The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, March 18, 1919, Image 6

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    THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
The RIVER
V
v
When the Colorado
HOW WILL HARDIN AND HIS WIFE RECEIVE HIM? RICKARD
IS NOT LEFT LONG IN DOUBT.
Synopsis. K. 0. IllckarV, nn engineer of the Overland Pacific rail
roi, Is called to the ofllce of President Marshall In Tuscon, Ariz. While
wilting Rlcknrd reads a report on the ravages of the Colorado river,
Despite the efforts of Thomas Ilnrdln, head of the Desert Reclamation
company. Jlanlto iiad been n student under Illcknrd In nn eastern col
lege and hnd marred Gerty Holmes, with whom Illcknrd had fancied his
was In Iov. Marshall tells IUcknrd the Overland Pacific must step In to
snv tfcg Imperial valley nnd wishes fo send Rlcknrd to take charge.
Rlcknrd declines because he foresees embarrassment In supplanting
Clardln, but Is won over. 'Illcknrd goes to Calcxlco and, on the wuy.
'tarns much about Ilanl'n niv hi tvork.
CHAFER IVCotlnued. !
"Bath right across the hall. Only
room left In the house." The proprietor
awarded him the vnllcy stare. "Going
t bo hero long?" Ho passed the last
key on tho rnck to the darky stagger
ing under n motley of bags nnd suit
cases. Jtlcknrd recognized Ids, nnd fol
lowed. "I may get you another room tomor
row," called the proprietor after him
b he climbed tho dusty stairs.
Tho signals of n new town wcro
waving In the dining room. The ma
jority of tho citizens displayed their
hlrt sleeves and unblushing suspend
ers. Ono lnrgo table was surrounded
by men In khaki; the desert soldiers,
nglnecrs. Tho full blown waitresses,
elaborately pompudourcd, wcro push
ing through tho swing-doors, cnrrylng
heavy trnys. Coquetry appeared to bo
their occupation, rather than meal
ervlng, tho diners ncccptlng both varie
ties of attention with appreciation. Tho
supremacy of those superior maidens
wob menaced only by two other worn
n who Thit at u tnblo near tho door.
Illcknrd did not see them nt first. Tho
room was as mascultno as a restaurant
to a new mining town.
' Illcknrd left his indoor view to look
through the French windows opening
ma a side street. Ho noticed a slender
but regular procession. All tho men
passing fell In tho same direction.
"Cocktail route," explnined ono of
BUs neighbors, his mouth full of boiled
beef.
"Oyster cocktail?" smiled tho new
comer. "The real thing 1 Cnlexico's dry, llUo
tho whole valley, that is, the county.
Deo that ditch? That Is Mexico, on
Itho other side. Those sheds you can
eo arb In Mexican, Cnlexico's twin
Mister. That painted ndobo Is tho cus
tom house, Mexican's not dry, even in
unimcrl You can bet your life on
that. You can get all tho bad whisky
and stalo beer you've tho money to
tuy. Wo work In Calcxlco, nnd drink
In Mexlcall. Tho tcmpernnco plcdgo is
Itept better In this town than any other
town In tho valley. But you can see
this procession every ulght."
Tho Amazon with a handkerchief
proa brought Itlcknrd his soup. Ho
was raising his first spoonful to his
mouth when he saw tho face, carefully
He Saw the Face, Carefully Averted.
averted, of tho girl ho had met nt tho
Marshall' table, Inncs Hardin. His
eyes jumped to her companions, tho
man a stranger, nnd then, Gerty
Eiolmcs. At least, Mrs. Hardin I Some
ow, It surprised him to find her pretty.
I Sho had nchlovcd a variety of ills
tlnctlon, preserving, moreover, tho
clear-cut babyish chin which hud mado
Ub early appeal to him. There was tho
samo flulty hair, Its ringlets a bit arti
ficial to his moro sophisticated eyes,
tho samo well-turned nose, nc had
been wondering about this meeting; ho
found that he had been expecting somo
sort of shock who said that tho lovo
of today Is tho Jest of tomorrow? Tho
'discovery Hint Oerty was not n Jest
brought tho surprised gratification
which wo award n letter or composition
written in our youth. Wcro wo as
.elVor ns that, so completo at eighteen
or twenty-ono? Could we, now, with
ill our experience, do any better, or In
deed ns well? That particular sen
tence with wings l Coftld we mako It
Burst Its Banks and
Copyright, Dobbn-Merrlll
fly today as It soared yesterday? Illck
nrd was finding that Gerty's nioro in
turo chorms did not accelerate his
heart-beats, but they wcro certainly
flattering to his early judgment. And
ho had expected her to bo a shock l
Ho was staring Into his plnrt of
chilled Poup. Calf-love I For ho had
loved her, or at least ho had loved her
chin, her pretty childish way of lifting
it. Sho was prettier than ho had pic
tured her. Queer that n man liko Har
din could draw such women for sister
nnd wife tho blood tie wus tho most
amazing. For when women come to
marry, they mnko often n queer choice.
It occurred to him , that that might
have been Ilnrdln lie hnd not wanted
to stare at them.
Thnt was not nnrdln's face. It held
strength nnd power. Tho outline was
sharp nnd distinct, showing tho strong
lines, tho determined mouth of tho pio
neer. There wns something else, some
thing which stoou ror distinction no.
it couldn't bo Ilnrdln.
And then, because an outthrust Up
chnnged the entlro look of the mnn,
Illckurd asked his tablo companions,
who wns the man with tho two ladles,
near the door.
"That, sub," his neighbor from Ala
bama became immediately oratorical,
"that Is a big man, suit. If the Im
perial valley ever becomes a, reality, a
flxtuah, it will bo because of that ono
mun, suh. Reclamation Is Uko a seed
thrown on a rock. Will it stick? Will
It tnko root? Will It grow? That is
what wo all want to know."
Itickard thought that ho had wanted
to know something qulto different, and
reminded tho gentleman from Alabama
tbnt ho had not told him tho name.
"Tho father of this valley, of tho
reclamation of this desert, Thomas
Ilnrdln, suh."
Illcknrd tried to .reset, without at
tracting their attention, tho group of
Uis Impressions of tho mnn whoso per
sonality hnd been so obnoxious to him
In tho old L'nwrenco days. Tho Hardin
he had known hud also largo features,
but of tho fluccid Irritating order. Ho
summoned n picture of Hardin ns ho
had shufllod into his own classroom, or
up to tho long tablo where Gerty had
always queened It among her mother's
boarders. Ho could sco tho rough un
polished boots that had nlways offend
ed him as a betrayal of tho man's In
nor conrseness; tho badly fitting cont,
tho long awkward arms, nnd tho satis
fled, loud-speaking mouth. These fea
tures wore moro definite. Could tlmo
bring these changes? Had ho changed,
Uko that? Had they seen him? Would
Gerty, wpuld Ilnrdln remember him?
Wasn't It his plnco to mnko .himself
known ; wnvo tho flag of old friendship
over an awkward situation?
ITo found himself standing in front
of their table, encountering first, tho
oyes of nnrdln's sister. Thero wns no
surprise, no wclcomo there for him. Ho
felt nt onco the hostility of tho camp,
His face was uncomfortably warm,
Then the childish profllo turned on him,
A look of bewilderment, flushing into
greeting tho years hud been kind to
Gerty Holmes 5
"Do you remember me, Illcknrd?"
If Hardin recognized a dlfllcult sltua
tlon, ho did not betray It It was
man Illcknrd did not know who shook
him warmly by tho hand, and said that
indeed ho had not forgotten him.
"I've been expecting you. My wife,
Mr. Illcknrd, and my Bister."
"Why, what nro you thinking of,
Tom? To lntroduco Mr. Illcknrd I
introduced you to encn other, years
ago I" Gerty's checks wero red. Her
bright cycB wcro darting from ono to
tho other. "You knew ho was coming,
and did uot tell mo?"
"You were at tho Improvement club
when tho telegram came," put In Inncs
Hardin, without looking nt Illcknrd. No
traco of tho Tucson cordiality In that
proud llttlo f uco I No acknowledgment
that they had met ut tho MurshuU'sl
'Oh, you telegraphed to us?". Tho
blond arch smllo hnd not nged. "That
was friendly and nice."
Itickard had uot been self-conscious
for many a year. lie did not know
what to say. Ho turned from her up
turned faco to tho others. Inncs Har
din was staring out of tho window.
over tho bends of several crowded
tables; Hardin was gazing nt his plate.
lllckard decided that ho would get out
of this before Gerty discovered that It
was neither ''friendly nor nice."
"If I had known that you wcro here,
I would have Insisted on your dining
with us, In our tent. War It's terrible,
Flooded the Imperial Valley of California
Company
here, Isn't It?" She flashed tit him the
look ho remembered so vividly, tho
childish coquettish appeal. "Wo dlno
nt home, till It becomes tiresome, nnd
then wo come foraging for variety. But
ou must como to us, say Thursday. Is
that right for you? We should lovo it."
Still thoso two nverted faces. Illck
nrd said Thursday, as he was bidden,
nd got bnck to his tnble, wondering
why in thunder he had let Marshall ner-
suado him to take this job.
Hardin waited n scant minute to pro
test: "Whnt pocsfR'd you to ask him
tff dinner?"
"Why shouldn't I? He Is nn old
friend." Gerty caught a glance of op
peal, from sister to brother, ".tenlous?"
sho pouted chnrmlngly at her lord.
"Jealous, no 1" bluffed Hardin.
He thought then thnt she knew, that
Inncs had told her. The Lawrcnco epi
sode held no sting to him. Once, it
hnd enchanted him that bo bad carried
off tho bonrdlng-houso belle, whom even
that bookmnn had found desirable-
bookman I A superior dudel He had
nlways hnd those grand airs. As If It
wero not moro to a man's credit to
trugglo for his education,, even if lie
were older than his class, or his teach
er, than to accept it off sliver plates,
handed by lackeys? Illckurd hod nl
ways acted us If It had been something
to be ashiimed of. It made him sick.
"They've done It this time. It's n
fool choice."
Again, thnt look of pleading from In
ncs. ucrty had a shiver oc intuition.
"Fool choice?" Her voice was omi
nously calm.
Hardin shook oft Inncs' eyes. Better
bo done with Itt, "He's the new gen
eral manager."
"He's tho general manager 1"
"I'm to take orders from him."
Gerty's silence wns of tho stunned
variety. Tho Hardlns watched her
crumbling bread on the tablecloth,
thinking, fcnrfully, that she was going
to cry.
"Didn't I tell you?" Her voice, re
pressed, cnrrled tho threat of tears.
Didn't I tell you how It would be?
Didn't I sny thnt you'd bo sorry If you
called tho railroad In?"
"Must wo go over this ngnln?" asked
her husband.
"Why didn't you tell mo7 Why did
you let mo mako n gooso of myself?"
She wns remembering that thero hnd
been no protest, no surprise from In
ncs. She knew J A family secret I
Sho shrugged. "I'm glad, on the whole,
thnt you planned It us a surprise. For
carried it off ns if we'd not been In
sulted, disgraced."
"Gerty I" expostulated Hardin.
"Gerty 1" Implored Inncs.
"And wo nro in tor a nice friendly
dinner I"
"Are you quite finished?" Hardin
got up.
As the three passed out of the dining
room, lllckard caught their several ex
pressions: Hardin's stiff, Indifferent;
Gerty's brilliant but hard, us sho
flashed n finished, bravo llttlo smile In
his direction. Tho slcter's bow was
distinctly haughty.
In tho hall, Gerty's laugh rippled
out. It was the laugh Itickard remem
bered, the light frivolous cadence
which recalled tho flamboyant pattern
of the Holmes parlor cnrpet,tthc long,
crowded dining tnble where Gerty had
reigned. It told him that sjio wns In
different to his coming, ns she meant
it should. And it turned him back to
a dark corner in tho honeysuckle-
draped porch whero ho hnd spent so
many evenings with her, where once
ho had held her hand, where lie told
her that ho loved her. For he had
loved her, or at least ho thought he
had I And hnd run uwny from her ex
pectant eyes. A cad, was he, becauso
ho had brought that waiting look Into
her eyes, and had run from It?
Should a mnn ask u woman to give
her life Into his keeping until he is
qulto suro thnt ho wants It? Ho was
revamping his worn defense. Should
ho live up to n minute of surrender, of
tenderness, If tho next Instant brings
sanity, nnd disillusionment? Ho could
bury now forever self-reproach. Ho
could laugh ut his own vaulty. Gerty
Hardin, it was easy to see, had forgot
ten what ho had whispered to Gerty
Holmes. They mot ns sober old
friends. That ghost was laid.
CHAPTER V.
A Game of Checkers.
Tho uneasy mood of tho desert, the
wind-blown sand, drove people Indoors
the next morning. Illckurd wus served
a substantial, Indifferently cooked
breakfast In the dining room of the
uesert notci, wnoso limitations were
ns conspicuous to the newcomer as
they were nonexistent to tho other
men. They wcro finding It n soft con
trast to snnd-blown tents, to life in the
open.
Luter ho wandered through tho
group of staring idlers In the oilice,
past tho popular sodu stand nnd tho
few chalr-tllters on tho sldewnlk, go
lng ou, us If without purpose, to the
railroad sheds, nnd then on, down to
the offices of the Desert Reclamation
company, no discovered It to be tho
one engaging spot in tho hastily
lurown-iogeuier town. Thero wero
oleanders, roso and white, blooming in
v
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C
v1
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5
the patch of purplo blooming alfalfa
that stood for u lawn. Morning-glories
clambered over tho supports of tho
veranda, and on over the roof. Rlck
ard's deductions led him to tho Har
dlns. Whnt fichool of experience had so
changed tho nwkward country fellow?
He hub! resented his rivalry, not that
be was a rival, but that he was a boor.
Ills kisses still warm on her lips, nnd
she hud turned to welcome, to coquet
with Tom Ilnrdln I The woman who
ns to be his wlfo must bo stendler
than that! It had cooled his fever.
Not for him the nspen who could
shako and bend her pretty boughs to
each rough breeze that blew!
Men tossed Into n desert, fighting to
keep a foothold, do not garland their
"I'll Take You Around."
i
ofllccs with morning-glories 1 Wns it
the gracious quiet Influence of a wife,
Gerty Hardin? The festive build
ing he was approaching wns as unex
pected ns Captain Brandon! Rlcknrd
walked on, smiling.
Ho wns fairly blown Into, the outer
room, tho door banging behind him,
Every ono looked up nt the noisy inter
ruption. There were several men In
the long room. Among them two nlert,
clean-faced, youths, college graduates,
or students out on furlough, the kind
of stuff in his class at Lawrence. Three
of the seasoned, road-coached typo
wero leaning their chairs against the
cool thick walls. One wns puffing at
a cigar. The other, a big, shy giunt,
wus drawing clouds of comfort from n
pipe. There was u telegraph operator
at work in one end of the room, her
Instrument rapidly clicking. In nn op
posite corner was a telephone ex
change. A girl with a metal band
around her forchend wns punching
connections between tho vnlley towns
Rlckard lost the feeling of having
gone into a remote ana isolated re
gion. Tho" twin towns wero on the
mup.
One of the older men returned his
nod. The young men returned their
hastily withdrawn attention to their
game of checkers. The other smoker
wob wntchlng with cross-eyed nbsorp
tlon tho rings his cigar was sending
Into the air. Rlckard might not have
been there.
One of tho checker players looked
up.
"Any tiling I can do for you? Do you
want to see nnyone in partlculur?"
"No," It wus admitted. "No ono In
particular. I was just looking round,
"Its tho show plnco of Calcxlco. I'll
tako you around. It is the only placo
In town that Is comfortable when It's
hot, or when the wind blows, and
that's the program all summer. Take
my place, Pete."
Pete, the young giant, with tho faco
of his Infancy cnlnrgcd rather than
mntured, slipped Into tho vacant chair.
Ho had been the first to discover the
stranger, but ho had evaded tho re
sponsibility. Tho game immediately
absorbed him.
"It's nice here," repeated tho young
fellow, lending tho way. They wero
followed by a few Idle glances.
Rlckardjooked with npprovnl nt the
tun slim flguro which wns assuming
tho courtesy of the towns. Tho fine
handsome faco wus almost too girlish
tho muscles of tho mouth too sensitive
yet for manly beauty, but he liked the
type. Lithe ns a young desert-reared
Indian, his manner und cnrrlngc told
of a curcful homo nnd rigid school dis
clpllne.
Ho wns ushered Into n lnrgo cool
roqm. Tho furnishings ho Inventoried
n few stiff chairs, a long tablo and a
typewriter desk, closed for tho Sab
bath.
"Tho stenographers room," an
nounced the Ind superfluously.
"Whoso stenographer"
"General property now. Everyone
has a right to uso her time. Sho used
to bo Hardin's, tho general manager's
She Is his still, In a wny. But Ogllvl
keeps her busy most of tho time."
Rlckard had not heard. of Ogllvlo,
Ho mado a mental register.
"When did Hardin co out?" Ho
By
EDNAH
AIKEN
knew the date himself, no expected
tho answer would trail wisps of other
Information. Ho nud n very nctlve cu
riosity nbout Ilnrdln. The man's fall-
res had been spectacular.
The young fellow wns thinking
nloud. "The dam went November
JOth. Hardin was given n decent in
terval to resign. Of course ho wns
fired. It was an outrage " He re
membered thnt he was speaking to n
stranger and broke off suddenly. Illck
nrd did not question him. He made
another note. Why was It an outrage
or why did It nppcnr so? In perspec
tive, from the Mexican barranca,
whero he had been at tho time, the
failure of that dam had been another
bar sinister against Ilnrdln.
"I see thnt you are from the Univer
sity of California?" Rlckard snld, und
nodded nt tho pin of gold nnd bluo
cnnmcl.
"Out for u year," glowed tho lad.
"Dad wanted me to get some real stuff
In my head. Ho said the Colorado
would give me moro lessons more reul
knowledge In a yenr than I'd got In
six nt college. I kicked up nn awful
row "
Tho older man smiled. "Of course.
You don't want to go back now"
The boy made n wry face. "Hc ex
pects me to go back in August. Says
must."
"You did not tell mo your name,"
was suggested.
"MacLean, George MncLenn," said
the young mun rather consciously. It
wns n good dcnl to live up to. Ho al
wnys felt the npprniscment which fol
lowed that admission. George Mac
Lean, elder, was known nmong the
rnllrond circles to be n man of Iron,
cne of the strongest of the bends of
the Overlnnd Puclflc system. Ho wns
not the sort of mnn n son could speak
lightly of disobeying.
"Of course everyone cnlls me Jun
lor."
"I guess you'll go back If he wants
you to," smiled Illcknrd.
Oh, but whnt a rotten trick It
would bo!" exclaimed the son of the
mnn of Iron. "To throw me out of
college I wns daffy to finish with my
clnss, nnd to get me here, to get me in
terestedand then after I've lost my
plnco to pull me back. Why, there are
things huppenlng every duy thnt nre a
liberal education. They nre only Just
beginning to undcrstnnd what they are
bucking up ngnlnst, The Colorado's
an unknown quuntlty; even old engi
neers arc right up against it There
nre new problems coming up every
dny. The Indians call her a yellow
dragon, but she's n tricky woman,
she's nn eel; she's giving us sums to
break our teeth on."
"Who hns the next room?"
"Used to be (he general manager's!
Ogllvle uses It now."
"And who did you say wns Ogll
vle?" They turned buck Into the
room.
"You cun go In. He's not hero. Ho
is the new auditor, nn expert nccount-
nnt from Los Angeles. Put In by the
O. P. when it nssumed control lust
yeur. He used to come down onco
month. After Hardin went out he
cume down to stay."
"Whose say-so?"
"I don't know. Tho accounts wero
rotten, that's no ofllce secret. The
world knows that. Hardin is blamed
for it. It isn't fair. Look nt Sather's
stone palace In Los Angeles. Look at
Hardin's tent, his shabby clothes."
"I'd Uko to meet Ogllvle," observed
the general manager.
"Oh, he's not much to meet A pale.
white-livered vegetarian, n theoso
phlst You've seen 'em. Los Angeles
Is full of 'em. Ho was hero when Har
din was fired. You could see him sec
his opportunity. His chest swelled
up. He looked as if he bad tasted
meat for tho first time. He thought
thnt ho could woozlo into the empty
place! Ho went back to Los Angeles,
convinced them that tho auditor
should be here, protect the company's
Interests. It sounded mysterious,
sleuthlike, ns If ho had discovered
something, so they let him bring the
books down here. He is supposed to
bo ferreting. But he's 'woozllng.' He
used to be In the outer office. Said
the noise made his heud ache, so he
moved in here. All tho committee
meetings are held here, nnd occasion
ally tho directors' meetings. Water
companies', too. Ogllvle's taking notes
wunts to bo the next general mana
ger; It sticks out nil over him."
"What's tho derivation of woozlo?"
this with deep gravity.
Wait till you sco Ogllvle I" laughed
his entertainer. Then us nn after
thought, "This Is all public gossip.
He's fair game."
Tho door opened behind them, and.
Rlckard saw tho mun whoso descrip
tion had been so deftly knocked off.
Ho recognized tho typo seen so fre
quently In southern California towns,
the pule, dnmnged exile whoso chance
of reprieve Is .conditioned by stern
rules of diet und sobriety. It wns the
temperament which must perforce
translate n personal necessity Into a
religious dogma.
"This gentleman's just Is Just
looking around," stammered MacLean,
blundering, confused.
Tho vegetarian nodded, taking off
his felt sombrero and putting It on a
chair with care.
By tills tlmo it was apparent that
no one save Hardin knew of his com
ing, no wns ahead of Marshall's let
ters, no did not like the flavor of his
entrance.
"Whut provision is being made for
tho new general manager?"
Tho question, nlmcd carelessly, lilt
tho auditor.
"They aro not talking of Ailing the
position Just yet," he responded.
"There Is no need nt present. The
work la going ulong nicely, better, I
might sny, adjusted as It now Is, than'
It did before."
"I heard thnt they had sent a man
from the Tucson ofllce to represent'
Mr. Marshall."
"Did you hcar his name?" stam
mered Ogllvle. I
"Rlckard." -The
auditor recovered himself. "I
would have heard of It were It truo.i
I am In close touch with tho Los An-'
geles ofllce." . j
"It Is true."
"How do you know?" Ogllvle's dis
may was too sudden ; the flabby facial
muscles betrayed ltltn.
"I'm Illcknrd." Tho new general
manager took the swivel chair behind
the fluVtop desk. "Sit down. I'd like
to have a talk with you."
"If you will excuse m," Ogllvle's
bluff was as anemic ns his crushed np-
penrnnce. "I I am busy this morn
ing. Might I trouble you for a
few minutes? My papers aro In this
desk."
Rlcknrd now knew his mnn to tho
shnllow depths of his whlte-corpus-
cled soul. "If I won't bo In your way
I'll hang around hero. I've the day to
kill."
His snrcnsm was lost in transit
Ogllvlo said that Mr. 'Rlckard would
not be In his wny. He would movo
hls papers Into the next room tomor
row. Tho engineer moved to the French
windows thnt opened on the alfalfa
lawn. A vigorous growth of willows
marked the course of New river,
which hnd cut so perilously nenr tho
towns. A letter "b," picked out In
quick river vegetation, told tho story
of the flood. The old channel thero
It wiis, the curved nrm of the "b," ono
could tell thnt by tho tall willows had
been too tortuous, too slow for those
sweeping waters. The flow had di
vided, cutting the stem of the letter,
currying the flood waters swifter
down grade. The flow had divided
bm! divided perhaps the danger tool
An Idea In that! He would see that
better from the water tower he'd spied
at entering. Another flood, and a
gnmble whether Mexlcall or Calexlco
would get the worst of it. Unless ono
wns reudy. A levee west of tho
American town!
"Excuse me, sir do you need me3"
ne turned back Into the room. Ho
could sco that MacLean was aching to"
get out of tho room. Ogllvlo had vis
ibly withered. A blight seemed t fall
on him as his white, biue-velned An
gers made a bluff among his papers.
"Thank you." Rlckard nodded at
MacLean, who burst Into the outer of
Ace. "It's the new general manager from
Tucson Rlckard's his name." His
whisper ran around the walls of the '
room, where other arrivals were tilt
ing their chairs. "The new general
manager! Ogllvlo woozled for noth
ing. You should have seen his facol"
"Did anyone know that he was com
ing?" Silent, the tanned giant, spoke.
'.'That's Marshall all over," said
Wooster, bright-eyed, and wiry, re
moving his pipe. "He likes to move In
a mysterious way his' wonders to per
form. (Used to sing that when I was
a kid I) No announcement. Simply,
'Enter Rlckard.'"
"More like this," said Silent. "Exit
Hardin. Enter Ogllvle. Enter Rlck
ard." "And exit Ogllvle," cried MacLean.
"It's, a d d shame," burst out
Wooster. No ono asked him what he
Ogllvle's Dismay Was Too Sudden.
meant Every man In the room wob
1 thinking of Hnrdln, whoso shadow tills
reclamation work was.
"What's Rlckard doing?" asked tho
Infnntllo Hercules at tho checkerboard.
Tho force called him Pete, which was
n short cut to Frederick Augustas
Bodefeldt
"Taking Ogllvle's measure" this
from MacLean.
"Then he's doing something olso by
this time. That wouldn't tako hlra Ave
minutes unless he's a gull," snapped
Wooster, who hated Ogllvlo as a rat
does u snake.
ckard moves to cave the
valley in what seems to him the
only possible way. His views do
not coincide with those of Har
din. The next installment tends
to Justify the forebodings with
whjch Rlckard undertook his
GSt task. Do not fail to read it
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Spoiled It
"Jnck snld you were n bird." "Real
ly," sho exclnlmed, delighted. "Yea,
parrot" Boston Transcript