Mexico weekly ledger., 1921-12-29

tied glance at the lawns and gardens
of the nay .ma9sion already dotted
with awnings and, chairs and sprinkled
with the bright gowns Of the first
arrivals. They were early, and their
hostess. a handsome, heavily built
woman with ctrsetsi like armorplate
under her exquisite gown, and "a
blonde bang covering her forehead,
came forward with her daughter to
meet them. francesca was MS slight
as a willow, with a. .demurely dropped
little head and a honeyed little self
possessed manner.
"Very decent Of you, Miss: Fieldr"
breathed Mrs. Jay, In a voice like that
Of a horn. you girls run along now
people will be comm at any minute.
I'm going to take Miss Field to the.
table. Three hundred people COMM.
she confided as Harriet followed her
across the lawn, and to the rather
quiet corner of the awninged porch,
where the tea table stood. "Tii leave
you here. and you Just ask for anything
you need Il
The matron melted away; Harriet
looked after her broad. retreating
back indiitesently. She would have
loaned Harriet any amount 81" Honey.
the girl ,refeeseds smblderihE, she
would have shown her genuine friend
ship and generosity In crisis But
she would not introduce, people, to
Harriet this afternoon. and ms day
or two she would, send Harriet q bit
Of lace, or a dainty waist, as d delicate
reriipder that the courtesy had been
a business one, after all. "
Presently the sun came out for Har-
riet In the arisval OF a tall, swiftly
moving, dark.eyed woman some, ten
years older than she WAS herself:
Mary Putnam. onseofs the real friends
the girl had gained 4akabe. hast four
years. Young Mrs. Putnam, Harriet
used to think; with a little natural
jealousy uhdeP her admiration, had
everything. She wal not pretty, but
hers was a distinguished appearance
and a lovely face; she had the self
possessed manner Of a woman whose
whole life has been given to the social
arts; she had a clever. kindly. silent
husband who, adored her; her home,
her garden, her clubs and her chart
ties, and finally she had her nursery,
where Billy and Betty were rioting
throu4h an AdeaN childhood.
JyHarrietw7yon dear child" said the
rich and pleased voice, as Mary's fine
hand crossed the tea table for a well
coming touch, ,"But how nice to find
you here v I'VE just been trying to
think How long 1t Is since TveA,seen
your yt: sK ~ s4tt.. -
j .Not sines;the day you lunehed with
Mrs., Carter, end that was almost two
weeks. ago! /" ..
Mrs pntpaH settled herself in the
neighboEihE, chair.
aTtm ctapeffooHiugg little Lettuce Gra-
ham for taaaweek.,e ssfrS began, In the
delightful yoles&upen which Harriet
had modeledv hers~own. "But Lettice
sis trying her ~llttleYarts upsR Ward
Garter. Dear hey that!r i "a
"Wardf He a.; . dearl" Harriet
said. ~innocently. =
':NoI bIushing1".. Mary Putnam asked,
with a smiling fook, The color came
Into gHarrietsSs lovely @face, and tho
smoky blue eyes widened ~innocently.
"BlushiRg-foE. Ward?" she asked.
Mrs. Putnam stirred. her tea thought
fully. ~, Az
IL didn't know, she said. You're
young, and you know him well, and
you're--weli, You have appearance, as
II werel Ward has fine stuff in him,
and also, I think, he is beginning to
q It would be al engagement that
would please the Carriers, ] imagine"
The word engagement brought a
filmy vision before Harriet's eyes, born
Of the fragrance and sunshine Of the
summer. She saw a ring, laughter
and congratulations, dinner parties
and receptions, shopping in glittering
Fifth avenue. $&
"A boy In Wards position may do
much worse than marry a lovely and
sensible woman" Mrs.. Putnam said.
"Well, 1t just occurred to me. II Is
your affair, Of course. But looking
back n sees how much Just the
well, the lack Of tiny push has
meant In ones lifel"
sand this is the push2' Harriet said,
her heart full OF the confusion and
happiness that this unusual mood Of
confidence and affection on Mary Put
MANS part had brought her.
"Perhaps" The smooth, cool hand
touched hers for a second before Mrs.
Putnam went upon her gracious way.
Harriet hardly heard the hustle and
confusion about her for a few minutes.
She sat musing. with her splendid eyes
ixed upon some point invisible Id the
joyous group about her.
To Nina, meanwhile. had CONS the
most extraordinary hour Of her life.
She had sauntered to a green bench.
under great naples, with Lettice Ora.
ham and Harry Trout and Anna
Poett. And Joshua Brevoort had come
for Anna. and they had sauntered
away, with that mysterious ease with
which other girls seemed to manage
young men. And then Harry an4sLet-
tice had in some manner comlHuri-
Gated with each other. for Letti6s had
jumped up suddenly. saying: wilma.
Will You excuse us7 Wen be- back
directly" and they had wandered of
in the direction Of the river. giggling
as they went. Nina had smiled gal.
lantly In farewell, but her feelings
were deeply hurt. She hated to at on
here, visibly alone. and yet there was
small object In going back 10 tho. ab.
sorbed groups nearer the house.
Then came the miracle. For as she
sEf -EAA. E. MHI..MH..