, 1922-07-12
CHAPTER xl-continued.

CarterS. Maudm carter was Bredtiy
shaken, Nina hysterical. Ward ag-
grieved. irritated at his own feeling.
He had not seer his mother for seven
months, she had brought nothing but
a certain unpleasant %notoriety to her
children, yet her death struck both the
young creatures forcibly, and they felt
shocked and shaken.
"We can't be in the Fordyce tab
leaux." said Nina in an interval be-
tween floods of sobs. mot that l
would want to, nowl But l don't
know; it seems to me that / am the
most unfortunate girl In the world ~
81 think both you and Ward should
wear black for a certain PERIOD Rich
ard said to her. He had been walking
the floor ~nervously, stopping now and
then beside the great chair where his
mother sat silent and stricken, to put
his arm about her shoulders, and MUIR
mur to her consolingly.
when my mother died." Madame
Carter quavered, with her handker-
chief pressed to the tip of her nose,
my sisters and l wore black, and re-
fused all social engagements for n
stai- We thCht iShichibCi uiotiiNtiys
began to wear white and lavender"
Nina broke in pettishly 81 don't see
why 1 have to wear black !"
why should your" Ward said with
bitter scorn. ITS only your mother! !"
Nina began to cry.
you and 1 will go down to Land
mann's early tomorrow, Nina" Har-
rlet suggested, and we'll have some
one show us what is simple and nice
not Grape. you know" Harriet said,
with a glance at Richard Carter, "but
black, for a,few months, anyway"
81 think that would be the least,
Richard" his mother approved. 81 be-
lieve 1 will go with you," she conde-
scended to Harriet, after all, Isabelle
was my daughter-in-law. and the
mother of my grandchildren !"
And l won't go to California or Ber-
muda or anywhere else unless Lady
bird comesi" Nina burst out, with a
broken sob.
"Nonsense!" her father began harsh
iy. Harriet said:
Bermuda? Is there a plan for Ber-
muda?'
Il suggested it for a few weeks"
Richard said. frowning. but l don't
propose to have Nina invite a group of
friends. That isn't exactly the idea"
I'VE could ask Mrs. Tabor" Harriet
said. soothingly; at is right in the
middle of the season, and perhaps she
will feel she can hardly spare the time.
But I'm sure that If she can
IF l ask her, she'll 60" Nina said.
In a sulky, confident undertone.
Harriet had her doubts, but she did
not express them. A month at Mas
sau, in the undiluted company of Nina
n her grandmother, vas enough to
appall even Harriet's stout heart.
The event proved her right, for while
Ida Tabor flew at once to her sdiscon-
ISOLATE little friend, int assured Rich
ard with tears in her yes that she
would do anything in the world to help
him, she weakened when the actual
test arrived.
IF just you and l and your lear
grandmother were going, dearest girl"
she said to Nina, then 1t would be per-
feet. But as long as Miss Field, who
is perfectly charming and conscien-
tious and all that, feels that she must
accompany US, why-you and 1 would
never De a moment alone, sweetheart,
you know thatl 1 don't like to think
that it's jealousy"
"Of course it's jealousy" Nina was
pleased to decide, gloomily. Granny
says that we don't need her, but Fa-
ther just sticks to it that she must
manage everything"
Ida Tabor smiled automatically.
81 don't suppose your father sees any
thing in Miss Field?' she submitted,
lightly.
.oh, Heavens, nor Nina said,
studying herself in Il h%andglass. There
was a rather steely look in the eyes
of her friend Ladybird, but she did not
see 1t. Her smile of pleasure gradual
~ gave place TO a pout. 'I'm going to
ask Father If we need Miss Harriet |"
she said.
And that evening she did indeed at
tack Richard on the subject, although
not as decidedly as she had planned.
He listened to her interestedly enough.
with his evening paper held ready for
his next glance.
Let you roam about the country
with Mrs. Tabor" he said, as the girls
faltering accents stopped. mo, my
dear, it's out of the question: In he
first place, she is not the sort of COM
panIon would Choose for any girl.
and in the second place 1 would never
know where you and your grandmoth-
err were, or what was happening to
you'll While Miss Field is in charge 1
shall feel entirely safe. OF course, IL
Mrs. Tabor chooses to invite herself,
that's her AFFAIR.""
''Then l don't want to goP Mini
stormed. But in the end she did go.