The Holbrook news., 1922-03-17

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 T Wanted to Say Something to You"
 Richard Said, Feeling Awkward as Boy.
 and with suddenly wet eyes. "The- the most generous !"
 He looked at her hand again, looked LID at her as if he would speak. But instead, she felt her fingers pressed, and felt her heart thump with deli cious terror.
 Bottomley came no!selessly, dis creetly, across the hall. Instantly the woman in blue and silver was all the mistress.
 'Is Mir. Ward in. Bottomley?"
 He dined at 'ome, Mrs. Carter"
 ''Oh, thank you, You may lock up, then. Goodnight, Mir. Carter. Good night, BottOmley!"
 She was gone. Tie hlue-and-silver gown and the punched folds of the furred coat vanished on the stairway landing. The tall clock that she passed struck eleven. And Richard, going into his library, realized that he was deeply and passiOnately in love- He could think of nothing else-he did not wish to think of anything else. Her face came between hiin and his book, her voice loitered in his ears. her precise. pretty phrasing, the laughter that sometimes lurked be- heath her tones.
 They were at the country club; Harriet chaperoning Nina, who was down at the tennis court with q group of young persons; Richard breathless and happy from hard game of eighteen holes. He had encountered her on the porch, on his way to the showers, experiencing, as he did so, the thrill that belongs only to the un- expected encounter. Now they lOitered at the railing, in the shade of the green awnings, as entirely oblivious of watching eyes as if the clubhouse were the library at home.
 Mrs. Carter" said a woman in bright yellow, coming up to them sud denly, twill you be a darling and come and talk to my French officer? The girls have all been practicing their BerlitZ on him, and he's almost losing his mindl Dick" added this matron who had linked her arm about Har- riet's waist, flor heavens sake go clean up. Cant you find time to talk to your wife at home? I've been watching you for five minutes, getting my arms burned simply black-will you come, Mrs. Carter? That's the poor soul, over there with Sarah. 1 don't know why I've had a French gov erness for that girl for seven years."
 "To save the life of fellow crea- ture-" Harriet said in her liquid French. She went off, laughingly, in the other woman's custody; Richard looked aster them moment.
 He saw them join the group of smil- ing girls and the harassed French man; saw the aliens face brighten as Harriet was introduced. A moment later a boy with tennis racket dashed up to them, and there was scattering in the direction of the courts. The girls surrounded the boy, and streamed away chattering. The matron in yellow came back to her card table. And Harriet, unfurling her parasOl, deep in conversation with the captured soldier, sauntered slowly after the tennis players. The after noon sunshine sent clean shadows across the clipped grass; the stretched blue silk of Harriet's parasOl threw mellow orange light upon her tawny hair and saffrOn-colOred gown.
 Richard had a child's desperate wish that he was dressed, and might run after them.
 But it was not at the tennis that he looked, twenty minutes later, when he reached the courts; although a bril- liant play was being made, and there was spattering of applause. His eyes instantly found Harriet's figure; she was still talking to the French man, whose olive face was glowing with interest and admiration, and not more than eight inches, Richard thought, from her own. Harriet's own face wore the shadow of q smile, her lashes were dropped. and she was gently pushing the point of her closed parasol into the green turf. The chairs in which they sat had been slightly turned from the court.
 Richard engaged himself in c0nver- sation with two or three men and women who were watching the young sters' game, and presently found him. self applaudlng his son for a brilliant ace. But after perhaps five minutes he walked quite without volition, straight to Harriet's neighborhOod, and she rose at once, introduced her new friend, and with glance at her wrist, announced that she must go.
 Ward said he would drive me home the instant 1t was over," said Harriet, clapping heartily for the triumphant finish of the set.
 'I'll drive you home!' Richard said, instantly. "Tve the small car"
 "Friday night!' Harriet smiled. For Friday night was the night for mems dinner and poker game at the country .lub. and Richard usually liked to be