Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-12-30
CHAPTER ~.

Again Harriet fed through the quiet
house as II pursued by furles, and
again reached her room with white
checks and fast-beating heart. Nina
was mot there. She crossed to the win
dow, and stood there with her hands
clasped on her chest. and her breath
coming and going stormily.
"Oh, he's cleverl" she whispered,
half aloud. Hes clever He never
made n threat. He never made a
threat af any kind He knew that he
had me-ihe knew that he had me just
where he wanted me And what he
does here, In making his way with this
family, doesn't concern me Nina is
old enough TO decide for herself"
Nina had been experiencing what
were among The pleasantest hours of
her life. A school friend. Amy Hawkes.,
who was romance persopified, under a
plain and demure extert@r, had OBJ
served Nina's long conversation with
Royal Blondin, and had found an arch
allusion to IL so well received by Nina
that she had followed up that line of
conversation, ever since.
Amy was to sleep with Nina, and
Harriet realized. as she superintendent
their fluttered dressing that she. Har-
riet, would be obliged to go to their
door five times, between eleven and
one o'clock that night, and tell them
that they must stop talking.
There was modest knock at the
door. and Rosa came In with box.
She smiled, and put II on Harriet's
desk.
For me?" the girl said, smiling in
answer, and with some surprise. Rosa
nodded, and went her way, and Har-
riet went to the box. 1t was not
large, a florists box Of dark green
cardboard; Harriet united the raffia
string, and Investigated the mass OF
silky tissue paper. Inside was an or
child. She opened the accompanying
envelope, and found Wards card. On
the back he had written, Just little
worried because he's afraid you're
cross at him."
Harriet stood perfectly still, the or
child In one hand. the card crushed In
the other. Ward Carter had sent or
chids. no doubt. to other girls. But
Harriet Carter had never had an Or
child before from a man.
She put the card into her little desk,
and the orchid into IA slender crystal
vase. Then she went back to advise
Amy and Nina as to gold beads and
the arrangement of hair. But little
later, when she was In the big house
keepers pantry, where several maids
were busy with last-minute manipula-
lions Of olives and Ice and grapefruit,
Ward came out and found her, soberly
busy in her old checked silk.
"Why didn't you wear it?"
"wear II t. you bad, extravaganza
child I'll wear 1t to town tomorrow"
mo; but" he sank his tone TO me
OF enjoyable conhdehces-"but we're
YOU mad at meS You looked so. glam
at breakfast"
"WeM, you mad nothing to do with
II" she assured him, In her big-sis-
terly voice. "And 1t was the FIRST or
child i ever had, and loved you for
itlr
1t was with something like pain and
,mpatience in his tone that Ward said
grufhy:
"Yes. YOU do! You like me about as
much as you like Nina or Granny!
81 like you-sh' just little better
than / do Granny Harriet contided
.Don't spoil your dinner with olives
Ward! Don't muss that-there's q
dear! Dinners announced. by tho
way. It's quarter past eight"
Pm goingw he grumbled, discon
tentedly.
AT any rate. love the orchid"
Harriet said, soothingly. He wal
laughing, too, as he disappeared, bu
something In his face was vagueI!
troubling TO her none the less, and sh'
remembered II now and then with
little compunction during her quie
evening of reading. Well, she woul'
see Linda on Saturday, and have Sun
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