "should buy lace, not by m/I Kni Ktt fV?A rv* Sin '' iuc jaiu, uui ijj uic rniit. As her fingers worked among the laces and soft mulls, her mind roved down avenues that should have been closed to her, a wife. She would have protested, had anyone accused her of Infidelity in those days, yet day by day, she was straying farther from her husband's side. She convinced herself tfiat Tom's gibes and ill-humor were getting harder to endure. It was inevitable that the woman of harem training should relive the Lawrence days.. The enmity of those twc men, both her lovers, was pregnant with romantic suggestion. The drama of desert and river centered now in th story of Gerty Hardin. Rickard, whc had never married! The deduction, once unveiled, lost all Its shyness. And every one saw that he disliked her husband ! She knew now that she had never loved Tom. She had turned to him Id those days of pride when Rlckard's anger still held him aloof. How manj times had she gone over those unreal houre! Who could have known thai his anger would last? That hour Id the honeysuckles; his kisses! None ol Hardin's rougher kisses had swept hei memory of her exquisite delight?de lirlous as was her joy, there was room for triumph. She had seen hersell clear of the noisy boarding house. Her self, Gerty Holmes, the wife of a professor; able to have the things sh( craved, to have them openly; no longei having to scheme for them. it was tnrougn mciinrus eyes tnai she had seen the shortcomings of th( college boarding house. She had ac quired a keen consciousness of thost quizzical eyes. When they had isolatec I her, at last, appealing to her sympa thy or amusement, separating hei from all those boisterous students, hei dream of bliss had begun. In those days, she had seen Hardir through the eyes of the young instruc tor, younger by several years than his pupil. Her thud of disappointed anger of dislike, when the face of Hardir peered through the leafy screen! Tc have waited, prayed for that moment and to have It spoiled like that! Then had been days when she had wept be cause she had not shown her anger! How could she know that everything would end there; end, Just beginning Her boarding-house training hac X T-i. 1 i-~ V,? ?l?ll T+ mnn r.4-111 lUUglll lier IU Ut) XL YTUD D 111. vivid to her, her anxiety, her tremu lonsness?with Hardin talking forevei of & play he had just seen; Rickarc growing stiffer, angrier, refusing t< look at those lips still warm with hi< kisses 1 And the next day, still angry vitt her. Ah, the puzzled desolation oi those weeks before aha had salved hei v. ) vTLR m kH AIKEN hurt; with pride, and thou with love! Those days of misery before she could convince herself that she had been in > love with love, not with her fleeing [ lover! Hardin was there, eager to be I noticed. That affair, she could see now, had lacked finesse. Rickard had certainly loved her, or I why had he never married? Why had t he left so abruptly his boarding hr-ve in midterm? Doesn't jealousy'confess love? Some day, he would tell he/; i what a hideous mistake hers baa been! She ought not to have rushed , into that marriage. She knew now it . had always been the other. But life - was not finished, yet! 1 The date set for her summer 'widowhood" had come, but she lingered, Various reasons, splendid and sacrificial, were given out There was much to be done. . "I wish she would be defin te," It nes' 'thoughts complained. She wa restless to make her own plans. I had not yet occurred to her that Uert would stay in all summer. For sh never had so martyrized hersel: "Some one must be with Tom. It ma spoil my trip. But Gerty never think of that." She believed it to be simple matter of clothes. It alwny took her weeks to get ready to go anj where. "But I won't wait ffny longer tha next week. If she does not go then, will. Absurd for us both to be here, it was already fiercely hot I Gerty, meanwhile, had been wondei ing how she could suggest to her sis ter-in-Iaw that her trip be taken flrsi Without arousing suspicions! Tei ribly loud In her ears sounded he thoughts tfiose days. Her husband flung a letter on th table one evening. "A letter to yoi it 11 uiu?v/d&ejr. She tried to make the fingers thn closed over the letter move casually She could feel them tremble. Whn ,' would she say if Tom asked to see it It was addressed to her In her hus band's care. Hardin had found it a | |the office in his mail. And she goinj each day to the postoffice to preven , "it from falling into his hands! Sin , gave it a quick offhand glance, j "About the drive, of course, Sup jper's getting cold. Look at that oine, llette. Don't wait to wash up. It wil ;be like leather." | i When she had finished her meal, sh< i read her letter with a fine show of in difference. "He sets a date for th< drive." She put the letter carelesslj 1 Into hor pocket before her husbane , i could stretch out his hand. It would j never do for jealous Tom to read that: i | "Your letter was received two weeks [ ago. Pardon me for appearing to have , forgotten your kindness." "The nerve," growled Tom again, t his mouth full of Gerty's omelette. ; "To take you up on an Invitation like > that. I call that pretty raw." , "You must remember we are such I old friends," urged his wife. "He knew I meant it serioQsly." "Just the same, it's nerve," grum' bled Hardin, helping himself to more i of the omelette, now a flat ruin in the I center of the Canton platter. His re^ ' sentment had taken on an edge of I hatred since the episode of the dredge machinery. "To write to anyone in i my house! He knows what I think ot him; an ineffectual ass, that's what he j is. Blundering around with his little , levees, and his fool work on the wa1 i ter tower." 9 j ' j "The water tower?" demanded his " I sister. "What's he doing with that?" j j "Oh, I don't know," rejoined Tom . j largely, his lips protruding. He had ! been itching to ask some one what I Rickard was up to. Twice, he had j seen him go up, with MacLean and Estrada. Once, there a large flare of ' light. But he wouldn't ask ! Some of j his fool tinkering! His sister's gaze rested on him with . concern. He had too little to do. She 71 guessed that his title, consulting engineer. was a mocking one, that his x chief, at least, did not consult him. Was It true, what she had heard, th:it j | ntr uau iiiuuc u nunc uuuui 111c iu?chinery? He was looking seedy. He | had been letting his clothes go. He , looked like a man who has lost grip: who has been shelved. > | She knew he was sleeping badly. . j Every morning now she found the I I couch rumpled. Not much pretense of r1 marital congeniality. 'Things were go! ing badly, there? 1 "Everybody has accepted," Gerty I was saying. "They have been waiting for me to set the date." f "And you cater to him, let him I dangle you all. I wonder why you do ? If iinlftpo (f'o fA ma " ' II, UU1COO 11 O IU UU1 L iuv, ' "Hurt you, Tom," cried his wife, her deep blue eyes wide with dismay. k "How can you say such a thing? But ^ if It Is given for him, how can I ' anything elgft-than let, him . arrange _L my i li r/io -ca. n I the day to suit himself? It would 5< 'funny fcr the guest of honor not t< be present, wouldn't it?" "I don't see why you want to mak< Iilm n guest, of honor," he retreated covering his position. Gently, Gcrty expressed her bellel that she was doing the best thing foi her husband in getting up a public nf fair for his successor. She did thin! that Tom would see that it showec they had no feeling. "T C II ?T?% x uiiuK ii u uue lueii, ugiet-u 111 nes heartily. "I'm sure Tom will, too when he thinks about it." But she die not give him any chance to expres? himself. "How are you going to man nge it. Gerty? You said It was goinj to be progressive?" "We shall draw for partners," sale Mrs. Hardin. "And change every hall a mile. The first lap will be twe miles; that will give some exciteraenl in cutting for partners." Easy, bains the hostess, to withhold any slip i;ht j pleased, easy to make it seem aeei dental! "When is this circus coming off?' inquired her husband. "Mr. Rickard says he will be bacl on the firt; that he'll be free on th? second." "For half an hour, I'll listen t< Mrs. Youngberg tell me how hard i is to have to do without servants as she's never done it in her life bd fore. For another half-mile, Mrs Hatfield will flirt with me, and Mrs Middleton will tell me all about he: dear little kiddies.' Sounds cheerful Why didn't you choose cards? N< one has to talk then." There was an interval when hi wife appeared to be balancing hi rMio-ofoctrrtn "Nn. T think it will hav< y _ -to be a drive; for I've told ever; one about it." "Well," remarked her husband, " only hope something will happen t< prevent it." "Tom!" exclaimed Gerty Hardin "What a dreadful thing to suy. Tha sounds like a curse. You make m: blood run cold." "Shu!" said Hardin, picking up hi; hat. "That was no curse, lot wouldn't go if it rained, would you?" "Oh, rain-" She shrugged at tha possibility. "Well, you wouldn't go if the win< blows 1" retorted Hardin, leaving thi room. CHAPTER XIV. The Dragon Taktfs a Hand. The company's automobile honke outside. Hardin frowned across th table at his wife. "You're surely no going such a night as this?" fioi-fw (rnvo nnn nf hep llfht plllSiVi shrugs. No need to answer Torn whei he was In one of his black moods This was the first word he had spokei since he had entered the tent. Sh had warned Innes by a lifted ey< brow?they must be careful not t provoke him. Something had gon wrong at the office, of course! Ho* much longer could she stand his he mors, these ghastly silent dinners? "The river on a rampage, and w go for a drive!" jeered Iiardln. The flood was not serious?yet Tom loved to cry "Wolf!" No on was alarmed in town?Patton, Mrs Youngberg, would have told her. O course, one never knew what thn dreadful river would do next, but i one had to wait always to see whn the river's nest prank would be, on would never get anywhere! Inries was leaving the table. "Well I suppose I should be lashing on m; batr Gerty's pretty lips hardened a y/pp^pp?r~ Gerty'a Pretty Lips Hardened. the girl left the tent These Hardin: always loved to spoil her enjoyment They would like her to be a nun, : cloistered nun! At the opening of the door, th< wind tore the pictures from the piano Gerty ran into her room, shuttinj herself in against further argument She came back into the room, pow dered and heavily veiled against thi wind. A heavy winter ulster coveret tne new mull gown wnicn sue nuu uu worn at supper, though Innes couU have helped her with the hooks! Bu ' there was always so much talk abou everything! They had to face the gale as thi machine swept down the wlnd-craze( street . . . i It was too bad to have a night IIkf ) this! And all her work?Tom am his sister would have it go for noth ? Ing! She was made of stubborne] , stuff than that Life had been deal ing out mean hands to her, but six f would not drop out of the game, ac . knowledge herself beaten?luek woulc . turn, she would get better cards. : In the hall of the Desert hotel, tin I party was assembling. Mrs. Hardin'.* roving eye scoured the hall. Rickarc . was not there. Patton called her froit the desk. Some one wanted her a I the telephone. It was Itlckard, o: j course, at the office; to say lie hac Dt'en Ul'liiiiieu. j.ue icur ?uitu miv. j been chilling her passed by. It was not Rickard on the wire, bui I Mrs. Hatfield, loquacious and coquet ?i tish. She urged a frightful neuralgia > j and hoped that she was not puttin: ; ; her hostess to any Inconvenicnce a: ; this last moment. She wanted t< > prolong the conversation?had the . guests all come? Were they reallj going? Then she must be getting old for a night like this dismayed her Gerty felt her good-night was rude!? abrupt. But was she to stand then * j gabbling all night, her guests wiit 5 ing? She prayed that Rickard would b< j there when she returned. What r J travesty if the guest of honor shoul i disappoint her! Though he was noi among the different groups, her eon - fidence in his punctiliousness reus , sured her. She must hold them a lit ! tie longer. She flitted gaily from one "j standing group to .another. Iter eyes rj constantly questioned the clock. "How long are you going to wail jj for Mrs. Hatfield?" Her husbant came up, protesting. g "Mrs. Hatfield," she explained dis tantiy, "IS nor coming. >ve ure wuus ing for Mr. RickaK." 3 "He didn't come in on that train j he's at the Heading." Hardin addei something about trouble at the intake but Orrly did not heed. Torn ha?j known and had npt told her wlier 3 there was jet time to call it off I "A pretty time to tell me!" Hat j he been looking at her, he wou-d hav< , been left no illusions. Her blie eyes ' flashed hate. "I did not know It until we gol ~ here. There was a message from Mao Lean at the desk, waiting." MacLean was not there, either! "We are all ready," she cried "Mrs. Hatfield and Mr. Rlckard cannot * come." Not for worlds would she giv< e in to her desire to call the whol< grim affair off; let them think sh< was disappointed, not she. Thougl the world blew away, she would go She found herself distributing slip! of mangled quotations. The whit* ^ slips went to the women; the greei e bits of pasteboard to the men. Sh< * held a certain green card In he: glove: "Leads on to fortune." Rick e j ard might come dashing In at the ins a moment, the ideal man's way; a spe > cial, perhaps; It did not seem credlbh 3 that he would deliberately stay awa: e without sending her word. * In a burst of laughter, the com o pany discovered then that the gues e of honor was also absent. Mrs v Hardin hurried them out to the wait i* ing buggies. Drearily, they drove down the fly ? ing street. The wind was at the! backs, but It tore at their hats, pullei ! at their tempers. Their eyes wer e full of street dust. :. A flash of light as they were leav f ing town brightened the thick dus t clouds. "What was that?" cried Gerty f 1 She was ready for any calamity now tj"Not lightning?" Again, the quee e! light flashed across tlie obscured sky i Tom roused himself to growl that h [,1 hadn't seen anything. And the drear; yr farce went on. s Innes' partner was young Sutclifft the English zanjero. He was in th quicksand of a comparison betweei ! English and American women, Inne | mischievously coaxing him Into deepe I waters, when there was a blockad |~of buggies ahead of them. i "The ABC ranch," cried Innes j peering through the veil of dust a i the queer unreal outlines of fence j and trees. "It's our first stop." | "Oh, I say, that's too bad," begai i Sutcliffe. Innes was already on th j road, her skirts whipped by the win< I Into clinging drapery. j Gerty's party found Itself dlsorgan ! ized. Partners were trying to fini | or lose each other. "Get in here I' j Innes heard the voice of Estrada be j hind her. He had a top buggy. Shi ! hailed a refuge. j "Splendid!" she cried. "What j j relief!" Climbing In, she said: " hope this isn't upsetting Gerty's ar I rangement." "Arrangement! Look at them!' I The women were hastening out of th< | dust swirl into any haven that of j fered. With little screams of dismay j they ran like rabbits to cover, j Gerty found herself with Blinn. A the next stop there was a block o: buggies. "No use changing again!' She acknowledged herself beaten 3 ! "Let's go on. What are they stopping * I for?" Dismal farce it all was! ' j She was pushing back her dlsheart ened curls when the beat of horses ' hoofs back of them brought the bloot " back into her wind-chilled cheeks ? "Rickard!" she thought. "He musl ' have come in a special!" The gloom suddenly disgorged MacLean. - nrT??,i!? t miiom Jo Vio9'? ] 11UIUIU i ?T utit AO uv t "What's up?" yelled Blinn. "Is II . the river?" MacLean's face answered hlra. His ranch scoured again?"God . Almighty!" "The river!" screamed the women , The men were surrounding MacLean j1 whose horse was prancing as if witl the importance of having carried ? ^ ? ? 1a?taa nn 11 rvrl \f a a, nevere. xhxl U: "vy -"?v ; | Lean. "Where's Hardin?" He spurred | 1 i his mare toward Hardin, who was j j blacker than Napoleon at Austerlitz.1 r "You're needed. They're all need-' - ed." The other voices broke in, the j 2 men pressing up. This threatened - them all. Bllnn's ranch lay in the 1 ravaged sixth district. Nothing would | save him. Youngberg belonged toj ; water company number one; their j 3 ditches would go. Holiister and WW- j 1 son of the Palo Verde saw ruin ahead ' i of them. Each man was visualizing t the mad onward sweep of that def gtroying power. Like gliosis, the 3 woman huddled in the dust-blowa J road. "Where is it now?" demanded Bllnn. t "it's, ncre, ngnt-on us. xou re an i . needed at the levee," bawled Mac- j Lean. { The levee! There was a dash for r buggies, a scraping of wheels, the i whinnying of frightened horses. Some * one recalled the flashes of light they J r bad seen on leaving town. . "Whai j , were those lights?signals?" . _ .j ! ???? (To Be Continued Tuesday.) i Pure Ice Manufactured Under i .SOFT DRINKS Sof CIGARETTES I TOBACCOS P CANDIES V^UI FRUITS We t CIGARS the mo , licit yoi Abbeville Ca > - FERTII t I represent the > Works, of Charlestoi 1 hand a good stock. ; hard to get a little lat ; ip supplying your nee r ROBT. I t ?? 7 I :l Ooera ~ 1" __ ONE NIGHT i SATURDAY, l ! VIERRA'S ; PLAYERS ai ' "A Night ir t![ "" [ j This is Vierra's Nur .|l The best HAWAII A ' j I Ame ; j! Including Mr. Kalan: i S - for the Columbia Gr; ; tenor in the original > Conpany, an t ADMIi ! Children, - j Adults, These Prices inc i MOTHERS CLUB Miss Keith and Miss McLane entertained the mothers of the Calhoun Falls school Saturday afternoon at the home of Mrs. B. C. Wilson. V Music?Piano, voilin and vocal solos and duets by Miss Keith, Miss McLane and Mrs. Farrow were enjoyed during the afternoon and after the close a salad course with iced tea * was served. The teachers organized a mothers club and they hope to stimulate interest and improve the school by this means. Mrs. Joseph Gibert was elected chairman, Mrs. J. M. Cooley, vice-chairman, and Miss McLane, secretary and treasurer The mothers wish to meet every * two weeks on Friday afternoon at the school house. "Co-Operation" is the topic to be discussed at the first meeting, and Mesdames Howell, Farrow and Manning willjict as host \\-rt .. ?V y* mmm?mmmmmmmmx i^?? ? I Cream? ,4 Sanitary Conditions t Drinks and ' ' ifections % ire prepared to serve you in ; it courteous manner and 10ar patronage. ndy Kitchen 1 J : VM ?? : . JZERS-) | .}-M Ashepoe Fertilizer n, S. C., and have on Fertilizers may be :er on, so don't delay . sd?- ! ' I ' :,h S. LINK. *' '* 1 House \PR.5 '.T ** "hawaiin nd SINGERS V i Honolulu" nber One Company. m r ^mnoriv f rvnvin <r I XI \^y\J L?X]>s CAlxj IVUiliX^ D jrica. i, who makes records afanola, Pikaki, the "Bird of. Paradise" Ld Mr. Ferra. SSION - - - 50c. - - - - 75-. :lude War Tax.