Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TUESDAY, AJfKili zz, i?ia. nri fi- rm mt ruv By EDNAI (Continued From Last Friday CHAPTER- XX. A Soft Nook. j Innes traveiea, gieeiuny, in a ca- i boose, from Hamlin Junction to the Heading, She could not stay away a day longer! Never before had Los Angeles been a discipline. Why had it fretted her, made her restless, homesick? Then she bad discovered the reason; history was going on down yonder. Going on, without her. She knew that that was what was pulling her; that only! The exodus of engineers had started riverward in July. Gerty went with Tom, and she had made it distinctly clear that it was not necessary for Innes to follow them. Ridiculous for two women to coddle a Tom Hardin! Unless Innes had a special interest! Her pride had kept her aw&y. But Tom did not write; Gerty's letters were social and unsatisfactory; the newspaper reports inflamed her. The day before she had wired Tom that she wa* coming. She had to be there at tht end! Gerty welcomed her stimy. Assuming a conscientious hostess-ship, she caught fire at her waning enthusiasms. Gerty Welcomed Her Stiffly. Gerty looked younger and prettier. Her flush accentuated her childish features which were smiling down her annoyance over this uninvited visit. "We have all the home comforts, haven't we? Why shouldn't we be comfortable when we are to be here for months? I'm going to brave It out?to the bitter end, even If I bake, it is my duty?" She would make her intention perfectly dear! "There ought to be at ' least one cozy place, one soft nook that suggests a woman's presence. We hare tea here in the afternoon, sometimes. Mr. Rlckard drops In." The last was a delicate stroke. "Afternoon tea? At the Front? la this modern warfare?" The girl draped | her irony with a smile. Gerty was stealing a pleased survey I In the mirror through the rough door that opened into the division called her bedroom. The sunburned, unconscious profile of Innes was close to her own. Pink and golden the head by the dark one. Sbe looked younger even than Innes! Good humor returned to her. "We are going to dine on the Delta tonight" She pinned up a "scolding lock," an ugly misnomer for her sunny nl!nirln<r Anrlo I Tho mirror WAR rpnnl sitioned again. "That's the name of the new dredge. It was christened three weeks ago, In champagne brought from Yuma." 'Ton said dine on the Delta. Do you mean they have meals there?" "You should see it," cooed Gerty. "It's simply elegant It's a floating hotel, has every convenience. The camp cook, Ling, has his hands fulL" "Going to wear that?" They were 6tanding now by the door of Gerty's dressing tent Over the bed a white lingerie gown was spread. "I live in them. It's so hot," shrugged Mrs. Hardin. Til look Bke four maid, Gerty 1" In; nes' exclamation wai rueful. 1 dldnt bring anything bat khakis. Oh, yes 1 X remember throwing In, tbo last minute, ttfo piques to All up spaced "Why, ws bars dances on tbs Delta, and Sunday evening concerts. You knew the werit at Laguoa daa Is being hdd up? Tfcs (otmudsd! torn ?f (bs ftaclamattoa 8<Mka an down bets afl I 'ER HI AIKEN ready." Later, Tom flatly refused to accompany them. "I thought as much." Gerty shrugged aii airy irresponsibility. Innes could detect no regret. They passed a cot outside the tent "Who sleeps there?" "Tom." The eyes of the two women did not meet Innes made no comment. "He finds the tent stuffy." Gerty's lips were prim with' reserve. They walked toward the river in silence. As they reached the encampment, Gerty recovered her vivacity. "That's Mr. Rickard's office, thai ramada. Isn't it quaint? And that's his tent; no, the other one. MacLean's is next; there's Junior, now." But his eyes were too full of Innes to see Gerty's dimples. The difference ir the quality of his greetings smote Gertj like a blow. And she had never con sidered Tom's sister attractive, as ? possible rival. Yet, after a handshake she saw that to MacLean, Jr., she did not exist. Gerty was deeply piqued. Until now the field had been hers. She might per haps have to change her opinion of Tom's sister. Boys, she had to con cede, the younger men, might find hei attractive, boyishly congenial; older men would fail to see a charm! The arrangement at table annoyec Gerty. The boss, MacLean explained gaily, would not be there for dinner. He might come in later. Two men from thp Reclamation Service tried to enter tain Mrs. Hardin. "It isn't a battle." Innes looked around the gay rectangle. "It's play P The thought followed her that eve ning. Outside, where the moonlight wa>f silvering the dack, and the quiet river lapped the sides of the dredge Jose's strings, and his "amlgo's" throb bing from a dark corner, made the Illusion of peace convincing. This was no battle. It was easy to believe her self figein at Mare island?the Delta a cruiser. Later, Gerty passed her, two-step ping divinely. Before her partriln turned his head, Innes recognized th", stiff back and straight poised head and - *-? - * t*? -i j riv - ~ uanciDg siep oz AicKuru. one aumuted he had dlstiDCtion, grudgingly. She could not think of him except comparatively; always antithetically, balanced against her Tom. * 'Tm tired; let's rest here." Innes drew Into the shadow of the great arm of the dredge. They watched the dancers as they passed, MacLean playing the woman in "Pete's" arms, Gerty with Rickard, two other masculine couples. The Hardins were the only women aboard. It was because of Tom that Innes felt resentment when the uplifted appealing chin, the lace ruffles fluttered by. Tom, lying outside an unfriendly tent! It was easy, in that uncertain light, to avoid IUckard'8 glance of recognition. Rstrflrtn who had come aboard with the manager, sought her out, and then Crothers of the 0. P. Again, she saw Rickard dancing with the lingerie gown. There seemed to be no attempt to cover Gerty's preference; for Rickard, she was the only woman there I Because she was Tom's sister, she had a right to resent It, to refuse to meet his eye. Small wonder Tom did not come to the Delta! Going In with MacLean, Jr., to the messroom for a glass of water, she met Rickard, on his way out. She managed to avoid shaking hands with him. She wondered why she had consented to give him the next waltz. "He'll not find me," she determined. MacLean followed her gladly to the dark corner of the deck where's Jose's guitar was then syncopating an accompaniment to his "amigo's" voice. To her surprise. Rickard penetrated her curtain of shadows. "Our dance, Miss Hardin? Give na 'Sobr' Las Olas,' again, Jose." The? hand that barely touched hla arm was stiff with antagonism. She told herself that he had to dance with her?politeness, conventionality, demanded it But, instantly, she forgot her resentment, and forgot their awkward relation. It was his dancing, not Gerty's, then, that was "superb." Anybody could find skill under the leadership of that irresistible step. And then the motion claimed her. She thought of nothing; they moved as one to the liquid falling beat The music dropped them suddenly, IV .4 .i. JmiW BOiuuug uieui at ure oieiu ujl uw ucv^ The silence was complete. Rickard broke It to ask her what she thought of the camp. Her resentments were reeafied. She blundered through her Impression of the lightness, the gayety. " work camp does not have to be solemn. TooTi Had tH the filmnidw ym ^nt tf x?m took beoeetb ?? |Rr face." The guitars were tuning up. "Shall I take you back? I have this dance with your sister." She thought of Tom?on his lonelj cot outside his tent. She forgot thai she had been asked a question. He was dancing again with Gerty! If thai silly litt\e woman had no scruples, nc fine feeling, this man should at leasl guard her. If he had been her lover he should be careful; he must see thai people were talking of them. She had * ?~ /TOw seen tne glances mui evemug! n* business relation between the two mei! should suggest tact, if not decency! II was outrageous. Rickard stood waiting to be dl& missed; puzzled. Through the uncer tain light, her anger came to him. Shf looked taller, older; there was a flame of accusing passion in her eyes. It was his minute of revelation. St that was what the camp thought 1 The wife of Hardin?Hardin! Why, he'c been only polite to her?they were old friends. What had he said to call dowr this sudden scorn? "Dancing?again?' Had he been all kinds of an ass? "My turn, Miss Innes!" demandec MacLean, Jr. "Oh, yes," she cried, relief in hei tone. Rickard did not claim his danct with Mrs. Hardin. He stood when the girl had left him, thinking. A few minutes later, Gerty swept by in th< arms of Breck. Later, came Inne.' with Junior; the two, thinking them selves unseen, romping through a two step like two young children. He was never shown that side of her. Gay a! a young kitten, chatting merrily witl MacLean! Should her eyes discovei him, she would be again the haughty young woman! He'd gone out of his way to be po lite to the wife of Hardin. What die he care what they thought? He'd fin ish his job, and get out. A minute later, he was being rowet back to camp. CHAPTER XXI. A Complete Camp. "Complete, isn't (t?" Estrada waj leading Innes Hardin through the en gincurs' quurters. "Yes, It's complete!" Her Brother had told her at break fast that morning how grandly thej had been wasting time! She wouU not let herself admire the precision o: the arrangements, the showers back o: the white men's quarters, the mesqult shaded kitchen. Gerty's elaborate set tling was or a piece, it wouia seem with the new management. House keeping, not fighting, then, the nev order of things! Tom was afire to get his gate done She knew what It meant to him; t< the valley. The flood waters had t< he controlled. That depended. Ton had proved to her, on the gate. An< the men dance and play housa, as I they w*ve children, and every daj counting! She thought she was keeping her ac cnsatlons to herself, but Estrada wa watching her face. "We are here, you know, for a sieg< There are months of work ahead, he months, hard months. The men hav got to be kept well and contented. W can't lose any time by sickness?" H wanted to add "and dissensions." Th split camp was painful to him, an Es trada. "Even after we finish the gat( if we do finish it?" She wheeled on him, her eyes glean ing like deep yellow jewels. "You'v never thought we could finish it!" Estrada hesitated over his answer. "You are a friend of Tom's, Mr. Es trada?" "Surely! But I am also an admire of Mr. Rickard, I mean of his method! I can never forget the levee." She had to acknowledge that Rici ard had scored there. And the hurt ing of the machinery had left a woum that she still must salve. "You have no confidence in th gate?" "The conditions have changed, urged Estrada. "You've seen the mes tent? As it was planned, it was al right, a hurry-up defense. Marshal all along intended the concrete gat iur uit? pvriuauem iiiiUKe. nave jui seen the gap the Hardin gate Is t close? Have yon beard what the las floods did to It? It's now twenty-si: hundred feet, and Disaster Island which your brother planned to ancho to, swept away I If It can be done, 1 will, you can rest assured, with Ricfe ard?" he saw the Hardin mouth thei ?"and your brother's zeal, and th< strength of the railroad back of them.' The camp formed a hollow trape zium; the Hardins' tents, and Mrs Dowker's, were isolated on the shor parallel. Rlckard's ramada and hli tent were huddled with the engineers' Across, toward the river, behind Ling'i mesquites, began another polygon, th< camp of foremen and white labor Some of these tents were empty. "Is this Mexico, or the States?' asked Innes. "Mexico." She wondered why h< halted so abruptly. She did not sre for the glare in her eyes, a woman's skirt in the ramada they approuclied. Estrada marched on. Outside the ramada, the two womei met. Gerty's step carried her pa? like a high-bred horae. Her high heels cut Into the hard sand. There was f suggestion of prance in her mien. Sh( waved her hand gayly at the twoi cried, "How hot It Is 1" and passed on. Innes saw Rlckard at his long pln< table used for a desk. "T on du If all +rt\m howt H Nrti frH money would the ptetar of Tom B&> din go In! At table, tbat gtantam, lor fleoflg &*Wl With EBTprtit ttMMP She Waved Her Hand Gayly. i j ment that they were to Al In the mess ; tent with the men. It was too hot to . jcoek any longer; this had been one of . the hottest days In the year. ; She expected to hear a protest to 3 the new arrangement from Tom. She i was to see a new development?sullen resignation. If he would accept it, she i mast not argue. Both sister and brother knew why it was too warm to cook . any longer. 1 ? (To be Continued Friday.) 1 COMMENDS SUGGESTION. Columbia, April 18.?"I wish to commend the suggestion made by the State Chairman of tbe Woman's Division, Mrs. P. S. Munsell, and. to s itfse the churches in our State To I - l ave a special Victory thanksgiving! on Easter Sunday," gaid Chas. H. Barron today. j "I recall," said Mr. Barron, "a 1 certain other Sunday, nearly a year ? ago. How different all things then seemed! The Germans were coming . and coming fast. In Flanders the , gallant British had lost all of the ~ terrian they had gained at Cambrai in their wonderful dash upon the | , extreme northern end of the German ' jl ) line. Here it appeared that thei, J German onrush would be irresitible , j and that the brave British with their,1 f Scotch and Canadian and Australian j p and New Zealand fighting bands,! would be driven back, back into the! sea." 1 "Further South the Hun had start? ed his desperate drive of March 21st. it As the floods covered the earth in ( the days of the patriarchs, so did it ' seem that the Prussian flood would j ( pour in upon Paris, inundating all j j j. | of France in a wave of military j * death. "It was while the fate of the world was so hanging in the balance,1 so delicately poised, that our great President called for a day of prayer. ?" It was ostensibly a prayer for the strength of our armies in France 3i a prayer for the bulwark of steel inj our grand navy that separated us^ from death from a malevolent foe;' Jj it was ostensibly a prayer for the strength of our army at home, our) e citizenship. But in truth it was aj prayer for Deliverance. That was a gray day and sad. ? ! ~ _ ll "But the deliverance; came, uan i 11 anyone doubt that God sent the 30th! e Division to Flanders and there broke 0 the spirit of the German invader and o held him and drove him back until, the brave Allies could reform their shattered lines and come back to be! I in at the death? Can anyone doubt that God sent the marines and the' regulars just in time to save Paris and all that France has become through the exaltation of suffering? South Carolinians who served thru that whirlpool of Hell have told me that when our divisions, green and unused, were rushed in to hold the line until the Frencty cotfld snatch a wring their hearts. For five days and nights the poilus had fought, giving back, giving back, fighting s desperately but giving back. Five days and nights without sleep, withj out food, with scarcely a sup of water. Yet, fighting a horde of well nourished German legions, reckless ^ and devilish through the deep pota% tions of the wine in the French vil-| i NOTICE TEACHERS' ' EXAMINATION The Regular Spring Teachers' Ex) amination will be held in the County | Court House at Abbeville, on Satur-1 ' ' *-- " O-J V-l V. aay, may oru, uetnccu uvuid v.* 9 a. m., and 4 p. m. r W. J. EVANS, > 4-l-8t. Co. Supt. of Education. lages, which they had captured. The American soldiers' hearts were deeply touched as they saw the French soldiers, when relieved, fall in the mud in their very tracks and there sleep for hours in exhaustion. "Can anyone-doubt that it was God moving in his mysterious ways who performed these wonders, who made men of steel of these untried American troops and caused them to hurl the wretched Germans back and to put into their hearts the realiza tion of defeat and the fear of God?" "I therefore believe it most fitting 1 BLOW OU do not ruin tires if properly rep; Let us examine and advise casings. Tube repairing, 25c. up; Cj MARTIN ai At City Do You Wan Training ? Are You Anxious and Self-Supporting' One Day's Steady V Two Precious Gifts? If you would (and if yon " one year's High School wo: outline our plan which wil SCHOLARSHIP at our Cc The number of young pe< be extended is limited, so write for particulars TO-D Greenwood bt Greenwc farm for s; 7 ^ I??* j 87 ACRES?12 mil. McCormick Coi of W. D. Morral F 40. AC RES?About ville, no improv and tiinber. 79 3-4 ACRES?3 m one settlementon place. Plenty running througl 227 1-2 ACRES?1 ville. This is a s] erty. A lot of sa^ F 100 1-2 ACRES?1 ville. Good resic ings. Well ater< and timber. P 1 on 1 A A PDCC 1 JLOS7 ?-f nvlMJU "J. ville. A splend provements, abc torn lands. * F 541 ACRES?1-2 m mile from Calhi farm being opei Lies well, is wel i abundance of w< Pr Can Arrai ROBERT i ' that in those drab days of death and the grave we asked for Deliverance, we should now give praise foi\ the Victory. We should remember the boys who sleep on the poppy fields' of France and among the lilies of Flanders. We should remember the boys of our own State who are yet on foreign soil, thousands of them, and we should in our acknowledging I the source of Victory, remember ^ that we must support our Government and bring them home to enjoy the Peace whicn they have helped to establish." eg =r TS ; 1 you before throwing away your isings, 50c. up. . % id PENNAL. Garage. it a Business | to Be Independent f Would You^ Give /ork to Secure These l have completed at least rk) write to us, and we will I enable you to secure a >llege FREE OF CHARGE ople to whom this offer will we would suggest that you AY. isiness College x>d, S. C. LANDS VLEH.U '! 3S from Abbeville, in mty, adjoining lands | Vice, $30.00 per acre. six miles from Abbeemente, all in wood i Price, $25 per acre. i1r>a fwnm A V>V>mnllo 11CO 11 Vlli J> JLKTK/Ks aaav/ > -two horse farm open j wood, and stream 1 place. Price, $2,000.00. J 1 miles from Abbe-. | ^ plendid piece of prop- I 'm i .i ^ I tv timoer on tnis piace Vice, $17.50 per acre. 2 miles from Abbelence and out build3d and plenty wood rice, $30.00 per acre. 0 miles from Abbeiid farm but no im>ut 50 or 60 acres bot'rice, $18.00 per acrg. ile from Hester, one oun Falls. 15 horse *ated on the nlac.e. S 1 watered and has an ood and timber. ice, $40.00 per acre. lge Terms 1 ' S. LINK ?1 .rJ ' 'fi